Carpooling and Ride-sharing

1. If you ever plan to be a Driver using Liftango, download the Liftango app that is available for free from the Play Store. Register with your UBC affiliated address to ensure your profile can be matched with your UBCcard. This will enable you to receive the credit on your UBCcard when you drive others to / from campus using Liftango. If you don’t plan on driving and only want to be a carpool rider, you’ll just need the Liftango app downloaded.
2. In the Liftango app, load a picture of yourself in your profile to let your fellow carpoolers know who to look for. This is a required field and is easy to do in the app.
3. To express an interest in a carpool, open the Liftango app and on the bottom of the screen click Driver or Rider depending on whether you plan to be a driver of a carpool or be a rider in one.
4. Enter information about where you are heading to and where you are coming from, along with date and time information.
5. Once your trip details have been entered, you will be matched with another carpooler if there is a ride available. You’ll be notified with information about who you’ve been matched with and passengers will be able to see the driver’s location in the app to know when to be ready at the pick-up point.
6. For a driver to receive the $2/day UBCcard credit, both Drivers and Passengers must have location sharing turned on in the Liftango app and drivers, must select Start and End Trip in the app so that the app can confirm a carpool trip was completed.
7. Drivers will be rewarded with credit on their UBCcard according to the number of completed carpool trips each month within the first week of the following month of activity. For example, if a driver completed 10 trips on 10 separate days in the month of May, the driver’s UBCcard will be credited $20 within the first week of June.

How can I identify my pickup and drop off location in the app?

• For drop-off on campus, move the pin in the app to the location most convenient for you, but once in the carpool you can discuss with your driver a drop-off location that works best for the both of you. As a rider, if you have time and no issues with walking to work or class from the driver’s parking lot, then that is the recommended option.  
• For pick-up on campus, type in an address into the app then you can move the pin around to an appropriate pick-up location. Make sure to pick a spot that is easily accessible by vehicle.  
• For pick-up near your home, select a convenient and visible location for a driver to access. If possible, consider walking to a main road to be picked up to reduce the navigation time for a driver.

Why do I have to provide my cell phone number?

• When you sign up for Liftango, you will be matched with other drivers and riders. Providing your cell phone number will allow you to communicate with who you’ve been matched with. For example, if you can’t find one another at your pick-up point you can call or text one another. 

I do not want to put my home address in as my pick-up point. What do I do?

• Put in the address of a nearby location or point of interest that is easy for both of you to get to. It is recommended that you pick a convenient, visible location on a main road to reduce the amount of time for a driver to pick you up. 

I already am commuting to campus in a carpool. How can I get the incentive as a driver?

• As the driver, you can get rewarded for your regular carpool trips by ensuring that you and at least one of your passengers are using the Liftango app to track your trip. It is easy to do: as a driver select Private Ride on the booking request summary page. This will give you the opportunity to search for your carpool passengers by name in the UBC carpool network. Once you’ve selected your passenger(s), Start and End your trip in the Liftango app and be sure that both you and your passenger have your location settings turned on in the app, so that it can confirm a carpool trip was completed.  

If I am a driver, why would I sign up to use Liftango?

• There is a $2/day credit to help incentivize drivers to sign up and use Liftango to drive fellow UBC staff, students or faculty to campus. However, the biggest incentive is contributing to the fight against climate change. You’ll be contributing by reducing the amount of daily single occupancy vehicle (SOV) trips to and from campus. SOV trips are a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and by adopting shared transport through carpooling, you are doing your part to help the UBC community reduce our carbon footprint.

As a driver when will my credit be loaded onto my UBCcard?

• Credits will be available on your UBCcard the first Tuesday of the following month. For example, for the month of May, drivers who use Liftango and follow the program requirements will have their credits loaded onto their UBCcard the first Tuesday of June.

If I’m a driver using the Liftango app, can I charge my passengers money to help pay for the cost of the trip?

• There is no requirement for passengers to pay drivers when they are matched using Liftango. However, if you find a group that you want to create an ongoing carpool with, you can discuss compensation that works for all of you. For example, a toonie each way per passenger can go a long way to support the costs of the trip.

Does it cost anything to sign up?

• The Liftango app is free to download and use for the UBC community. Download and sign up using your UBC affiliated e-mail address to start getting rewarded for your commute.

I am a passenger and have been matched with someone I don’t want to carpool with, how can I change my carpool?

• If you are unhappy with your carpool match, you can cancel your trip and re-request it.

I want to pick up multiple people in my carpool, how can I do that using the app?

• The app currently does not support multiple matches in the app. This is something Liftango is working on though. For now, you can arrange for multiple pick-ups on your own if you already know of people you want to carpool with and if you like you can capture the size of your carpool by adding “Passengers” when you create your trip. Also, see the FAQ above for information about how to set up a pre-arranged carpool in the Liftango app.

I’m having issues with the app, how do I get support?

• Customer support is available 24/7 through the app or you can e-mail support@liftango.com.

If you would instead like to set up a carpool with coworkers or with other students in your class, below you’ll find a few  resources and tips to help you out. 

1. Download the sample carpool sign-up template (doc) for people to fill in. Once complete people will be able to identify matches based on the information people provide.
2. Print out a regional map and put it up in your workplace and ask people who are interested in carpooling to place sticky notes where they live (approximately to avoid privacy concerns) and their contact information. Carpoolers can then self-organize with others who live in their area. Sample downloadable maps: Metro Vancouver | Vancouver
3. Compensation is going to be different for everyone, but a minimum suggestion is a toonie each way, which could go a long way for a driver with a full car.