So long Sidecar and thanks

Today is a turning point for Sidecar as we prepare to end our ride and delivery service so we can work on strategic alternatives and lay the groundwork for the next big thing. We will cease ride and delivery operations at 2PM Pacific Time, December 31.

I’m extremely proud of our team and all that we’ve accomplished. We are the innovation leader in ridesharing despite a significant capital disadvantage, continually rolling out new products that set the bar for others to follow.

Long ago we conceived of the technology that gave rise to the rideshare movement. And nearly four years ago we invented what is now known as “ridesharing” with an app that connected riders with everyday drivers in their personal vehicle. People loved it. It was safe, convenient and affordable, and it quickly caught on.

In the years that followed we launched a series of firsts, continually reinventing the category and making ridesharing safer, more convenient and affordable. We pivoted to a Marketplace model where people could choose their ride and drivers set their own price. We were the first to introduce important innovations like Destination, turn-by-turn directions, Shared ETA, Shared Rides and Back-to-Back rides. Last February we launched Sidecar Deliveries and became the #1 business-to-business delivery service in the country in a matter of months.

Our vision is to reinvent transportation and we’ve achieved that with ridesharing and deliveries. It is, however, a bittersweet victory. Shutting down the Sidecar service is a disappointment for our team and our fans. The impact of our work, however, will be felt for generations to come. We changed transportation law, and created a new mode of transportation that has transformed cities and made life easier and better for millions of people.

This is the end of the road for the Sidecar ride and delivery service, but it’s by no means the end of the journey for the company.

Thanks to our riders, our drivers, our delivery partners, our investors, the forward thinking politicians and regulators, and all of our champions that have allowed us to pursue and achieve our vision to reinvent transportation. We wish you all the best and hope to work with you again as we embark on our next big adventure in 2016.

Ride on!

Sunil Paul and Jahan Khanna

Co-founders, Sidecar