Mobile apps help with mobility

Dear PropellerHeads: My ride flaked out on me. Can you pick me up?

A: Unfortunately, my mom is using the Bonneville to go to Bunko tonight so I am unavailable. The good news is that I still might be able to help you.

If you are in a major metropolitan city, I would just tell you to use one of the many, semi-convenient forms of public transportation available to you. But perhaps you are in a smaller town, out in the 'burbs, in a basement "apartment," meticulously appointed with priceless Firefly memorabilia...or something like that. It might be a little tough to walk out your door, raise your arm, and have a taxi swing by and get you. Heck, maybe you live in an actual apartment in an actual big city but it's raining, so the struggle feels just as real.

Enter your ride-finding and car service apps. Services like Uber (uber.com), Lyft (lyft.com), and Hailo (hailoapp.com) are probably old hat for many of us now. Download the app, save your credit card information, and you can quickly choose your driver, ride, and style of car, and then have the entire transaction (tip too!) done in a few clicks.

You will want to beware of "surge" pricing when using these types of apps, where the fares increase based on peak travel times or conditions, like rush hour and bad weather.

The newer players in the game are trying to tap into some of the things the big guys aren't experts in yet. They are trying to cut costs, stabilize rates by avoiding surge pricing, and cut our carbon footprint with ride-sharing. You may not see some of these guys in your city, unless you're in a big one, but I would guess it won't take long for some of these ideas to spread.

Summon (instantcab.com) has cheaper overall pricing than Uber and Lyft, with no surge pricing, and has a FareBack program where you get 10% of your last fare applied to future Summon rides, and this is good for the first 10 rides every month. Currently this service is only offered in the San Francisco Bay area.

If you are in Manhattan, you can try Gett (gett.com). With flat-rate pricing, at $10 a ride for black car service, you never have to estimate the cost of your route.

Also NYC-based Via (ridewithvia.com) has rides for $5 plus tax, but it's set up mostly as a ride share. You may not have to make a stop to pick up others on your route, but even if you do it shouldn't delay your arrival to your destination. Via's algorithm will arrange pick-ups a few block walk for additional passengers and the driver will wait no longer than 2 minutes for a passenger along the way.

Sidecar (side.cr) is trying to offer a more personalized experience. Choose your favorite cars, route, drivers, and it's the only player in the game that lets you chose your fare before you ride, and sort by fare price. They are also in the ride-share game and have branched out into same-day deliveries, targeting businesses with this type of service, as opposed to just passengers.

Feel like being in control of your own destiny? Pick up a Zipcar (zipcar.com) and drive yourself to your destination.

Want to get some fresh air? Use a bike-share app like Spotcycle (spotcycle.net) or Spinlister (spinlister.com) and find bike share stations in your city, or rent a bike from people like you, who are willing to lend you some wheels for a nominal fee.

Oh wait, my mom will be back by 9:30. You still need a ride? I can be there in like 20. Just remind me to pick up some Pinot on the way home. Bunko after-party at my house.

When the PropellerHeads at Data Directions aren't busy with their IT projects, they love to answer questions on business or consumer technology. Email them to questions@askthepropellerheads.com or contact us at Data Directions Inc., 8510 Bell Creek Road, Mechanicsville, VA 23116. Visit our website at www.askthepropellerheads.com.