Taxi Dash: Serendipitous discovery of taxi carpool riders

During winter, scheduled bus services can experience delays in locations where extreme and persistent snowfall affect road conditions. Commuters rushing to school or work often choose more flexible modes like taxis. However, taxi fares are more expensive for a single passenger, most especially students. In this paper, we present the design and implementation of a carpool application for taxi services in Hakodate, Japan. Considering the high level of shyness among Japanese university students, the application intends to facilitate serendipitous discovery and group formation among Japanese students expressing intent to take taxi services.