

It’s just the gamble you take.Īlto helps eliminate that uncertainty. But I’ve also been in cars that I felt were driven carelessly, or been a captive audience to uncomfortable conversations I didn’t ask to a be a part of. I even received some pep talks after bad early-twenties nights in Uptown. I’ve had some incredible drivers, with whom I’ve shared truly interesting conversations. I don’t mean to bash the other ridesharing services of the world. I noticed later that, when we got to the right spot, he waited until I successfully got past the building’s keypad. When we got to my destination, and I’d realized I’d put in the wrong address, he patiently waited while I figured things out. He said the company monitors all the cars, and can tell when someone has made a sudden stop or a turn over 18 miles-per-hour. One morning, a driver did explain a few things about Alto to me. drive home from the airport telling me about his Saint Patrick’s Day weekend. (One time, an Uber driver spent an entire 1 a.m. They were all so polite, it was actually hard to get them to do anything but ask how I was. I turned off “Do Not Disturb” so I could have real conversations with the drivers. “Very glad to hear it,” he said in a kind but unaffected way, like he’d probably heard it a million times. “This was my first Alto ride and I loved it so much!” I said with way too much enthusiasm when I got to my destination (I’d been recently scarred!). The car was super clean, with water, umbrellas, and plenty of room. He asked me how my night was and, true to the app’s word, didn’t speak again after that. The driver sported a simple black button-down with a subtle Alto logo.

Before the car arrived, I turned on “Do Not Disturb” (not a myth!), and set my vibe to “Liftoff” (there are about five “vibes ” a few are pictured below), which is described as “pop beats and positive vibes from big sound favorites.” You can also control the volume in the app during your ride. I took my first Alto ride on a Saturday night. (Hot tip: their Instagram posts include the occasional promo code.)īut what a contrast. A monthly membership is $12.95 and saves you up to 30 percent on rides with zero booking fees. You don’t have to have a membership (there’s an membership-free “Alto Guest” model that allows you to pay the booking fee and fare per ride), but the company is clearly encouraging you to sign up.

The exact same route on Alto ranged from $15 to $18 while Lyft’s economy charged $7.50.
#DRUNK DRIVER HITS UBER IN DALLAS DOWNLOAD#
A coworker mentioned that it was a bit pricey and still had limited routes, which is probably why I didn’t immediately download the app when it launched in January of this year.Īnd, yes, Alto is more expensive than a regular Lyft or Uber ride. (They’re all actually Buick Enclaves, though it’s hard to tell.) Someone heard you could flip a “Do Not Disturb” switch in the app that would ensure a conversation-free drive. I had heard about Alto through some friends, and had spotted the shiny white SUVs emblazoned with the company’s logo around town.

I also felt done with the app.įrom left to right: Jonathan Campos, Chief Technology Officer Will Coleman,CEO and founder and Alex Halbardier, Chief Customer Officer I felt lucky my biggest complaint was that someone smelled like an indoor goat yoga class. The third was a news report on NBC, where two women close to my age recounted feeling helpless after being sexually harassed during a Lyft ride.
#DRUNK DRIVER HITS UBER IN DALLAS CRACKED#
I cracked open a window, which prompted the driver to say, “Do you… want me to turn up the A.C.? You’re really putting the cart before the horse opening that window!” I gave my most convincing, “I just like having the window cracked, sorry!” I was actually baffled that a car could get to that state. The next was on my way to work the following morning, when I opened the door to a driver’s small blue sedan and was floored by a smell that could only be described as “stale petting zoo.” It was truly tough stuff. I sent a complaint through the app, and received a clearly automated message that we would never be paired together again. “Can you believe that guy?” he yelled at me. Instead, he spent the rest of the ride cursing out the other driver. Accidents happen, but he never asked if I was okay or apologized for the scare. It wasn’t his fault, really, but it wasn’t entirely not his fault. On a ride home from work, my driver came inches from a collision while merging on Central Expressway. A few weeks ago, I took my car to a body shop (PSA: Harvey’s Paint & Body on Maple is a dream) and decided to forgo a rental in favor of using Lyft to get me around for two days. There were three inciting incidents over the past month that convinced me to try the Dallas rideshare startup Alto.
