DeviceGuru

A free iPhone app and associated web-based service aims to provide a convenient and affordable way to share a cab with other passengers. Self-described as “DIY Mass Transit,” the “Weeels” app prompts you for a destination, locates prospective ride-sharing partners, specifies where and when to rendezvous, and even orders the group’s cab.

According to its FAQ, the Weeels service searches for riders traveling a similar route, and presents the match for review to the prospective ride-sharing partners. Once the partners agree to share, the service specifies a meet-up location and orders the cab. If the service can’t immediately locate a share, it gives users the choice of waiting up to 20 minutes to be matched.

The ride partners are not given each others’ phone numbers. Instead, if they’re running a few minutes late, they can text their status via the Weeels app. In the event that a partner never shows up and doesn’t reply to the app’s text messages, the sole participant has the option of taking the ride at the single ride price or canceling the ride and flagging the no-show in the Weeels app (thus building up bad karma points for that rider).

Once the partners and the car have come together and are ready to depart, one of the participants notifies the Weeels app, which displays the fare for all to see.

Here are some screenshots showing Weeels running on an iPod Touch:

(click each image to enlarge)

Initially, Weeels is only “guaranteed to work” within three New York City boroughs — Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens — although it’s said to also be usable in the Bronx or Staten Island. “It doesn’t work outside the five boroughs, except to Newark Airport,” says the Weeels FAQ.

Weeels, currently only supports Apple’s IPhone, iPod Touch, and (presumably) iPad devices. However, the service’s tweets indicate that a version supporting any web browser is coming soon and other device-specific versions — particularly one for Android — also are planned.

The app can be downloaded from the iTunes store, here. Note: be sure to spell the app’s name as “weeels” if you search for it in the device’s App Store.

Those driving their own cars also may wish to consider using Google’s parking space sharing smartphone app. However, while Weeels favors Apple’s mobile devices, Google’s app is limited to Android devices.