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Move over, Uber: New Austin-based rideshare app promises reduced prices

Matthew Iommi, CEO of Fetii (left), and Justin Rath, chief technology officer for Fetii, are looking to shake up the rideshare app game with their new group-focused service. (Fetii)
Ready for a Uber-level transportation service with scooter-sized prices? A new startup based in Austin is bringing both to the table with rideshare app Fetii.
Fetii looks to shake up the 10-year-old rideshare industry by creating a new app that helps reduce costs, traffic and CO2 emissions all in one by using 15-passenger vehicles to transport customers.
Anyone looking to hitch a ride can schedule a trip in advance or grab one on-demand. Instead of haggling over the bill, the company uses an automatic check-in system to automatically split the cost accordingly through a QR code. Individual rates average around $5, a significant dip from most rideshare options.
Cutting down traffic congestion was one of the key inspirations for the company, Fetii CEO Matthew Iommi said.
"We have created a platform that allows groups to affordably ride together, thus greatly enhancing the transportation experience while also significantly reducing congestion and emissions," Iommi said.
Fetii vans give big groups a one-stop option to get around Austin while cutting down traffic congestion. (Fetii)
Created in the wake of sexual assault allegations and other crimes associated with rideshare drivers, Fetii requires an extensive screening process for all of its drivers. Don't own a van? The company also leases its largest vehicles at "reasonable rates."
The company's unique services aren't just for big groups headed for a night out—businesses can create custom routes and schedules for anything from corporate events to university and airport routes.
As the first group-focused rideshare service, Fetii hopes to set itself apart in an ever-evolving industry.
"Many people don't realize that the $85.8 billion rideshare industry is only a decade old," Iommi said. "We set out to bring group transportation into the digital age with a specialized platform tailored to groups, for our riders' sakes and for the sake of the planet."
The team hard launched its program in 2021 and has transported over 25,000 passengers with 400% month-over-month revenue growth thus far as it takes passengers to and fro in Austin and College Station. And the team will continue to look to the future—by 2025, the company hopes to go all-electric as they continue to minimize their environmental impact.
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Popular
(Moriah Wilson/Instagram)
Austin police have charged Kaitlin Marie Armstrong, a local cyclist, for the murder of Moriah "Mo" Wilson.
Wilson, a rising star in the gravel and mountain bike community, was found dead with gunshot wounds inside an East Austin home on the night of May 11 when she was in town for the weekend Gravel Locos race in Hico, Texas.
Police believe Wilson was having a relationship with a man Armstrong was also in a relationship with. The man, another gravel cyclist, Colin Strickland, has since issued a statement on the murder.
In his statement, he said he had a brief romantic relationship with Wilson in October 2021 before he resumed his relationship with Armstrong, but that he remained friends with Wilson. "There is no way to adequately express the regret and torture I feel about my proximity to this horrible crime. I am sorry, and I simply cannot make sense of this unfathomable tragedy.
NEW: Austin professional cyclist Colin Strickland has just released a statement about the murder of cyclist Moriah Wilson, clarifying his relationship with her and expressing “torture about my proximity to this horrible crime.” pic.twitter.com/KnIna3mWrE
— Tony Plohetski (@tplohetski) May 20, 2022
Wilson, a 25-year-old Vermont native living in Colorado, had won a slew of races becoming a fan favorite. She had just become a full-time racer this year.
Anyone with information on this crime can contact Austin police at 512-974-TIPS or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 512-472-8477.
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Kelly said the planned homeless housing hotel suffered months of damage. (Mackenzie Kelly)
Austin has added 24-hour security to the city-owned Pecan Gardens property, which will be converted into supportive housing for people exiting homelessness, after the former hotel was found with months of damage and vandalism May 5.
The building, which was broken into and stripped of copper and had people illegally sleeping inside of it, has been secured, Kelly said in a Friday press conference. Kelly said the city confirmed a measure to implement 24-hour security, including updates every 60 days until the property opens up as supportive housing.
"We cannot let this happen to any vacant city-owned property ever again," Kelly said. "This blatant act of disregard and criminal behavior will not be tolerated in our community."
The city bought the former hotel in August 2021 for $9.5 million with plans to renovate the property into a 78-unit supportive housing property. Those 55 or older that are experiencing chronic homelessness can qualify to live at the site once it is completed in late 2022-early 2023.
While the council was set to discuss a $4 million deal with Family Eldercare to begin converting the property Thursday, Kelly pulled the item for a later executive session due to security concerns. But the council did approve an item to authorize city leaders to begin negotiating other renovation contracts.
"I want to thank my colleagues for pumping the brakes on this contract and realizing that we owe the community not only an apology, but reassurance that the protection of the assets the city owns is vital to the success of achieving our intended goals," Kelly said.
When the building was found vandalized May 5, Kelly, who presides over the district containing the property, said damage included:
- Damage spanning all three floors of the building and is in nearly every room.
- The entire hotel was stripped of copper.
- Destroyed washers, dryers, air conditioners and electrical wiring.
- People sleeping at the hotel without permission.
On Tuesday, Austin’s Homeless Strategy Officer Dianna Gray apologized and said there was no security due to a delay in processing the request.
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