Zimride

 Photo and essay by Abdulshaheed S AlQunber

As spring break approaches, one may want to spend the vacation or even the weekend out of College Station (CS), or visiting friends or family near CS, but one may not own a car. Texas A&M University (TAMU) gives one the option, by becoming partners with many services. In this process essay, this author will focus on a special service called Zimride.

Founders of Zimride define it this way: “Zimride is a fun and easy way to share the seats in your car or catch a ride. With Zimride, you can find TAMU friends, classmates, and coworkers going the same way you are.” This is not all. “Aggie Zimride helps you offer or request rides for commutes, road trips, and popular events. If you own a car, split costs by offering rides. If you don't have a car, find rides where you need to go.” This writer knows a student who had experienced this service, and overall, what they say about it is that it is a convenient way to get to your destination as well as preserving money.

How does one get the benefit of this service? Initially, go to a search engine for “Zimride TAMU”; perhaps use Google to do this step. Click on the first link. Once in the Zimride website, the page is only for Aggies. Then login with your NetID and create your profile, or you can connect your Facebook account for a quick profile. That is the first step.

Second, start by searching for a ride by selecting from point a to point b and the departure day. If you do not have a car, then post a ride. However, if you possess a car and want to split the cost and protect the earth from excess CO2 (taking care of the environmental aspect), this is a good way to do it. During the search, one can read the feedback and comments from other Aggies for a driver. Also, if you have any questions, one has the ability to text the driver; further, one can see who the riders will be in the car with you. For the payment method, you have two choices: cash or credit card. Finally, choose the driver and book the ride. In the meantime, wait for the day, and when it arrives, the driver will pick you up.

To sum up, Texas A&M provides diverse excellent transit options for their students. Zimride is a helpful service, with reasonable prices even cheaper than one would expect. Ultimately, have a safe trip and enjoy the holiday time.