# Is there an ad hoc online service that can do this? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 7, 2016, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-ad-hoc-online-service-that-can-do-this/748233 "2016-03-07T19:43:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2016, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-ad-hoc-online-service-that-can-do-this/748233/1 "2016-03-07T19:43:14Z")
I’m an Uber driver living in Madison, and the other day I got caught a bit by surprise with a ride to the Milwaukee airport. I suppose I could have kept my Uber app open and picked up rides in the area, but I don’t know the area at all. So I shut off the app and deadheaded back to Madison – about an hour and a half. Is there something I could have done on the spot, using a smart phone, to advertise my presence in the vicinity, specifically offering a good deal in a ride back to Madison or its immediate vicinity? Specifying where I’m willing to go is not an option that Uber offers. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2016, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-ad-hoc-online-service-that-can-do-this/748233/2 "2016-03-07T19:56:11Z")
Not in a timeframe that makes any sense. There isn’t enough of a market for real-time rides of that distance to justify a service. You can look on [Craigslist](http://madison.craigslist.org/search/rid) for rideshare requests or post your own offer, but those are typically arranged days or weeks in advance. Or you could use your smartphone to find the closest Greyhound station and offer people there a cheaper ride than the bus, but you’re just probably more likely to have someone call the police than take you up on the offer. ---
**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2016, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-ad-hoc-online-service-that-can-do-this/748233/3 "2016-03-07T19:57:50Z")
you have a set destination option, hit the tiny little clip board to pull it up while you are online but not on a ride with a passenger, set your destination and head out. the app will then look for drives going in that general (and I do mean general) direction. you get 2 of these per day. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2016, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-ad-hoc-online-service-that-can-do-this/748233/4 "2016-03-07T20:06:07Z")
> [@Critical1](#): > > you have a set destination option, hit the tiny little clip board to pull it up while you are online but not on a ride with a passenger, set your destination and head out. the app will then look for drives going in that general (and I do mean general) direction. > > you get 2 of these per day. I think I know what clipboard you’re talking about (near the top right of the screen), but I don’t see that until I’ve accepted a passenger. Then I would use it to contact the passenger or to cancel the ride for some reason. Are we talking about the same thing? ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2016, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-ad-hoc-online-service-that-can-do-this/748233/5 "2016-03-07T20:20:16Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Are we talking about the same thing? I’m not familiar with the Uber app, but I’d be rather surprised if it didn’t do what you’re asking–unless Uber drivers are licensed only for a specific area, like cabs. When I drove taxi, I technically wasn’t permitted to pick up anyone outside of the area which our L.A. DOT permit allowed, though I did it all the time to reduce deadheading. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2016, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-ad-hoc-online-service-that-can-do-this/748233/6 "2016-03-07T20:28:15Z")
> [@guizot](#): > > I’m not familiar with the Uber app, but I’d be rather surprised if it didn’t do what you’re asking–unless Uber drivers are licensed only for a specific area, like cabs. When I drove taxi, I technically wasn’t permitted to pick up anyone outside of the area which our L.A. DOT permit allowed, though I did it all the time to reduce deadheading. I’m not licensed at all, except as a diver in Wisconsin. Uber might place restrictions in their app on where I can pick up passengers, but if they do I’m not aware of it. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2016, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-ad-hoc-online-service-that-can-do-this/748233/7 "2016-03-07T20:31:07Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I’m not licensed at all, except as a diver in Wisconsin. Beware of fares asking to go into intake pipes :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2016, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-ad-hoc-online-service-that-can-do-this/748233/8 "2016-03-07T21:41:56Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I’m not licensed at all, except as a diver in Wisconsin. Uber might place restrictions in their app on where I can pick up passengers, but if they do I’m not aware of it. Make that “driver”. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2016, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-ad-hoc-online-service-that-can-do-this/748233/9 "2016-03-07T23:42:39Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Make that “driver”. 🙂 ☹ And here I was hoping Uber had opened up a submarine ridesharing service in the Great Lakes. ---
**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-ad-hoc-online-service-that-can-do-this/748233/10 "2016-03-08T01:02:12Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I think I know what clipboard you’re talking about (near the top right of the screen), but I don’t see that until I’ve accepted a passenger. Then I would use it to contact the passenger or to cancel the ride for some reason. Are we talking about the same thing? yes, It should be up at the top, on the left side, whenever you are online. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-an-ad-hoc-online-service-that-can-do-this/748233/11 "2016-03-08T07:10:56Z")
> [@Critical1](#): > > yes, It should be up at the top, on the left side, whenever you are online. Nope, no such button.