By Ricky Thompson

After nearly two years of development, Clyde Mitchell may have finally found the answer for students interested in going on the road without arriving in the red.

Since its launch last March,, Mitchell’s Web Site, www.-RideCheck.com, has been providing users with an online database of ride-sharing opportunities. Through this, vehicle owners and prospective riders are able to coordinate mutual routes and, by working together, split costs – such as gas and toll fare – that the driver would otherwise be forced to account for in full.

“This could save millions, tens of millions, hundreds of millions of dollars if people start referring a lot of rides,” Mitchell said.

Once registered, users are able to search scheduled rides based on specific criteria, including departure date, gender and smoking preferences.

In addition, vehicle owners seeking company for a future trip can post their itinerary on the Web site in hopes that it will meet the needs of another user.

Mitchell, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology graduate, said his idea for the concept was drawn from a campus rideboard he frequently utilized during his tenure as an undergraduate.

“It saved me a lot of time and money, and it was really just a big piece of plywood labeled with each state,” he said.

Now, almost thirty years later, Mitchell is focusing on the Internet to reinvent the rideboard and provide a wider community for its services.

“If it takes off, you start to get tens of thousands of rides listed,” Mitchell said.

Not only does the Web site free students from the task of seeking out a physical rideboard, but it also provides a level of security that Mitchell said could otherwise be overlooked.

When registering for the site, new users are required to submit a valid driver’s license number, current contact information, age and gender. Once this is complete, registrants are entitled to search the database or add to its inventory of pre-existing ride-sharing opportunities.

When posting a ride, the driver is required to furnish the vehicle’s make, model and year, as well as license plate number. These details, along with those submitted by the driver upon registration, will be e-mailed to other members who wish to join the trip. Likewise, the rider’s contact information will then be sent to the driver.

“What we’ve tried to do is develop levels of witnessing so that the site will be safe,” Mitchell said.

The e-mail also explains to each party the steps that should be taken to help prevent problems from arising once the trip has begun. For example, it is recommended that a meeting be arranged with co-riders and the driver prior to departure in order to compare license and vehicle information to what was originally registered through the Web site.

Mitchell said additional security measures, such as a credit card verification system, are presently being considered for the Web site’s future.

In order to post or register for a ride, users residing in the United States must be at least 18 years of age, except for rides originating in the District of Columbia, Indiana, Mississippi or Pennsylvania, which require riders must be at least 21-years-old.

Use of the Web site is not restricted only to students; rather, it is open to all individuals of legal age so the site can offer the maximum number of rides possible.

Although Mitchell said he considers the service’s true demographic to be the college community, sophomore human services major Michelle Bernabee said the lack of such a restriction cannot be balanced on good faith alone.

“I would feel better about using it if I knew it was [limited to] students, but I still don’t know if I would use it,” she said. “You really have no idea about the person that you’re traveling with. I would not want to risk it. I would rather drive myself and spend the money on gas than risk being with a creepy person.”

Junior communications major Becky Tessimond also said she had reservations about the Web site’s safety, but still considered it a viable alternative to other means of getting around the region.

“I think it’s a smart idea because so many people don’t like public transportation,” she said. “I probably wouldn’t travel all the way across the country with it, but if it was to [somewhere like] New York City, it’d definitely be a cheaper way to go.”

Just as Rome wasn’t built in a day, Mitchell said the site – which has been steadily generating “about 200 queries a day” – will need time before it is able to develop a base of contacts to fully reach its potential.

“Much like e-Bay, as everyone starts registering rides at the site, more people will look at the site, more people will accept rides and there will be more of a buzz,” he said.

While RideCheck does not currently charge any fee to its members, Mitchell said this may change in the fall, but not to more than a few dollars.

In the meantime, Mitchell said he is confident in the product being presented.

“The good news is that at least we’re developing a market,” he said. “We’re saving lots of gas and we’re improving the environment by reducing some road congestion.”