Oak Ride
How Oak Ride works
Oak Ride is a rideshare app built in the Triangle where the price is agreed by two people, not set by an algorithm. Riders propose what a ride is worth, drivers accept or counter, and the fare locks before the car moves. There is no surge pricing on Oak Ride.
For riders: you set the fare together
- Enter pickup and destination.We show a suggested fare upfront, based on distance, time, and what rides like yours usually cost.
- Take it or propose your own.If the suggestion feels high, offer what feels fair. You cannot be charged more than you offered.
- Drivers respond.Nearby drivers see your offer along with exactly what they would take home from it. A driver accepts, or counters, and you can accept the counter or come back once more. Up to four rounds, sixty seconds each, usually far less.
- The price locks before pickup.What you agreed is what you pay. Rain, rush hour, game night: the number does not move after you book. Only tolls, waiting beyond the grace period, and a destination you change mid ride can add to it.
You can also schedule a ride ahead of time, choose a women driver preference, follow your driver live on the map, share your trip with someone you trust, and reach a safety button from any screen during the ride.
How this is different from the apps you know
On the large rideshare platforms the price is set by a pricing model that watches demand and supply and raises the fare when riders outnumber drivers. The driver sees the fare only after the model sets it, and typically keeps a share of it after the platform's commission, which varies by trip. You cannot negotiate, and the number you see at booking can change if the trip takes longer than the model expected.
Oak Ride turns that around. The two people in the car agree the price. The platform's cut is a fixed monthly plan the driver chooses, not a percentage hidden inside your fare. So when you pay $20, your driver knows to the cent what they keep, and so do you.
| What | Typical rideshare app | Oak Ride |
|---|---|---|
| Who sets the price | A pricing algorithm | Rider and driver, together |
| Surge pricing | Yes, at busy times | None |
| Price after booking | Can change with time and route | Locked, except tolls, long waits, or a destination you change |
| What the driver keeps | Varies by trip after commission | Set by their monthly plan, shown before they accept |
| Tips | Usually 100% to driver | 100% to driver, always |
| Where it works | Most cities | Cary and RDU now, Triangle next, then North Carolina |
For drivers: pick the plan, keep the rest
Every driver starts free and can change plans as their volume grows. Higher plans pay a flat monthly fee, keep more of every fare, and get priority in matching.
| Plan | Monthly fee | Commission | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pay as you go | $0 | 25% | Trying the platform, occasional driving |
| Bronze | $49 | 20% | Part time, around 100 rides a month |
| Silver | $149 | 10% | Steady part time to full time |
| Gold | $299 | 0% | Full time. Keep every fare |
The math, straight: a full time driver grossing $4,000 a month pays $1,000 of it away at a typical 25% commission. On Gold, the same driver pays a flat $299 and keeps the rest. That difference is the reason Oak Ride exists. Tips are yours; 100% of every tip goes to the driver.
Know where the riders are before you drive there
The Oak Driver app shows a live demand map of the Triangle, drawn in small hexagons. Each hexagon shows how many riders are waiting there right now against how many drivers are already nearby, so a busy area that is already covered does not light up, and an area with riders waiting and no cars does. Tap any hexagon to see the numbers behind the color.
Oak Ride also tells you why demand is about to rise, not just where. Drivers get alerts when a flight into RDU is delayed and about to land, when a game or concert at a Triangle venue is ending, and when bars are closing, with enough lead time to get there. If you are navigating in Google Maps or Waze when a nearby area heats up, we send you a notification so you do not miss it.
Oak Drop: send something across town
Oak Drop uses the same drivers and the same fare agreement to carry packages instead of people. You enter pickup and drop off, describe the item, propose a fee, and a nearby courier accepts or counters. You see the courier's position live and get photo proof when it is delivered. Oak Drop is opening in stages; the app shows the current plans and whether your area is live. Details are in the Oak Drop Delivery Terms.
Getting started as a driver
You need a valid North Carolina driver license held for at least one year, a four door vehicle from 2012 or newer, current insurance and registration, and a clean background check. Apply in the Oak Driver app. Identity verification and the background check usually complete within two to three business days, and you can start on the free plan the same day you are approved. The full requirements are in Safety and Driver Standards.
Where Oak Ride operates
Oak Ride is live in Cary and the RDU area, and opening across Raleigh, Durham, Apex and Morrisville as driver density grows. Join your city's waitlist in the app and we will tell you the day it opens. Plan details, eligibility and current promotions are always shown live in the apps, which are the source of truth while we are in early access.