Aidan Carroll (pictured above) maintains his own Uber service, as he drives students to and from their desired destinations. Many students support his business and commend his positive attitude and friendliness (Courtesy of katherine rodgers).
A new mode of transportation has made its way to Geneseo, much to the delight of night owls and partygoers. His real name is Aidan Carroll, but most people know him by his nickname and unofficial title: Uber Aidan.
Originally from King’s Park on Long Island, Carroll got the idea to begin his practice after a late-night food delivery turned into something more. “I used to be a delivery driver for Pizza Paul’s, and this one night on Court Street a group of people offered me $20 to drive them home. I realized the next morning I could just do that next weekend, all weekends and make so much more [money] than [at] Paul’s,” he said. The many Geneseo students that frequent Orchard Street and Court Street on late weekend nights provide a large customer base for Aidan, not to mention the lack of professional ride services in Livingston County.
He also attributes a lot of his success to the campus’ unreliable bus system. “Thursdays are prime time because after midnight there’s no buses running,” he explained. Since November, he’s been driving students home at least two nights a week and has attracted a range of customers. Many are enthusiastic about Carroll’s commitment to his services.
“One time I called him at a party, and he picked up the phone just to be able to tell me he wouldn’t be available that night,” mathematics major junior Alexis Rinker said.
“He remembers all our names and even recognized our phone number one time,” sociology major junior Mya Contreras said. “If I were in trouble, I would call him with no fear of anything weird going down.”
Carroll confirms that he often calls back customers even when he isn’t on the clock. His normal shifts include all night Thursdays and Saturdays until midnight. He takes Friday off for himself because it’s usually the most popular night for students to go out.
Many students feel that riding with Carroll is the best option in a small town like Geneseo. “It makes me feel a lot better than taking a real Uber, because he is a student that a lot of people know and trust.” biology major sophomore Gina Santoro said. “I’ve also had friends who had problems with Uber drivers overcharging or adding fees, and that can’t really happen with him.”
Carroll accepts cash as payment, but most students use Venmo—the popular money exchange app that can transfer funds within seconds. His prices can range anywhere from $3 to $7, far below what any taxi or traditional Uber would charge. For most students, this is his selling point. “He is very fair in his prices, and he’s so chill about accepting Venmo,” international relations major junior Ariana Barone said, who uses his services often.
Carroll’s services have also inspired other students to start their own ride “companies.” Sociomedical sciences major sophomore Ana Gusmini and her two peers—business administration major sophomore Alexa Gutwenger and psychology major sophomore Melanie Garro—run a similar student service called GennyGirlsRides. Their business differs from Aidan’s in a few ways, including having more than one driver and a behind-the-scenes phone operator. “I take the calls, so our two drivers don’t get distracted while driving,” Gusmini said. “I don’t take any of the cut because I’m not driving. Honestly, we just wanted to create a safe environment for people who like to go out, especially girls.”
GennyGirlsRides also offers free amenities in their backseat like snacks, perfume and makeup wipes. Gusmini said the girls’ relationship with Carroll is “funny, healthy competition,” she described. “We joke around in his Instagram comments. We’re really just trying to do the same thing and help people get home safely.” Other students have also attempted to start their own ride services, but Carroll and GennyGirlsRides seem to be the companies that are here to stay.
Beyond providing night rides for Geneseo students, Carroll says he’s made a lot of new friends inside his car. “I meet a lot of people I normally wouldn’t,” he explained. His customers seem to love him back; many students expressed positive feelings toward his impact on the nightlife community. “He’s very polite. Great conversationalist,” Barone said. “One time I saw him driving up and down Court Street just handing out whole pizzas to people,” Contreras said.
Carroll says he plans to continue his ride services until graduation, when he hopes to find a job on Wall Street. He can’t wait to call an Uber of his own.
Aidan can be contacted for his services through his Instagram, @geneseo_uber_aidan.
GennyGirlsRides can be found on Instagram @gennygirlsrides.