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For parents, friend groups and the environmentally conscious, here are 5 rideshare options to try in Austin

These Austin rideshare services are a handful of alternatives to Uber and Lyft. (Pexels)
Whether you're headed out for a drink or just trying to avoid a packed parking lot, ridesharing can be an easy alternative. The ridesharing market is expected to reach $344 billion by 2030 and in Austin, there are loads of options for those looking to ditch Uber or Lyft.
Maybe you want something eco-friendly, or with safety measures or with enough seats to pack your entire friend group. Whatever your preferences are, these are five apps to try out:
Fetii
This Austin-based company launched this past summer, and it's a smart go-to for group rides with its fleet of 15-passenger vehicles offering on-demand rides.
Riders can also take advantage of shuttles geared toward various groups. There are shuttles for going to the airport, university, for hospital and healthcare workers and for corporate use. Fetii points to large groups lowering emissions, but the company is going even further with an aim to go all-electric by 2025.
On the convenience side, rides on Fetii can save you from having to Venmo or Cashapp your group. Its check-in system lets riders split the fare and pay their dues through a QR code.
Plus, it's on the affordable end: Trip fares average $5 per person.
EARTH
(EARTH/Twitter)
There's now an app for getting places and lowering your carbon footprint.
Rideshare company EARTH, which offers trips in electric vehicles, had 115,000 riders in 2021, its first full year of operations. This EV rideshare gives people the ability to avoid surging prices, and is currently active in Austin and Nashville, after being drawn to cities where EV ownership is popular.
But it also has plans to expand. This year, the company is expected to add drivers in San Antonio, Waco and other cities outside of Texas.
Additionally, the company prides itself on being driver-friendly. Independent contract workers are paid either on an hourly wage or commission and 100% of their tip and are also eligible for health insurance benefits.
Over the past year, the company says it has increased its pool of drivers by 25%, which could help make finding a ride through the app easier. And if you're just visiting Austin, EARTH has a partnership with Tru by Hilton for airport shuttle services.
HopSkipDrive
(HopSkipDrive/Twitter)
Described as the "Uber for kids," HopSkipDrive pushes against that.
That's because the service— which launched in Austin late last year and is catered to parents who want to book a ride for their child—uses a "completely different, and far more rigorous, safety technology and processes," the company says.
The Los Angeles-based company was founded by working moms, so parents can feel secure sending their kids off on a ride with drivers who are vetted in a 15-point certification process. Among the requirements are five years of caregiving experience and an in-person meeting with the company, along with vehicle inspections and background checks.
But you'll have to plan ahead. All rides need to be booked in advance.
MetroRideShare
(Capital Metro/Twitter)
Geared toward riders who want to regularly carpool to work, CapMetro can get you to the office and back.
The vanpool service allows four or more people to take on a month-to-month lease agreement that includes the vehicle, maintenance, insurance, and 24-hour roadside assistance leased through Enterprise.
It is an investment, however. Fares vary based on vehicle type, group size, gas prices and tolls, with the monthly cost that riders split. Groups are eligible for $450-$500 monthly subsidies depending on the route.
This service comes with a guaranteed ride home program, which gives customers a taxi ride in the case of an emergency. With an annual membership fee, customers can get reimbursed for up to four taxi rides home a year.
Curb
Like the classics? Try out Curb, a taxi app that came to Austin in 2015 and has partners like Lone Star Cab Austin. With Curb, riders can book flat-rate or per mile rides in advance and pay for ongoing taxi rides.
If safety is an important factor, this app is for you. Riding taxis means every driver is licensed and insured.
There may be a couple of downsides when using Curb. Some reviews have said the ride now option isn't very immediate and it's better to schedule a pickup. And there's also the cost of a taxi, which has sometimes proven to be steeper than other options.
Still, the app also offers a rewards program. By sharing a personal referral code, users can earn credits for rides.
