Plugged In: A Driver-Centered Approach to Electrifying Rideshare

This webinar will highlight a driver-centered approach to ridesharing, with a focus on what drivers need to switch to an electric car and how rideshare companies can support their transition. 

The largest Transportation Network Companies (TNC), Uber and Lyft, have established electrification targets and tart-ups such as Go Girl Ride and Earth Rides are also embracing transportation electrification by including electric cars in their fleets. While electric cars are cheaper to operate and maintain than gas-powered cars and prices are becoming more affordable, few rideshare drivers have made the switch to electric. 

Join us for the conversation with rideshare companies as we dive into how best to center driver’s needs, such as financing opportunities, access to charging stations, and building in time to charge between rides, as we electrify the ridesharing sector. 

Moderator

Lindsay Schuelke, Program Manager, Forth

Lindsay works in the Program Department on pilot programs. One of the programs she supports is the equity financing pilot, which brings fair financial options, education, and outreach to TNC drivers in Portland, Oregon. Lindsay holds an AAS in Radiography from Lakeshore Technical College. Her background in social and environmental nonprofits informs her methods to build a more just and sustainable future using EV technology.

Speakers

Rock Robinson, Co-Founder & CEO, eCarra

Rock Robinson was working for Apple in business development, while his partner worked for Uber, when they quickly realized there’s a strong demand for premium, clean, luxury rides, especially in the business-to-business space. So they decided to create a rideshare company that was environmentally friendly. Operating by the tagline “rides that matter,” eCarra uses strictly electric vehicles for an experience that’s sustainable, fast, and luxurious. With its fleet of about 25 Teslas, eCarra offers a premium ride experience that’s customizable through its iOS app.

Raven Hernandez, Founder and CEO, Earth Rides

Raven Hernandez is a Nashville Native and first-generation American, college graduate, and licensed attorney. Her family is originally from Veraguas, Panama and she was raised by her single mother, Meryam. Raven decided to pursue law after experiencing the murder trial of a close family member as a freshman in high school. Once she arrived at law school at the age of 21, she had been chronically ill for almost 14 months which ignited her passion for learning more about holistic health. Alongside her husband, Raven started Earth Rides after passing the Bar in 2020. Earth Rides is an all-electric rideshare app with a mission to reduce carbon emissions and provide a better rideshare service than what currently exists. Earth is in Tennessee and Texas and has raised 1.75M+ to date.

Trenelle Doyle, Founder and CEO, Go Girl Ride Inc.

Trenelle Doyle is the Founder and CEO of Go Girl Ride Inc. GG is a ride service company for women by women. They serve to be a safe form of transportation for women, femme, and non-binary folks that want an alternative to the predominantly male-driven rideshare options.

Gabriel Ets-Hokin, Senior EV Contributor, The Rideshare Guy

Gabe Ets-Hokin is a veteran transportation professional with over 50,000 trips between taxicabs, Uber, Lyft and Sidecar. He's been writing professionally about motorcycles since 2004 and got into writing about Rideshare in 2015. He lives in Oakland, CA with his wife, son and two bitter, unfulfilled cats.