RouteCabBot: Commute Matching

Every morning, cars cross town half empty while someone at a bus stop is heading the same way. RouteCabBot helps those people find each other: you draw your trip, and the app lists people whose route overlaps with yours.

It is built for regular trips to work or school, not for a one-off taxi call. The bot's own tagline says to arrange the route yourself.

Pick a role, the rest follows

The bot has three roles, each started with its own command. You tell the service who you are on this trip right away.

• /driver is for people who drive their own car and can take companions.
• /sharing is for people without a car who use car sharing.
• /passenger is for people looking for a ride.
• /home takes you back to the home page.

A route in about a minute

The web version is simple. Tap the map or drag the pins to place a departure point and a destination. The app draws the driving path and shows the distance.

1. Set points A and B on the map.
2. Name the route and enter the departure and return times.
3. Choose a search radius around each point. The default is 900 meters.
4. Switch the route on and wait for matches.

The radius decides who you see

The radius keeps matches from being too far away. A large radius gives a longer list, but you may need to travel to the meeting spot. A small one gives fewer matches that are easier to reach.

In a big city, start with the default value. Increase it only when the list is empty.

Up to five routes and notifications

You can save up to five routes: the commute, a trip to the gym, a weekend drive out of town. Active routes take part in matching, and the rest wait. For active ones you can turn on Telegram notifications so you do not have to open the map every day.

Sign-in works with Google or through Telegram. 🚗

Riding with strangers safely

The service finds matches, but the arrangement is between you and the other person. A few habits help avoid trouble.

• Meet for the first time in a busy place, not at someone's door.
• Agree in advance how to split fuel or car sharing costs.
• Tell a friend who you are riding with and when.
• Never prepay a stranger.

Good to know before you start

This is a small project with a modest audience so far. In smaller towns there may be no matches yet, which is normal for a service whose results depend on how many people add routes. The more people post routes, the more useful the list becomes.

Shared rides save money and ease traffic, but the agreements you make with companions remain your responsibility.