I can remember as a kid how popular it was to hitchhike. People would stand on the side of the road, stick out their thumb to look for a ride. Nowadays, SideCar wants to replace your thumb with an iPhone, according to a CNET report.

Founded in 2011 in San Francisco, the community-driven service lets you find someone who is willing to drive you to your location. The center of your transpiration hub is an iPhone app that lets you select both your location and your destination and offer a donation for the ride. Eligible drivers will see your route and agree to pick you up for the suggested price.

To alleviate safety concerns, SideCar hand picks the drivers after checking their license, making sure they have insurance and conducting a background check. The service also interviews the drivers before they are hired. Passengers are also required to provide a credit card and their personal information before requesting a ride. A ratings systems for both passengers and drivers will help weed out problems as well.

The service is now out of beta and available only in San Francisco. Expansion to other cities is expected soon. You can read more about SideCar on the company’s website and download the iOS app from the App Store.

Hitch a car ride with SideCar for iPhone originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 27 Jun 2012 09:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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