Your Way on the Highway

New ride-share app is out to change how people get around Dallas

Ride-sharing has become a daily part of Dallasites' lives, with the phrases "I'll just Uber" and "let me catch a Lyft" regularly popping up in conversation. But just as these apps changed how we get around (and not worry about parking or valet), another new company is out to improve the on-demand experience.

Alto, which recently debuted in Dallas with plans to expand, has a safer, more consistent approach to hailing a ride. Its fleet of new SUVs is driven by employees who receive salaries and benefits, and you as the rider are completely in control of the experience.

"People often ask us how we're different, and it's simple," says CEO Will Coleman. "It boils down to three things: safety, consistency, and hospitality."

Here are a few other way it's different from the rest:

Safety
Alto's founders know that riders want to be secure above all else. They've found that women are half as likely as men to use ride-share apps, and 75 percent of the women who don't use them say it's because of safety.

So with Alto, not only are the drivers carefully selected, vetted, and trained, but each company-owned and five-star safety-rated car is branded with the Alto logo so you can be sure you're stepping into the right vehicle (it will also light up upon arrival). Cloud-based cameras capture both interior and exterior video, so there's a record of each ride for everyone's peace of mind.

Experience
Want a quiet ride or hoping to get some work done during the trip? Let your driver know with a push of the "do not disturb" button. In-app lighting, temperature, and music controls are also at your fingertips, meaning you set the ride's vibe. Each Alto car is also stocked with bottled water and umbrellas for your convenience.

Wait time
Since Alto itself is in charge of the cars, rather than individual drivers who may or may not be nearby, it makes sure the fleet is strategically spread out across the city. This results in a consistent wait time of 10-15 minutes each ride — no more sprinting out the restaurant before your driver zooms away or endlessly waiting for a car that may never show.

Pricing
You might have noticed that consistency is Alto's theme, and that extends to its payment options. It costs $12.95 per month to access the service, which then unlocks fares that are 30-50 percent lower and per-ride pricing that never surges. Membership size is carefully controlled so that you always receive the highest level of personal service and amenities.

"When it comes to ride-sharing, your safety should be a given and your in-car experience should matter," says CCO Alex Halbardier. "We want people to start expecting more."

Download the Alto app today for either iPhone or Android, and get ready to ride.

It's a different way to ride.

Photo courtesy of Alto

It's a different way to ride.

apps promoted transportation luxury

Politics News

Dallas narrows down field for new city manager to 4 candidates

Photo by R K on Unsplash

This is an Dallasite's sign to launch that small business they've been dreaming of.

After six months without a city manager, the city of Dallas has narrowed down the field of replacements to four semifinalists including one serving as current interim city manager, plus candidates from Fort Worth, Michigan, and Georgia.

Dallas has been without a city manager since May, when previous city manager T.C. Broadnax left to take a job with the city of Austin. Since that time, Broadnax's former chief of staff Kimberly Bizor Tolbert has served as interim city manager.

The city retained Baker Tilly, a consulting firm, to recruit and compile candidates. (Baker Tilly famously erred in the brochure it created for the position by featuring a photo of the Houston skyline instead of Dallas; they've since replaced it with Dallas.)

A spokesperson for Baker Tilly did not respond to inquiries but according to D Magazine, an email listing the candidates has been sent to the Dallas City Council.

The semifinalists include:

Kimberly Bizor Tolbert, Dallas’ current interim city manager
William Johnson, an assistant city manager in Fort Worth
Mark Washington, the city manager of Grand Rapids, Michigan
Zachary Williams, a county chief operating officer in Georgia

All have more than 25 years' of public administration experience and have worked in similar capacities in their respective cities.

Before working in Fort Worth, Johnson was Baltimore’s transportation director and Atlanta’s deputy chief operating officer and public works commissioner.

Washington worked in Fort Worth and Austin before becoming Grand Rapids’ city manager.

Williams has mostly worked in Georgia at the county level, including serving as county manager in Fulton County and chief operating officer in DeKalb County.

Tolbert began working for the city in 1998, first as the city manager’s assistant and later in the aviation department. Broadnax hired her as his chief of staff in 2017.

Unlike the Mayor and the Dallas City Council, the city manager position in Dallas is not elected but is instead appointed by the city council, and is tasked with executing policies, overseeing the annual budget, and managing staff at city hall.

The council’s Ad Hoc Committee will choose finalists, introduce them to the public, and make an offer in early 2025.

politics