How to Build a Website Like Uride [Step-By-Step Guide]

Rohan Murthy
Uber
July 26, 2023
5/5 - (2 votes)

Have you ever wished you could create your own version of the hugely popular ridesharing app Uride? As one of the pioneers of the sharing economy, It has found enormous success by connecting riders with drivers in cities around the world.

In this in-depth guide, we’ll analyze the key ingredients of their winning formula and provide step-by-step instructions for building a website like Uride with similar features and functionality. Whether you want to directly compete with Uride or carve out your own niche in the on-demand transportation space, this guide will walk you through the entire process.

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How Uride Started

Let’s start with some background on Uride. The company was founded in 2009 by Garrett Camp and Travis Kalanick as a way to tap into the on-demand economy by allowing everyday people to make money giving rides. After launching in San Francisco in 2010, the app quickly expanded to other US cities as well as international markets.

Some key milestones:

  • Early 2011 – Uride closes $11 million in Series A funding
  • 2012 – Launches Uride X ultra luxury service
  • 2014 – Reaches over 1 million completed rides
  • 2015 – Becomes available in 300+ cities globally
  • 2016 – UberEATS launches for food delivery
  • 2019 – IPO values Uride at $82 billion

Over the past decade, It has continued growing exponentially and today it has millions of active riders and drivers on the platform. Its name has become synonymous with ridesharing and the larger gig economy.

So what has been the secret sauce to Uride’s phenomenal success? Let’s analyze its core business model and website functionality.

Understanding Uride’s Business and Revenue Model

The key to Uride’s business model is serving as a technology platform that connects those who need rides (riders) with those who can provide it (drivers). Uride built an easy-to-use app that manages all the logistics seamlessly:

For riders:

  • Request a ride with pickup/drop off locations
  • Track driver’s location and ETA
  • Automatic fare calculation
  • In-app payment and receipts
  • Driver ratings

For drivers:

  • Receive ride requests/directions
  • Navigation and routing
  • Profile and documentation management
  • Payment processing
  • Rider ratings

Uride takes a cut of each transaction as their revenue. Typically this is 20-30% of the total fare charged to riders. Additional revenue streams include service fees, promotional partnerships, subscriptions like UridePASS, and now food delivery via UberEATS.

This elegant platform model has allowed Uride to scale rapidly without owning any vehicles themselves or employing any drivers. The technology does the heavy lifting.

Examining Website and App Features

Now that we understand the business model, let’s dissect the key features that have made Uride’s app so successful. These elements are crucial to replicate when building your own ridesharing website:

Simple, Intuitive App Interface

Uride’s app is designed for maximum ease-of-use. The interface is clean and uncluttered with just the necessary features readily accessible. Riders can quickly request a ride in just a few taps. This frictionless experience has helped drive rapid user adoption.

Integrated Maps, GPS and Routing

The app integrates with mapping and location data to match riders with nearby drivers, track their location in real-time, provide accurate ETAs, and optimize routing. Advanced technology handles all the logistics behind the scenes.

Seamless Payment Handling

One of Uride’s core innovations was enabling cashless transactions and paperless receipts. Riders’ credit cards are stored within the app for quick payments and digital receipts. This created a seamless end-to-end experience.

Review and Rating Systems

Allowing riders and drivers to rate each other built accountability and enabled self-policing of bad behavior. Displaying average ratings helps users make informed decisions when requesting or accepting rides.

In-app Messaging

In-app messaging between riders and drivers enables coordination before, during, and after rides. Users don’t need to exchange personal contact information for basic communication.

User Profiles and Ride Histories

Saving profile data, past rides, and payment information within the app creates a customized, premium user experience. Everything is easily accessible in one place.

Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Website Like Uride

Now that we’ve explored the key ingredients of Uride’s success, let’s go step-by-step through the process of actually building out a ridesharing website with similar functionality.

Step 1: Choose a Web Development Platform

Your first decision is choosing the right technology to build your web platform. Some top options include:

  • WordPress – Popular open source CMS that can be customized via plugins and themes. Easy for basic websites.
  • Custom code (e.g. Ruby on Rails) – Requires more technical expertise but allows unlimited customization and scalability for complex platforms.
  • No code tools (e.g. Bubble) – Allow building web apps without coding by dragging and dropping. Quick but less flexibility.

For most ridesharing sites, I’d recommend a robust platform like Ruby on Rails that gives you the power and scalability you need long-term. But evaluate your budget and technical capabilities.

Step 2: Select a Base Template/Theme

Most web frameworks have pre-built templates or themes you can use as the starting point for the design and basic structure.

Browse the template marketplace for the platform you selected to find one that resembles the functionality you want. For Uride-like sites, choose a template with:

  • A mobile-first design
  • User dashboard/profile functionality
  • Integrated mapping capabilities
  • Payment processing integration

The template will handle the baseline so you don’t have to build from total scratch. You can then customize it further.

Step 3: Customize the Design

Now it’s time to tailor the template’s generic design into your own branded, customized site.

  • Colors – Change any template colors to match your brand palette.
  • Logos – Add your logo and any branding elements in the header, footer, etc.
  • Fonts – Choose easy-to-read, professional fonts suited to your brand.
  • Images – Use relevant, high-quality photos that relate to your service.
  • Style touches – Add borders, shadows, animations to polish the design.

Keep the interface clean and focus on readability. Test the site on mobile to optimize responsiveness.

Step 4: Integrate Maps, GPS and Location Tracking

One of the most technically complex aspects of ridesharing platforms is integrating mapping data to match drivers and riders and track locations.

