Sacramento carpooling has not exactly been so technical in Sacramento. But thanks to Open Ride Inc., that is all about to change. Having been beta testing its product for the last three and a half months, this company is seeking to provide Uber-type services, linking up those who need rides with drivers already en route.

Hundreds of customers are using the program. Joel Usher, company co-founder and CEO explains that charges are based on trip length but that drivers can earn up to $0.54 per mile. As for company profits, everyone getting a ride is charged a $2 booking fee and up to three passengers are able to go in one ride.

A couple of months ago, Sacramento starting putting “Alvin” to the test – a driverless vehicle created by an engineering team in Canada before the company’s founders moved to the Bay area. It features a Lidar and the use of a $30,000 GPS, enabling the car to “seamlessly and autonomously navigate a pre-destined path around a crowded area.” According to co-founder Mike Reid, the reason Sacramento was chosen was because it is believed to be a “good proving ground because of its size. It’s exactly what we were looking for during testing.” Given that Alvin was not created for highway driving, DMV regulations do not apply, which, as Reid notes “will really speed up the process of making it commercially available some day.”

Meanwhile, there is currently discussion on whether to add more limitations on rules that control outdoor advertising. Standards would be set about how long the message could be, lighting and transition.