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The Ultimate Guide to zTrip

On-demand car services have become extremely popular in this country.

But companies like Uber and Lyft have always existed in a weird space between “taxi” and “black car” services.

Back in the day, you could either hail a cab or call and schedule a more expensive town car service.

Uber and Lyft broke down those barriers.

With them, you could hail a black car instantly.

And with the introduction of UberX, just about every car on the road could become a taxi.

This didn’t make much difference to the average consumer, but for taxi companies, and cities and towns who sold licenses for taxis, it was a huge deal.

Enter zTrip. zTrip is an on-demand black car and taxi service that promises to be a more reliable choice in the ride-sharing space.

Unlike Uber and Lyft, zTrip worked with traditional taxi companies and black car companies, ensuring that working taxi drivers didn’t get squeezed out, and cities kept valuable revenue coming in to help pay for roads, schools, and other civic necessities.

In this article we’ll look at zTrip, explain its origins, and why it’s become a popular choice in several cities.

We’ll also give a brief guide to its app, and go over base requirements for driving for the company.

Lastly, we’ll look at how zTrip compares to the competition.

What Is zTrip?

Not to be confused with DJ Z-Trip, zTrip provides on-demand rides in a growing number of American cities.

The company is headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, and is owned by Transdev, a French company that has acquired many transit operations in the United States, including the Yellow Cab Company of Baltimore.

zTrip has become a popular choice in cities that want more control over their on-demand car service.

Austin, Texas, is a good example.

For years, Austin has warred with Uber and Lyft over the issue of taxi medallions.

To give a crash course: Before on-demand ride-hailing apps, cities used to sell a certain number of taxi licenses each year, called medallions, which gave a car the right to operate as a taxi in that city.

Cities liked medallions because the city could earn revenue from them, of course, but they could also limit the amount of taxis on the road, which gave them more control on issues like traffic congestion, pollution, etc.

Uber and Lyft’s business model was to ignore the medallion policy, label their cars as “livery service” (like a black car or limousine), and then put as many cars as they wanted on the road.

For some cities, the increased mobility and innovation provided by Uber and Lyft wasn’t a big deal, and they welcomed them.

For cities like Austin, however, they viewed this as a threat to traditional taxi companies, cab drivers, and the city’s control over traffic and pollution.

This all made zTrip very attractive.

zTrip promised to only work with traditional taxi companies or with traditional black car or limo services.

Instead of replacing the work force and the system, they offered an app that would let cab companies compete with tech giants like Uber and Lyft.

They also promised cities they would comply with all the local laws and regulations, including fingerprint-based background checks in some cities.

So cities like zTrip.

For consumers, the zTrip app is one that is comparable to tech giants Uber and Lyft.

And for people who want to support their city, it’s a nice option.

But far and away zTrip’s biggest selling point to consumers: No surge pricing.

For people who live in cities where zTrip operates, the app may be worth it for those times alone.

When Uber or Lyft is charging many times over its normal price due to high demand, zTrip’s prices stay steady.

Navigating the zTrip App

When you first download the zTrip app in the App Store or Google Play, and when you open the app, you’ll be asked to create an account.

You can sign up with Facebook or your email, whichever you prefer.

The information they need is your email, name, mobile number, and a password.

That’s it to get started.

Once you’ve created your account, zTrip will ask your permission to send you push notifications.

They recommend that you allow this, just so you can get alerts when your car has arrived or get an alert if a ride has to be canceled for some reason.

(Accidentally didn’t allow them?)

No worries — you can always change the notification permissions in your device settings later.)

From there, the app looks and feels a lot like other ride-sharing apps you’ve used before.

You select your location and your destination, and the type of ride you want.

There are options for black car, taxi, and handicap-accessible cars.

You’ll get an estimate for the price of your trip as well.

zTrip: the app interface on a phone screen

When you book your first trip, you’ll be asked to provide credit card information.

Enter your card number, confirm your zip code, and you’ll be ready to ride.

While getting started is pretty simple, there are other ways to take advantage of the app.

To get to the settings menu, tap on the icon in the top left corner.

There you’ll get a menu that will allow you to adjust payment options, update your profile, configure your settings, and enter any promo codes you may have.

zTrip: the app menu bar

One nice option is under “Settings” it will allow you to enter both your home and work address, letting you easily and quickly book trips to either your home or office from the app without having to enter the address manually each time.

zTrip vs. the Competition

zTrip pricing is comparable to local taxi prices, which, as we showed in our article on the subject, is generally slightly lower than Uber or Lyft — especially on shorter trips.

(However, Uber’s carpool service UberPool costs less, and Ubers will generally be cheaper on trips over $35, according to the study.)

zTrip lets you schedule trips ahead like Uber or Lyft, and you get multiple options for types of rides you want to take — in some cities you can even book a large van service.

In a 2016 interview, zTrip president Bill George said, “Where we really set ourselves apart is that we do not surge price.”