You’ll need to link to and implement APIs from providers like Google Maps or Mapbox. Key functionality includes:

  • Rider/driver proximity matching
  • Turn-by-turn directions
  • Real-time ETAs and location tracking
  • Route optimization

This will likely require significant development work even with API integration. Thoroughly test location accuracy across devices.

Step 5: Build User Profiles and Accounts

Now it’s time to construct the backend that will power user accounts and profiles. Key features will include:

For all users:

  • Account registration with email/password
  • Login/logout
  • Profile with photo, contact info, settings

For riders:

  • Saved addresses (home/work)
  • Ride history
  • Payment information
  • Ratings given to drivers

For drivers:

  • Background check/documentation
  • Vehicle information
  • Service areas
  • Ride history
  • Ratings given by riders

Enable users to easily update their profiles from their dashboard. Allow them to toggle between rider/driver modes if your platform supports both.

Step 6: Add Ride Booking and Payment Functionality

One of the trickiest aspects is integrating payment processing and ride booking/requesting flows into the app. Key features include:

Booking flow:

  • Request ride option with pickup/drop off locations
  • Fare estimate calculator
  • Driver assignment based on algorithm
  • Cancel/change ride functionality

Payments:

  • Stored credit card information
  • In-app checkout and e-receipts
  • Fare splitting options
  • Tipping support
  • Payment distribution to drivers

Leverage platforms like Stripe to handle payments securely. Test end-to-end booking and payment flows thoroughly before launch.

Step 7: Develop Review and Rating Systems

Reviews and ratings are core to ensuring high-quality rides and building trust between users. Allow both drivers and riders to:

  • Rate each ride 1-5 stars
  • Leave optional text reviews
  • Flag issues and unsafe behavior
  • Praise excellent service

Display average ratings prominently on profiles. Let users filter potential matches based on ratings for added safety.

Step 8: Include Driver Management Tools

Your platform also needs to provide tools to manage the driver side of the marketplace, including:

  • Driver application processing
  • Background check integration
  • Status toggling (online/offline, accepting rides etc)
  • Performance metrics and reports
  • Deactivation for violations
  • Support for grievances against riders

Aim to give drivers autonomy while still maintaining quality control. Automate as much as possible.

Step 9: Test Extensively and Fix Bugs

Thoroughly test the entire platform yourself and with a user group before launch. Root out any bugs, performance issues, or confusing flows. Testing is crucial.

Focus on:

  • App speed/latency
  • Location accuracy
  • Payment processing failures
  • App crashes
  • User account issues

Continue testing and monitoring even post-launch to catch any new issues.

Step 10: Market Your New Platform

Once the technical side is ready, you need to attract users to your new ridesharing service. Some marketing tactics include:

  • Search engine optimization
  • Promotions for early users
  • Partnerships with local businesses
  • Billboard and transportation ads
  • Direct mail campaigns
  • Social media marketing

Consider launching in a single city first and expanding over time. Continue iterating on the product and technology.

How Zipprr Builds Ridesharing Platforms

Our web development agency has extensive experience building ridesharing and transportation platforms for clients across the globe.

We leverage our technical expertise in languages like Ruby on Rails and Python to create scalable and robust ridesharing sites with all the complex integrations required.

Some examples of platforms we’ve built include:

  • RideConnect – Ridesharing for corporate commuters and office parks
  • Senior Rides – Ride service focused on elderly passengers
  • SkiTube – Rides to/from ski resorts during winter seasons

We handle everything from design and development to launch and marketing. Our team can produce a basic MVP ridesharing site starting at $50,000 or a highly customized platform for $100,000 and up.

We excel at bringing location-based service platforms like ridesharing to life through proprietary frameworks we’ve developed. We can integrate seamlessly with providers like Stripe, Twilio, and Mapbox.

If you want to build the next Uride competitor or test a unique twist on the model, we’re here to partner with you. Our technical expertise and industry experience can turn your vision into reality.

Final Thoughts

We’ve covered a lot of ground here! To recap, the key ingredients you need to build a successful ridesharing website like Uride include:

  • A platform business model that connects riders and drivers
  • An easy-to-use mobile interface
  • Integrated maps, routing, and location tracking
  • Seamless payments and user profiles
  • Review systems to enable accountability
  • Driver management and support tools
  • Robust testing and ongoing improvements

It takes significant development work and substantial funding to build, launch and scale a platform like Uride. But the business model has proven successful, so for the right entrepreneur or startup team with adequate capital and technical capabilities, the opportunity is massive.

If you’re ready to turn your idea into reality, the next step is connecting with a web development firm experienced in location-based service platforms. They can advise you on the project scope, timelines, and budget.

Building the next big thing in ridesharing requires the right execution, but we hope this guide has demystified the process and key ingredients needed. The opportunity to disrupt this industry further is there for the taking.

So buckle up, it’s time to get your development engines revved up and mapping technology tuned! Let us know if you have any other questions. Just a short ride away from startup success.

Frequently Asked Questions

For a basic functional platform built on an existing template, expect 2-3 months minimum for design, development, testing and launch. For a highly customized site, 6 months is more realistic.

The core must-haves are rider/driver profiles, location services, fare calculation, ride booking, payment integration, review systems, and account management.

Plan for at least 10-20% of the initial build cost per year for ongoing platform improvements, bug fixes, customer service, potential redesigns etc.

Ruby on Rails and Python (e.g. Django or Flask) are great choices that allow rapid, flexible development of complex platforms.

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    Rohan Murthy

    Rohan Murthy is a freelance writer and in-house content lead at Zipprr, a custom software development company. With over 7 years of experience, he specializes in writing about business, technology and startups. As the in-house content lead, he creates blogs, whitepapers and webpage content for Zipprr. He has also worked with many other clients as a freelance writer, providing long-form and short-form content.