Find someone already going
Check available rides first. If nothing works, you can post a request.
Choose From and To to see rides that cover that part of the route.
Available rides
Regular offers
Let the community know what your children need.
See who you could help
Check existing requests before offering spare seats.
Choose From and To to see requests that sit along your route.
Who needs a ride?
Regular requests
Post your spare seats so another family can find you later.
Your rides
Confirmed rides, open requests and rides you are offering.
Regular rides
Weekly arrangements, with dates, contacts and management in one place.
Upcoming rides
Confirmed rides involving your household.
Ride requests
Open requests for children in your household.
Rides offered
Open rides you are currently offering.
Request a ride
Select one or more children travelling on the same journey.
Offer a ride
Post your trip so another family can find it.
What the Green School NZ community has achieved together.
My name is Arthur. For my year 9 Quest project (2026) I wanted to put in place a system that would make it easier for the Green School community to organise car pooling / ride sharing with other families.
Did you you know that each day, collectively the GSNZ community is clocking up way more kilometers in travel than we need to? I've calculated that without a good solution, the extra distance we are collectively travelling is equivalent to going from our bus stop to Hamilton and back, every day! This is insane! In one year this is equivalent to going around the earth TWICE, and that could cost up to $27,000 in fuel to our community.
Could this make your school runs easier?
Ever wished someone could take your child to school just one morning? Or found yourself driving to Green School with empty seats? That's exactly what Ride Along is for!
Here are a few questions you might have:
I don't want to commit to a regular carpool. Can I still participate?
Absolutely! You can offer or request a ride whenever it suits you. Once a week, once a month, or just when something unexpected comes up. There's no obligation to drive regularly.
I'm already driving my children to school. How could I help?
Simply offer your spare seats on Ride Along. Other families travelling along your route can book a seat, and you earn tokens for helping out. Even one spare seat makes a difference!
What if I need help with school runs but can't offer many rides myself?
That's fine too! Ride Along isn't based on directly swapping lifts with another family. You can request rides whenever you need them, and the token system keeps track of everyone's contributions.
How do I find someone to take my child?
Check the available rides for your route and date. If nothing suits, post a ride request. Other parents can see your request and offer to help.
We have the same transport problem every Tuesday and Thursday. Can we organise something regular?
Yes! You can create recurring ride requests or offers for selected weekdays. Other parents can take on the whole arrangement or help with individual dates.
What if I can only help with one day of someone's recurring request?
No problem. You can accept just that one date, leaving the others available for other drivers.
What if our plans change?
You can manage your bookings in the app, cancel rides according to the cancellation rules, and even change which parent in your household is driving. You can also stop a recurring arrangement without cancelling rides that are already confirmed.
How do the tokens work?
Ride Along uses distance-based tokens to recognise each household's contribution.
When you drive another family's child, your household earns tokens. When someone drives your child, your household spends tokens.
Everything is recorded automatically, so you don't have to keep track of who owes whom a lift. The longer-term financial settlement arrangements are still being worked through.
What about booster seats and knowing who's driving?
Booster-seat needs are included in the booking process. Once a ride is confirmed, families can see their driver's contact details and coordinate the pickup. Optional notifications and reminders help everyone stay organised.
Can both parents use Ride Along?
Yes! Both guardians can have their own login, manage the family's rides and coordinate who's driving. Older children can also have their own account when enabled by their guardian.
💚 You don't need to have spare seats every day, or need lifts every week, to be part of it.
The more families who join, the more likely we'll find a ride when someone needs one.
Even if you only participate occasionally, you can make a real difference!
