UCSB to California · Launching this fall
Student rides made easy.
Catch rides between UCSB and anywhere in California with verified students. Drivers get their gas money back. Riders save on getting home.
How it works
Three steps between campus and home
Verify you're a Gaucho
Sign up with your ucsb.edu email and verify your ID. Drivers also confirm a valid driver's license before posting a single seat.
Post or find a ride
Drivers post their trip and open seats. Riders browse posted trips and request seats. Match, chat in app, and lock it in.
Share the cost, not a fare
Riders split what the drive actually costs. Payment is held until the ride happens, then released to the driver.
Rider or driver
Same car, two reasons to be in it
You are not buying a fare. You are chipping in on a drive that was happening anyway.
- Ride with verified UCSB students, never a stranger off the street
- Split what the gas actually costs, no surge and no fare
- Lock in your seat weeks before break instead of the night before
Waitlist
Get on the list
SideCar runs between UCSB and anywhere in California. Waitlist members will be notified once we launch, and drivers get first access.
Compare
How else would you get home?
| Option | Cost | Who you go with | Catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fly | $$$ | Strangers | Two airports, bag fees, a ride to and from each one |
| Train plus connection | $$ | Strangers | Leaves once or twice a day |
| Drive yourself | $$ | Nobody | Gas and parking, all on you |
| SideCar | $ | Verified UCSB students | Someone was driving anyway |
Why it's different
For students. By students.
The person driving you home is a student going the same way, not someone working a shift. You're chipping in on gas, not paying a fare.
Drivers break even
What riders chip in is capped at what the drive costs you, so you break even and no more. You were driving home anyway. Now the trip pays for itself.
Students only
Every rider and driver holds a verified ucsb.edu email and a checked ID. No strangers off the street.
Payments held safely
Riders pay up front, funds are held in escrow, and drivers are paid after the trip. No cash, no chasing Venmo requests.
FAQ
Questions
Who can use it?
UC Santa Barbara students. Every user verifies a ucsb.edu email and a government ID with a live selfie check, and drivers confirm a valid license before they can post a seat. You see who you matched with and can message them before you book.
How much does a ride cost?
It depends on distance and how many riders share the car. A full car typically means each rider pays a fraction of what gas costs, plus a small service fee at checkout. The average price of a ride is estimated to be $30–$50 per rider.
Is this a rideshare app?
No. Rideshare drivers are working, and the fare is their income. SideCar drivers are students already making the trip who split the real cost with the people riding along.
Is the ride insured?
Drivers drive on their own auto insurance, the same as any time they get behind the wheel. SideCar does not insure trips itself.
What if my plans change?
Cancel up to one week before the trip and you get a full refund. Cancel within one week before the trip and you get a 50% refund (minus service fees). No refunds for rider cancellations within 24 hours of departure.
I drive home all the time. What is in it for me?
Your gas money back. Fill seats that would have been empty if you drove alone. Drivers get first access to the app when we launch.
When does it launch?
SideCar launches this fall. Join the waitlist and we'll email you once we launch.
Are you coming to more schools?
That's the plan. If you are at another school and want SideCar there, send us an email with your school and where you are trying to get to.
Who's behind this
Built by a Gaucho who needed a ride
I'm a UC Santa Barbara student, and getting home to the Bay Area was always a struggle. Flights were always super expensive, the train took way too long, or no one I knew was driving home.
When I started asking around, I found that so many of my peers ran into the same issue. Either they couldn't find a way home, or they ended up driving themselves with 2 to 3 empty seats.
That's why I decided to start SideCar. Our sole mission is to provide a platform that makes student carpool easier and safer for students like myself. The rides already exist. There's just no good way to find them, yet.
SideCar is launching this fall, so make sure to sign up for our waitlist to gain early access.
Contact
Get in touch
Want to know more about how SideCar works, or partner with us? Send us a note and we'll get back to you.
hi@ride-sidecar.com