Your Journey, Our Passion
Did you know that 51% of college students don't have a car on campus? College life is complicated enough. Transportation shouldn't be. Ridely matches riders and drivers seamlessly, making every trip an opportunity to save and connect.
This Is How We Started
2024
- September -
Launched Our Prototype (Google Forms, No Tech)
2024
- October -
Founded as Fyrfly Connections, LLC
2024
- December -
Filed to Rename as Ridely, LLC
2025
- March -
Official Launch Of Our App
Founder's Story
Unique Alston's journey as the founder of Ridely began during her first two years at the University of South Florida's St. Petersburg campus.
Without a car, she found herself trapped in a cycle of missed opportunities that threatened her academic and professional potential. Her extracurriculars, such as networking events, career fairs, and conferences were all out of reach. She couldn't consistently participate in all the campus-wide activities that she wanted.
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Additionally, Alston faced increasing transportation expenses having to travel 45 minutes to get to USF's main campus. Alston was forced to rely on expensive ride-sharing services and public transportation. Each trip costing her between $35-$50 one way, rapidly depleting her already limited student budget. Over two years, she calculated she had spent approximately $2,600 on transportation - money that could have funded tuition, textbooks, or professional development activities.
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The 24-mile distance between the St. Petersburg and Tampa campuses felt like an insurmountable barrier. While her peers were building professional connections and gaining extracurricular experiences, Alston was watching from the sidelines, constrained by her transportation limitations.​
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This personal struggle inspired her to create Ridely. The platform wasn't just about sharing rides; it was about democratizing access to opportunities, reducing transportation costs, and ensuring that every student - regardless of car ownership - could fully engage with their university experience.
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By launching Ridely at USF, Alston is transforming a personal challenge into a solution that could help the 51% of college students who don't own a car maximize their educational journey.