An exciting new social media app called Localift has recently been launched which dovetails perfectly with the public transport minibus transport service for  Thames   Localift is a friend-to-friend lift sharing App which makes it incredibly easy to manage and share free local lifts between people you know. 

The App integrates and brings together all the elements of smart phones/tablets and social media such as your Facebook of other friend networks, mapping, messaging and calendars.  It makes it incredibly simple and safe for family, friends, and colleagues to share free lifts:-

 

• Lifts for children to and from school, sports and activities.
• Lifts for workers to carpool to work
• Lifts for the elderly and people with disabilities
• Lifts for young adults for social events and sports.

Some people can feel awkward or embarrassed about asking people they know for rides. But the App normalises sharing lifts because when you join, your friends on the App are expecting to be asked for help and vice versa. It makes it very easy to offer or request rides with people that you already know.

Pick-ups and drop-offs can be organised, scheduled and shared among people you know and trust.

Each ride is free and any koha or exchange of cash between riders is entirely voluntary.

It is also possible to set up Lift Groups (which are completely private) to organise one-off or recurring trips for sports practice, getting to and from work, and social events.

If you’re going to a game, dinner, movie, gig, or the pub, you can organise the designated non-drinking driver, or if no one wants to drive and you want to share a cab this can be organised as well on the App.

Localift is also great for Senior Communities and Retirement Villages, where groups can be set up within those communities to support those who don’t drive. It is also possible to initiate lift requests on behalf of people who don’t have a smart phone or the Internet using the Linked User Service.

The App has real time tracking so that you can see where your children or other loved ones are at any time on the trip, and when they arrive at their destination.

All Localifts are kept in your Localift calendar and synced to your phone’s calendar. You’ll even receive reminder notifications.

There are many other great features, but what I like most about this particular App is at that can be used in Thames and other small communities – not just in the big cities.  Also, it helps build a sharing and caring community, not to mention that it saves money on petrol, and eases demand for parking and traffic congestion.