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The first online-only news site in state history to get media credentials to cover the state capitol and Seattle city hall, PubliCola has been called a “must-read” by the Seattle Post Intelligencer and a hot “New Media Mover and Shaker” by Seattle Magazine—which also cited our own Erica C. Barnett as the city's No. 1 news nerd.

Seattle Gets the First-Ever Cab Sharing App

News   December 27, 2009 at 9:16 am Sam Machkovech

This weekend, Seattle developer Jason Prado debuted RidePenguin, a free, mobile-friendly website that connects cab sharers at SeaTac. Enter your destination, your desired departure time, and your cell phone number, and RidePenguin will find a perfect cab match via calls or texts. (In expected Seattle fashion, it’ll also tell you how much CO2 and money you’ll save with your potential share.)

SeaTac might not the best spot to target a cab-sharing debut, especially this week, but I sure wish I knew about RidePenguin when I landed in SeaTac at 1:15 a.m. on Christmas Day and realized light rail halts its downtown service mighty early in the evening.

(Yeah, merry goddamned Christmas to you, too, Sound Transit.) Here’s to hoping the site, currently in “beta,” expands with ride share searches outside the light rail grid.




  • taxi monopoly lobbyists

    what do you expect, a 24/7 city?

    if we have transit that stays open after midnight, then you KNOW a bunch of drunks out partying will use it EVERY weekend, leading to more FUN in the CITY and god knows we prudes in Seattle don’t want that.

  • taxi monopoly lobbyists

    what do you expect, a 24/7 city?

    if we have transit that stays open after midnight, then you KNOW a bunch of drunks out partying will use it EVERY weekend, leading to more FUN in the CITY and god knows we prudes in Seattle don’t want that.

  • http://johnrcarlisle.wordpress.com/ John R Carlisle

    A cab sharing App? Ok that is the coolest App Ive heard of in awhile.

    John R. Carlisle

  • http://johnrcarlisle.wordpress.com/ John R Carlisle

    A cab sharing App? Ok that is the coolest App Ive heard of in awhile.

    John R. Carlisle

  • Timothy

    Yeah…we need to increase the pressure on Sound Transit to extend the hours of service of link to/from the airport. I was excited to use link for my 6:30 am flight to Mexico, and then realized it doesn’t start running in time. 6:00 am departures are very common for those of use going east.

  • Timothy

    Yeah…we need to increase the pressure on Sound Transit to extend the hours of service of link to/from the airport. I was excited to use link for my 6:30 am flight to Mexico, and then realized it doesn’t start running in time. 6:00 am departures are very common for those of use going east.

  • http://ridepenguin.com/ Jason Prado

    Thanks for the mention!

    I wish the Link was perfect, but sometimes you just gotta take a cab. The only time I’ve taken a cab from SeaTac I shouted to a crowd to try and split it, which worked, but that clearly doesn’t scale well.

    I hope it helps people get home cheaper this winter. And hit the feedback link if you have any suggestions for other cities it should cover or other ways it could help!

  • http://ridepenguin.com Jason Prado

    Thanks for the mention!

    I wish the Link was perfect, but sometimes you just gotta take a cab. The only time I’ve taken a cab from SeaTac I shouted to a crowd to try and split it, which worked, but that clearly doesn’t scale well.

    I hope it helps people get home cheaper this winter. And hit the feedback link if you have any suggestions for other cities it should cover or other ways it could help!

  • elaineinballard

    This is great to see. I’ve used shared cabs in Latin America and they not only saved me money, but also helped me learn more about the area I was travelling in, as well as make new friends.
    Question: what kind of vehicles are available? Are we talking hybrids and high-mpg compacts, or your standard low-mileage taxi?”

  • elaineinballard

    This is great to see. I’ve used shared cabs in Latin America and they not only saved me money, but also helped me learn more about the area I was travelling in, as well as make new friends.
    Question: what kind of vehicles are available? Are we talking hybrids and high-mpg compacts, or your standard low-mileage taxi?”

  • MarkS

    Typical Seattle whining: people either bitch about empty late-night buses/trains.

    Or, they complain when there isn’t an empty train/bus to serve their own, personal late night travel needs.

  • MarkS

    Typical Seattle whining: people either bitch about empty late-night buses/trains.

    Or, they complain when there isn’t an empty train/bus to serve their own, personal late night travel needs.

  • Blue Swan

    100 percent brilliant!

    Using technology + personal transportation can be an alternative to expensive “public” transportation options like LINK.

    In Britain they’ve been testing Texxi (text message for socially networked cabs) for a few years.

  • Blue Swan

    100 percent brilliant!

    Using technology + personal transportation can be an alternative to expensive “public” transportation options like LINK.

    In Britain they’ve been testing Texxi (text message for socially networked cabs) for a few years.