It’s one of every driver’s worst fears: you break down on the side of the road, may not have the proper tools to fix the problem with your car, and you’re stranded. However, technology advancements have allowed us to upend the delivery and taxi service industry, and now the roadside assistance industry is getting it’s own technology-tinged “glow up.”
Thankfully, Roadr has emerged as a brand new way to request roadside assistance.
A Better Way to Save Stranded Drivers
Otiniel Ribeiro, who co-founded Roadr with his brothers (Celso and Lukeny Ribeiro), experienced his fair share of roadside breakdowns in his life. It was the slow-to-show roadside assistance available — not to mention the safety issues surrounding where his car chose to break down — that sparked the idea for Roadr.
“I once waited for assistance from AAA for 2 hours,” recalls Otiniel Ribeiro. “The situation was far from ideal. My car broke down at night in a dangerous neighborhood.”
The Ribeiro brothers turned to technology to improve the service, creating an app that some call “the Uber of Roadside Assistance.” The app solves the issue of available assistance and allows users to track when their assistance arrives.
“We built a simple, intuitive app that connects stranded drivers to service providers,” Ribeiro says. “Our certified technicians can assist drivers with almost anything that can go wrong on the highway.”
Born in Angola and coming to the US by Portugal and Norway, Ribeiro and his brothers can relate to the stress of traveling in an unfamiliar area. “My brothers and I have been virtually everywhere,” Ribeiro explains. “We know what it’s like to be in places that feel like home and in unfamiliar settings. Wherever you are, it’s stressful to be stranded on the side of the road without help. Our goal is to reduce stranded drivers’ response times and increase their safety.”
Help Is On the Way
Being stranded because of an issue with your vehicle is a high-stress situation. Roadr has tried to alleviate some of that stress with quick, easy, and communicative solutions for drivers.
The Roadr app allows drivers to request roadside service from one of Roadr’s technicians. Drivers can quickly choose the service they need, see immediate pricing, and book the request. Drivers can also track the technician before they arrive, so they know how long the wait will be. This service, available within a few swipes on your phone, eliminates the awkward price-negotiation part of roadside assistance and much of the issue of long waits. Much like Uber, when a driver requests service, the Roadr technician closest to them is allowed to accept or deny the job. In the case of a job denial, the request goes to the second-closest technician.
“We can help with changing tires, delivering fuel, towing, giving a jump start, and charging EVs. If you don’t know the problem, our specialists can meet you and conduct an on-site review,” explains Ribeiro.
The Roadr app also creates jobs for technicians of all specialties, from tires to towing. Technicians can sign up easily with Roadr, and after sharing their license and screening information, start earning as a Roadr technician quickly.
“We are an app for the community, empowered by the community,” explains Ribeiro. “We know there is a shortage of safe and attractive jobs for certified technicians in this industry, and our app will generate these jobs while it solves problems for drivers.”
This mission — to help drivers and technicians needing a way to use their skills to make money — is a first for the roadside assistance industry, which can be plagued with tales of unscrupulous auto technicians and unhappy drivers.
Roadr verifies its service providers and only contracts with certified specialists in their fields. Each provider is vetted, and background checks are performed to ensure further the safety and satisfaction of the drivers in need. Roadr technicians can take on the Roadr job as part-time or full-time providers, allowing them to make extra money or look at Roadr as their full-time gig.
Roadr is set to launch in the Fall of 2022, with the app being available for Los Angeles residents first through the iOS App Store and the Google Play Store.
Otiniel Ribeiro and his brothers hope Roadr will be a game-changing solution for many. “The goal will always be to create technology that positively impacts people’s lives.”
