A Hockaday alumna is one of three masterminds behind a new Dallas ride-share startup that breaks from Uber and Lyft business models.
Alex Halbardier, Hockaday class of 2004, is the chief customer officer for Alto, which launched during the holidays. Alto is an on-demand ride service that claims to put more control into the customers’ hands. Riders can control the music and lighting inside the cars or choose a “do not disturb” mode on their app if they do not feel like talking.
Alto employs its drivers and maintains a fleet of new cars that will light up when the ride requester and car are within a certain range.
With the help of $14.5 million in funding recently raised, the company hopes to expand their services.
Alto Chief Executive Officer Will Coleman, also of Dallas, told the Dallas Morning News the company plans to begin a new fundraising campaign in the spring to expand its services to other cities.
The Alto application is available from both the Apple App Store and Google Play.
Alto currently operates from 4 a.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday; 4 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Fridays; 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Saturdays; and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays, according to the company’s website.
— KATIE POHLMAN
