Whether by train or plane or automobile, travelers have their pick of transportation when it comes to cross-country trips, and now with the idea for DriveOR making the most affordable choice may become easier.
DriveOR seeks to map out the most cost-efficient transportation for any traveler by comparing the routes and methods available from point A to point B. The web application plans to partner with airline and travel sites, in addition to gas stations to provide up-to-date pricing for consumers to make the best travel decisions for their budget.
DriveOR is one of seven entries in the Dream Big Des Moines contest, which seeks the top tech-based business ideas in central Iowa. The top vote-getter in an online poll of those seven entries wins a $5,000 prize and a spot in the statewide Dream Big Grow Here contest, which has a $10,000 prize. Votes for Dream Big Des Moines can be submitted until 11:59 p.m. on Aug. 31 at Dream Big Des Moines’ polling page.
DreamOR founder Ciara Vesey said the service is particularly important for Des Moines because it’s a “small market airline-wise.” Though Des Moines International Airport continues to increase its volume, the total number of passengers flying through this past June alone was less than 178,000, a number that impacts the cost per flight.
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“A lot of times, it is extremely expensive to fly out of small market airports,” Vesey (left, photo from Dream Big Des Moines) said in an email interview. “If consumers were able to map out a trip to a larger market or just drive the route themselves, they would know how much it would cost them and could better manage their costs and finances.”
The site will be designed for those traveling for work or leisure, from the family vacationer to small business traveler to small market airport traveler. The service will likely sync with Google maps to provide directions in addition to the most affordable means of transportation to their particular destination within the United States.
The next steps for DriveOR include drafting the business plan, pulling together a team of programmers and designers and researching and developing to execute this service for users. Vesey said DriveOR is set to fully launch in the fall of 2012.