This is the big one and can be what makes the zTrip app worth downloading.

They may not have as many drivers on the road as Uber or Lyft, but zTrip’s prices stay constant.

Where Does zTrip Operate?

zTrip started with service in Austin, Kansas City, Denver, Boulder, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Minneapolis, and Orlando, but they’ve grown quickly.

In many markets they focus on travelers, providing rides to and from major airports around the country.

Their current list of airports serviced includes:

  • Albuquerque, NM (ABQ)
  • Atlanta, GA (ATL)
  • Austin, TX (AUS)
  • Baltimore, MD (BWI)
  • Boston, MA (BOS)
  • Burbank, CA (BUR)
  • Charlotte, NC (CLT)
  • Charlottesville, VA (CHO)
  • Chicago, IL (MDW, ORD)
  • Colorado Springs, CO
    (COS)
  • Dallas, TX (DAL, DFW)
  • Denver, CO (DEN)
  • Detroit, MI (DTW)
  • Honolulu, HI (HNL)
  • Houston, TX (HOU, IAH)
  • Indianapolis, IN(IND)
  • Jacksonville, FL (JAX)
  • Kansas City, MO (MCI)
  • Las Vegas, NV (LAS)
  • Long Beach, CA (LGB)
  • Long Island, NY (ISP)
  • Los Angeles, CA
    (LAX, LAH, LBH)
  • Manchester, NH (MHT)
  • Maui Kahului, HI (OGG)
  • Memphis, TN (MEM)
  • Miami, FL (MIA)
  • Milwaukee, WI (MKE)
  • Minneapolis, MN (MSP)
  • Nashville, TN (BNA)
  • New Orleans, LA (MSY)
  • New York City, NY (JFK,
    LGA)
  • Newark Liberty, NJ (EWR)
  • Newport News / Williamsburg, VA (PHF)
  • Norfolk/Richmond, VA (ORF)
  • Oakland, CA (OAK)
  • Ontario, CA (ONT)
  • Orange County, CA (SNA)
  • Orlando, FL (MCO, SFB)
  • Panama City, FL (ECP)
  • Pensacola, FL (PNS)
  • Philadelphia, PA (PHL)
  • Phoenix, AZ (PHX, AZA)
  • Pittsburgh, PA (PIT)
  • Portland, OR (PDX)
  • Providence, RI (PVD)
  • Raleigh-Durham, NC (RDU)
  • Richmond, VA (RIC)
  • Sacramento, CA (SMF)
  • Salt Lake City, UT (SLC)
  • San Diego, CA (SAN)
  • San Francisco, CA (SFO)
  • San Jose, CA (SJC)
  • Seattle, WA (AG1, BFI, SEA)
  • St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL (PIE)
  • Tampa Bay, FL (TPA)
  • Washington, DC (DCA, IAD)

Drive for zTrip

zTrip drivers essentially operate like taxi drivers.

They provide the car and maintenance, you pay a fee to operate the car, and then you keep all the fares.

Unlike Uber or Lyft, which usually requires you to own and maintain your own car, zTrip takes care of all of that for you.

Essentially, you’re renting a car from them.

From there, you keep the money you earn.

You can build out a clientele, craft your own hours, and start earning.

Want to become a zTrip driver?

It’s easy to get the process started.

First go to the zTrip website, and if you look at the top of the page, you’ll see a menu item that says “Drive for zTrip.”

Tap on that.

You’ll then be taken to a page that lets you get going quickly.

It looks like this:

zTrip: the webpage to apply to be a driver

Provide your name, email address, and phone number, and let them know what city you’d like to drive in.

You also need to disclose if you’ve been convicted of a felony.

Fill all that out, hit submit, and they’ll get in touch with you to get the process started.

If you’re already a taxi driver, you can reach out to your company about partnering with zTrip.

Ride With zTrip

zTrip is a ride-hailing app that’s looking to break into the space dominated by tech giants like Uber and Lyft.

It’s popular with many city governments because it works with traditional taxi services and works with cities to make sure its vehicles and drivers abide by all local laws and regulations.

It’s growing more popular with riders because of its commitment to no surge pricing, and the ability to book ahead of time.

If it’s available in your city, it’s definitely worth checking out.

2 thoughts on “The Ultimate Guide to zTrip”

  1. Do you mean as a driver, do you get paid per mile? Technically no, you start every fare at 3.50, meaning as soon as a passenger enters the vehicle they are charged 3.50, afterwards it is calculated at .25 per 1/10 of a mile. An easier way to understand would be for every mile driven, the price of the fare goes up 2.50$.

    Now I personally do not expect anyone to tip, but it is a pleasant reminder that I have done my utmost to insure my fares are comfortable, and hopefully enjoyable.

    One thing to remember as a driver, you will always earn more when you are willing to go that extra mile, be it helping someone load or unload groceries, offer enjoyable conversation, and ALWAYS remember to be appreciative, you never know when that next call will ask for you again!

    Reply

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