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Popular
(Austonia)
May's second election is here, in which voters will decide on the candidates to represent their party in the November general election after the winner in some March primary races was unclear.
Just like the March primaries, voters will choose which party they choose to vote in. Then based on location, each ballot will show which races are in a runoff.
In Texas, candidates must win at least 50% of the vote to be elected. In the races where the top candidate only received a plurality of votes, a runoff is being held.
Here's everything you need to know before heading to the polls.
Know before you go
Early voting for the Texas primary runoff election begins Monday and will last through May 20; Election Day is May 24.
The registration period for this election has passed; check if you're registered to vote here.
The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. As long as you're in line by 7 p.m., you can vote.
You'll need a valid photo ID to present once you're at a polling location.
Here are the early voting locations in Travis County.
View wait times at polling locations here.
Races to watch in Travis County:
Statewide
Lieutenant Governor
- Republican: Incumbent Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick won his primary in March.
- Democratic: Mike Collier and Michelle Beckley are vying to be the Democrat candidate on the ballot.
- Republican: Incumbent AG Ken Paxton is fighting for his seat against George P. Bush.
- Democratic: Rochelle Garza and Joe Jaworski will face off to be the Democratic candidate in this race.
View all the statewide races on the ballot here.
U.S. House of Representatives
View the district you live in here.
District 21
- Republican: Incumbent Chip Roy won his primary in March.
- Democratic: Claudia Andreana Zapata and Ricardo Villarreal are hoping to secure this vote.
- Republican: Dan McQueen and Michael Rodriguez are going head to head to be the Republican candidate in this race.
- Democratic: Former Austin council member Greg Casar won this race in March.
District 19
- Republican: Ellen Troxclair and Justin Berry are vying to be the Republican candidate in this race.
- Democratic: Pam Baggett won her primary in March.
Texas has been home to some of the country’s biggest celebrities of all time—think Amarillo resident Georgia O'Keeffe, Lubbock’s Buddy Holly and Corpus Christi’s famous singer Selena.
The Pudding’s People Map of the U.S., which shows each city’s “most Wikipedia’ed” resident, placed celebrities from all walks of life on the Texas map. As for Central Texas celebrities, there are some interesting (and not so surprising) names on deck.
(The Pudding)
Proving that Austin is “alright, alright, alright,” Minister of Culture Matthew McConaughey is both Austin’s and Uvalde’s top Wikipedia’ed resident. McConaughey, who was born in San Antonio adjacent Uvalde, has deeply ingrained himself in Austin by studying Radio-Television-Film at UT Austin, starring in the Austin-filmed movie “Dazed and Confused” and investing in Austin FC.
Heading down just a few miles south, San Marcos claimed former president Lyndon Baines Johnson as Texas State University’s most famous alumni, who graduated in 1930, and was also named in Fredericksburg. LBJ wasn’t the only ex-president on the map—George W. Bush was listed as the top resident in Dallas, Midland, Houston and Crawford.
You’ll see some other names with ties to Austin strewn around the state: Janis Joplin in Beaumont and Port Arthur; Stone Cold Steve Austin in Victoria and Edna; Dan Rather in his hometown of Wharton; and Waylon Jennings in Littlefield.
Venturing outside of the central areas, there are big celebrities who call Texas Home. Actress and artist Selena Gomez dominated search traffic in her hometown of Grand Prairie, musical artist Post Malone was most “Wikipedia’ed” in Grapevine, and Shaquille O’Neal was named in the city where he went to high school, San Antonio.
Plus, Thomas Haden Church, Angela Kinsey, Jessica Simpson, Chuck Norris, Roy Orbison, Ron White, Jessica Alba, Colt McCoy, Jimmy Dean and Johnny Manziel all had at least one city covered on the list.
Where’s Texas’ newest resident, Elon Musk? You’ll find him still in Los Angeles, as his foray into Texas living has just begun.
Click here to view the full map.