New ride-sharing application zTrip to launch in Phoenix

PHOENIX — A new ride-sharing application has come to Phoenix and it could drive similar services such as Uber and Lyft right out of town.

According to the Phoenix Business Journal, zTrip will be launching in Phoenix on Wednesday, with a fleet of 400 cars.

zTrip allows users to choose from either riding in a black car or taxi and having it pick them up from a customizable location either now or later, depending on when they need the ride.

Also, if users choose to ride in a taxi, they get the option of paying with cash. Otherwise, they can pay with a credit card through the app.

While the app is similar to Uber and Lyft — download the app, submit payment information, request a ride — zTrip uses only professional and licensed drivers who undergo full fingerprint background checks.

This aspect may be the determining factor for users, especially after a man who also worked as an Uber driver allegedly went on a shooting spree in Kalamazoo, Michigan, in February, killing six people.

Also unlike its competitors, zTrip will not enforce surge pricing, which occurs when prices raise with demand to encourage more drivers to hit the roads.

Surge pricing has infuriated drivers in the past, especially during holidays such as New Year’s Eve when prices can skyrocket as high as 50 times the regular rate, leaving drivers with no choice but to pay the fee to get home safely.

The app was developed by transportation company TransDev, who was involved in a Phoenix bus strike earlier this year. TransDev has partnered with local companies, such as Yellow Cab Arizona, to bring the app to Phoenix.

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