RidePair Positions AI-Powered ‘Pairing’ as New Approach to U.S. Traffic, Transportation Costs and Vehicle Emissions

SANTA MONICA, CA, UNITED STATES, August 26, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — RidePair, Inc., a Santa Monica-based transportation technology company, today announced plans to advance **Pairing™**, its AI-powered approach to shared transportation designed to connect people traveling similar routes while creating economic incentives for reducing unnecessary vehicle trips.

The company is preparing for an initial Northern California launch as it develops a platform intended to address three persistent transportation challenges: traffic congestion, rising transportation costs and vehicle emissions.

According to the 2025 INRIX Global Traffic Scorecard, congestion increased in 254 of the 290 U.S. cities analyzed. The report estimated that the average American driver lost approximately 49 hours to traffic during 2025, while the economic cost of congestion nationwide reached at least $85.8 billion in lost time.

RidePair believes one potential part of the solution already exists in the millions of privately owned vehicles traveling America’s roads each day with unused passenger capacity.

“America has invested heavily in roads, vehicles and transportation infrastructure, but there is still an enormous amount of unused capacity moving through our cities every day,” said **Deborah Kenney, CEO of RidePair**. “Our goal with Pairing is to use technology and economic incentives to make that existing capacity more useful.”

## An Economic Model for Shared Transportation

RidePair describes Pairing as an evolution of traditional carpooling.

Rather than relying primarily on consumers’ willingness to share a ride to save money or reduce environmental impact, RidePair is developing a technology ecosystem designed to recognize and potentially reward participation.

The platform is intended to connect drivers and riders while allowing businesses, advertisers, employers, communities, government programs and environmental initiatives to participate in the economic ecosystem surrounding shared transportation.

RidePair’s broader objective is to identify measurable economic value associated with reducing unnecessary vehicle trips and create mechanisms through which a portion of that value can benefit participants.

“Transportation is traditionally one of the largest recurring expenses for a household,” Kenney said. “We are building RidePair around a different economic model. We want participation to do more than reduce transportation costs. Over time, our objective is to create opportunities for transportation activity to generate economic value for the people participating in the network.”

Potential sources of participant value may include advertising and marketing programs, employer programs, community initiatives, government participation and other incentives associated with transportation efficiency.

The company refers to the concept as moving transportation from a traditional **cost center toward a potential income center**.

## Addressing Vehicle Emissions Through Higher Occupancy

RidePair’s model could also contribute to transportation-related environmental objectives by focusing on vehicle occupancy rather than requiring the replacement of existing vehicles.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, transportation represents approximately 28% of direct U.S. greenhouse-gas emissions, with road vehicles accounting for a significant portion of transportation emissions.

While much of the transportation industry’s climate strategy has focused on electric vehicles, alternative fuels and improved vehicle efficiency, RidePair is pursuing a complementary approach: reducing the number of vehicles required to complete trips that are already occurring.

When two individuals traveling similar routes share one vehicle rather than driving separately, one vehicle trip may potentially be avoided regardless of the type of vehicle being driven.

“Our approach does not depend on consumers purchasing a new vehicle or cities building entirely new infrastructure,” Kenney said. “It begins with using the transportation capacity that already exists more efficiently.”

## AI as a Transportation Coordination Platform

Artificial intelligence is expected to play a central role in RidePair’s platform.

The company is developing AI-enabled technology intended to analyze multiple variables involved in coordinating shared transportation, including trip origin, destination, departure timing, routes, participant compatibility and available economic incentives.

RidePair believes advances in agentic AI could make it increasingly possible to coordinate transportation decisions dynamically and at greater scale.

“Traffic is fundamentally a coordination problem,” Kenney said. “Artificial intelligence gives us new tools to connect people, routes, timing and incentives in ways that were extremely difficult to accomplish previously.”

Rather than simply using AI to identify existing congestion, RidePair’s longer-term objective is to use technology to help prevent certain vehicle trips from being created in the first place.

## Northern California Launch Planned

Although RidePair is headquartered in Santa Monica, the company is preparing Northern California as an initial market for the Pairing platform.

The launch is intended to provide RidePair with operating data related to participant adoption, shared trips, Pairing activity and the potential reduction of separate vehicle trips.

Among the measurements the company intends to evaluate are:

* Participation and repeat usage;
* Number of successful Pairings;
* Potential vehicle trips avoided;
* Potential vehicle miles reduced; and
* Economic value delivered to participating users.

The company expects information generated through the initial market to help guide future development and geographic expansion.

## Building a Distributed Transportation Network

RidePair’s longer-term strategy is based on treating unused passenger capacity as a form of distributed transportation infrastructure.

The vehicles already exist. Drivers are already traveling. Roads and transportation networks are already in place. RidePair’s technology is intended to connect that available capacity with people traveling similar routes and with organizations willing to economically support more efficient transportation behavior.

“An empty passenger seat represents unused capacity,” Kenney said. “At scale, connecting that capacity creates the possibility of reducing unnecessary vehicle trips while also creating economic benefits for the people who participate.”

RidePair is developing its platform with a team of fewer than 10 people, using artificial intelligence, software automation and a technology-focused operating model.

The company believes transportation may become a significant real-world application for agentic AI because of the large number of continuously changing decisions required to coordinate people, vehicles, destinations, timing and economic incentives.

“Our mission is larger than making transportation slightly less expensive,” Kenney said. “We want to demonstrate that better coordination can reduce unnecessary cars on the road while creating measurable economic value for participants. If we can accomplish both, Pairing can become an important new category within transportation.”

## About RidePair, Inc.

**RidePair, Inc.**, headquartered in Santa Monica, California, is an AI-powered transportation technology company developing **Pairing™ — the evolution of carpooling**.

RidePair is building a technology and economic ecosystem designed to connect individuals traveling similar routes and create incentives for shared transportation. By combining AI-enabled coordination with potential participation from businesses, advertisers, employers, communities, government programs and other stakeholders, RidePair seeks to transform unused passenger capacity into a more efficient distributed transportation network.

The company’s mission extends beyond reducing transportation expenses. RidePair is developing a model intended to create economic value for participants based on their time, available vehicle capacity and contribution to reducing unnecessary vehicle trips.

RidePair is preparing for an initial Northern California market launch and has a longer-term vision of expanding Pairing throughout the United States and internationally.

### Media Contact

**RidePair, Inc.**
Santa Monica, California
Media & Corporate Communications
RidePair.io

## Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding matters that are not historical facts, including statements concerning RidePair’s plans, objectives, expectations, business strategy, technology development, market launch, growth opportunities and potential future results.

Forward-looking statements may be identified by terminology such as “expect,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “could,” “target,” “project,” “intend,” “plan,” “seek,” “estimate,” “should,” “will,” “potential,” “may” and similar expressions.

These statements are based on RidePair’s current beliefs, assumptions and expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the company’s control. Actual results and performance may differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements.

Factors that could cause actual results to differ include those described under “Risk Factors” in the company’s Offering Circular and other applicable filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made, and RidePair undertakes no obligation to update such statements except as required by law.

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