Flywheel Transportation App Expands Service to Seattle

SAN FRANCISCO--October 10, 2013: Flywheel, the mobile application revolutionizing an outdated transportation industry, announced today the launch of its service in the greater Seattle area. Flywheel allows users to hail, track and pay for a ride from a regulated driver with a tap of their smart phone. Flywheel brings mobile technology to existing fleets, offering a safe, efficient and affordable option to the mass market of taxi users who aren't well-served by ridesharing and luxury vehicle booking services.

“We take driver quality and consumer experience very seriously”

“Seattle is a city of tech-savvy, progressive residents who have shown demand for a service like Flywheel to improve the existing transportation infrastructure of the city,” explains Flywheel CEO Steven Humphreys. “We bring these exact benefits to Seattleites without adding more cars and congestion to the road. We make the system more efficient and the experience more enjoyable and lower cost for Seattle passengers.”

Flywheel has initially partnered with Seattle’s leading transportation company, East Side for Hire, to launch their service in the area. They have equipped over 260 East Side for Hire cars and drivers with the Flywheel technology needed to respond to ride requests in Seattle and the surrounding areas including Bellevue, Burien, Federal Way, Issaquah, Kent, Kirkland, Mercer Island, Northgate, Redmond, SeaTac and Shoreline.

East Side for Hire maintains fleets similar to taxis, but instead of a meter, they offer customers flat rates calculated by pickup and drop-off zip code. The company has received superior ratings and is the most affordable option in the area, with a typical for-hire ride from downtown Seattle to the airport costing $29.

All Flywheel rides are offered by licensed, for-hire or taxi vehicles, driven by professional drivers in regulated and well-maintained cars. Flywheel ensures riders are paired with expert drivers and is setting an industry standard in quality control. 95% of all drivers have received 4 or 5 stars out of a 5 star rating system. Unlike other illegal, unregistered and unsafe hired rides, Flywheel offers a safe, convenient, cost-effective way to get around Seattle.

“We take driver quality and consumer experience very seriously,” says Humphreys.

The Flywheel app is available in the Apple App Store and on Android through Google Play. In addition to Seattle, Flywheel currently operates with over 3,000 vehicles in San Francisco and Los Angeles, increasing by hundreds every month.