Real drivers already heading your way between SF, LA, San Diego, and Vegas — split the gas instead of paying a markup. Faster than the bus, cheaper than the train, and no airport required.
Ask Apple Maps for directions between two California cities and tap the ride tab — Seat Sherpa now shows up right next to Uber and Lyft. Same screen, same trip, a fraction of the price.
Real, unedited Apple Maps results — ride-hail prices vary by time and demand. Apple Maps is a trademark of Apple Inc. Seat Sherpa is an independent app and is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Apple.
It's not ride-hailing — it's a real carpool. Drivers are already heading your way with empty seats, so you split the cost of a drive that's happening anyway instead of paying a markup.
Drivers are already making the trip — you're just sharing gas and wear. Prices are capped at the IRS mileage rate split across the seats, so it's always fair and nobody's running a business off you.
Direct, city-to-city, in a real car — no transfers, no crowded depots, no multi-stop milk runs. Pickups near you, not at a downtown terminal.
You're splitting the cost of a drive someone's already taking, not paying full fare — and you go point-to-point, not station-to-station.
No TSA lines, no bag fees, no pricey ride out to the airport. For most of these routes there isn't even a direct flight.
Every driver is phone-verified with a license on file, and both sides rate each other after every trip. Trust built on real rides, not anonymous reviews.
Driver-set prices shown in full before you book — no surge, no bidding. Paid securely via Stripe and only released to the driver once your trip starts.
A real carpool has real perks: with two or more of you, use HOV/carpool lanes to skip traffic, and with a FasTrak Flex, carpools get discounted tolls in Bay Area express lanes and on the bridges. (Most carpool lanes need 2+; a few, like the Bay Bridge, need 3+.)
From signup to first ride in under five minutes.
Create an account with your phone. We send you a one-time code to confirm it's really you.
Passengers browse rides going your way. Drivers post their planned trips and set a seat price.
Pay securely in-app, coordinate with your driver, and hit the road. Earnings deposit ~2 days later.
California and Nevada only, for now. Here are the most common routes.
How prices are capped, how we verify drivers, the 4-digit pickup code, refunds, luggage, and more.
Read the FAQ →Seat Sherpa is carpooling, not ride-hailing. The driver is taking the trip anyway and you're sharing the costs (gas, wear) — they're not making a profit. That's why we can keep fees low (5%) and prices fair: drivers can never charge more than the IRS standard mileage rate divided across seats.
You're booking a planned trip, not summoning a car. Most rides are long-distance (LA↔Vegas, Bay↔LA, SF↔San Diego) where a one-time carpool makes way more sense than a $400 Uber.
Often, yes — it's one of the underrated perks of a real carpool. With two or more people you can use HOV/carpool lanes on California freeways to skip traffic, and with a FasTrak Flex tag set to your headcount, carpools get discounted (sometimes free) tolls in Bay Area express lanes and on the bridges.
Two things to know so you're never caught out: most carpool lanes require 2+ occupants, but some — including the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge — require 3+, and toll discounts only apply during the posted carpool hours. Always follow the signs for the lane you're in. Think of it as a bonus on top of splitting the gas, not a guarantee on every road.
Every route has a price cap. Because drivers are only sharing the real cost of a trip they're already taking — not running a business — there's a hard ceiling on what any seat can cost, tied to how far they're driving (the IRS standard mileage rate, about $0.725/mile, split across the seats). The app enforces it on every ride.
That means no surge, no commercial-taxi markup — you pay your share of the gas, not a profit margin. It's how a Bay→LA seat lands closer to the price of a bus ticket than a $400 Uber.
Every driver:
You can also see the driver's profile (photo, name, trip count, average rating, real reviews from past passengers) before you book. And you can block anyone you don't want to ride with again — they'll never see your rides or messages.
Your safety comes first on every trip. Seat Sherpa has a zero-tolerance policy for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and for any unsafe or reckless driving. Drivers agree to it when they join.
Situations like this are very rare, but if you're on a trip and have reason to believe your driver is impaired or driving unsafely, ask them to end the trip in a safe location, exit the vehicle, and call 911 if you're ever in danger. No trip is worth your safety.
Then report it to us right away so we can act. In the app you can block the driver from the chat menu or their profile (you'll never see their rides or messages again), flag their rating, or email support@seatsherpa.app. We review every report and remove drivers who break the policy.
At pickup, you'll read your driver a unique 4-digit code from your booking screen. They enter it in their app — that confirms you actually got in the car and starts the trip officially. It's also what releases your payment to the driver. Without your code, the driver can't start the trip or get paid — and if the ride doesn't happen, you're refunded.
It's a simple anti-fraud measure that protects both sides: you won't be left paying for a ride that didn't happen, and the driver can't claim a no-show was actually a completed trip.
When you book. For instant-book rides your card is charged right away; for request rides it's only authorized, then charged once the driver accepts. Either way the money is held securely and only released to the driver after your trip starts — when you share your 4-digit pickup code. The driver receives their payout about 2 days after that.
If the ride is cancelled before pickup, you're refunded — or, for a request that was only authorized, the hold simply drops off and you see nothing on your statement. Driver cancels = 100% back; otherwise the refund follows the ride's cancellation policy. Refunds process to your original card within 5–10 business days.
You get a 100% refund automatically, regardless of the cancellation policy that ride was posted with. Refund processes to your original payment method within 5–10 business days.
You'll also get a push notification and an email so you know immediately. From there you can search for another ride on the same route — the marketplace usually has multiple drivers heading the same way.
Every ride uses the same standard cancellation policy, shown on the ride before you book.
No matter the policy, once your driver enters your pickup code (trip officially started), cancellations have to go through support — automatic refunds are off the table at that point.
Carry-on bags: most rides include space for a bag, but please check with the driver during booking. Larger luggage limits vary by driver — look for a "🧳 Large trunk space" badge on the ride card, or message the driver to confirm.
Skis or snowboards: drivers can post their ride with a "🎿 Ski rack" or "🏂 Board rack" amenity (with an optional fee). Look for those badges on the ride card.
Pets: only if the driver's profile shows a "🐕 Pets welcome" badge. Otherwise message the driver beforehand to ask.
You'll get push notifications 24 hours and 2 hours before pickup with the driver's name, vehicle details, plate number, and ETA. Most drivers will message you in the in-app chat if they're running late.
If you can't reach them and they're 30+ minutes past pickup time, contact support@seatsherpa.app. Drivers who repeatedly no-show lose their driver privileges, and you'll always be made whole on the refund side.
Drivers will typically wait 10–15 minutes for a confirmed passenger — but they're not obligated to wait indefinitely (they have other passengers to pick up and a destination to reach).
Best move: message your driver in the chat as soon as you know you'll be late. Most drivers are understanding if you communicate. If you're a true no-show with no message, you may forfeit your fare per the ride's cancellation policy.
No. Total = seat price + 5% processing fee. Everything is shown on the booking screen before you tap to pay. The 5% covers credit card processing, secure payment infrastructure, fraud prevention, customer support, and platform operating costs.
California and Nevada only, for now. Most common routes are SF↔LA, LA↔Vegas, Bay↔LA, LA↔San Diego, and LA↔Palm Springs — but drivers can post any route within those two states.
Expansion to the rest of the United States is on the roadmap.
Receipts are emailed from noreply@seatsherpa.app and include a booking reference like SS-A1B2C3. Despite the name, replies to that address are routed straight to our support inbox — or email support@seatsherpa.app directly with your booking reference. We respond within a business day.