ride-sharing

noun

ride-shar·​ing ˈrīd-ˌsher-iŋ 

variants or less commonly ridesharing or ride sharing

: the act or practice of sharing automobile trips

El Camino College is proposing a new $30-a-semester fee for student parking in lots on the campus. … Under the proposal, those who participate in ride-sharing would pay $20 a semester.

—Los Angeles Times

especially : an arrangement in which drivers of usually privately owned vehicles who wish to offer rides and passengers who wish to obtain rides use a network (such as one accessed through an app or a website) to coordinate the sharing of individual automobile trips for which the passengers pay a fare

The idea of ride sharing, which would leverage smartphones to save people money while offering a taxi-like service, is potentially more disruptive because it cuts out professional drivers altogether.

—The New York Times (online)

When Mims started working for Uber, it was initially so lucrative that he left his full-time truck driving job to focus on ridesharing.

—Irina Ivanova

Cab companies worldwide are also facing competitive pressure from ride-sharing firms like Uber and Lyft, where the apps connect riders with private citizens who drive them to their destinations.

—Janet Moore

compare car pool

Examples of ride-sharing in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Conducting parking and traffic studies both before and after construction, designating a specific area for ride-sharing, and working with police, metro government and PARC to find ways to improve traffic flow during events at Paristown Hall. —Matthew Glowicki, The Courier-Journal, 17 Apr. 2024

Waymo has earned some early supporters by promising to widen access for people with disabilities — including those with epilepsy who are unable to drive and may face insecurities about using traditional public transportation or ride-sharing. —Rachel Uranga, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2024

Environmentally, ride-sharing can have mixed effects—but it’s been one of the more climate-conscious modes of travel for people finding balance between private and public transportation. —Sunny Nagpaul, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2024

Khosrowshahi, 54, has pushed Uber into new businesses beyond its core ride-sharing, into restaurant and grocery delivery and advertising, which has helped improve profit margins. —Natalie Lung, Fortune, 15 Feb. 2024

Lyft is focused solely on ride-sharing in North America, while Uber operates abroad and offers services like food delivery and freight. —Phil Wahba, Fortune, 25 Jan. 2024

Most attendees left after 1 a.m., the suit claims, which meant there were limited options for public transportation and ride-sharing. —Aliza Chasan, CBS News, 18 Jan. 2024

And workers in industries like ride-sharing or food service have had a harder time winning union recognition. —Kurtis Lee, New York Times, 23 Nov. 2023

In the United States, almost any American with a functional car and no criminal record can make money through ride-sharing. —Andrew Stuttaford, National Review, 12 Nov. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1942, in the meaning defined above