How This Company is Changing the Way You Get Roadside Assistance
Otiniel Ribeiro is the CEO of Roadr, a roadside service launching this Fall in the Los Angeles area. His innovative new app is already being hailed as the Uber or Lyft of roadside assistance.
“We built a simple, intuitive app that connects stranded drivers to service providers,” Ribeiro says. “Our certified technicians are capable of assisting drivers with almost anything that can go wrong on the highway. We can help with changing tires, delivering fuel, towing, giving a jump start, and charging EVs. If you don’t know the problem, our specialists can meet you and conduct an on-site review.”
How the Roadr App Was Born Out of Necessity
Cars never breakdown at convenient times, and the more pressure drivers feel to get back on the road, the longer roadside assistance seems to take. Ribeiro and his brothers decided to take action after being stranded on the freeway one too many times.
“I waited for assistance from AAA for 2 hours,” recalls Ribeiro. “The situation was definitely far from ideal. My car broke down at night in a dangerous neighborhood.”
During the hours of waiting, Ribeiro had plenty of time to contemplate the lack of coordination in the roadside assistance sector and the unsafe scenario in which he found himself. He never once received an update to tell him when assistance would arrive or who would be showing up to help.
Born in Angola in Central Africa, moving to Portugal, and relocating to Norway before finally ending up in the US, Ribeiro and his brothers can relate to travelers. “My brothers and I have been virtually everywhere,” he reflects. “We know what it’s like to be in places that feel like home and in unfamiliar settings. Wherever you are, it’s stressful to be stranded on the side of the road without help. Our goal is to cut down response times for stranded drivers and increase their safety.”
When Ribeiro shared his experience with his brothers, they decided it was time someone came up with a hassle-free solution for both service providers and customers in need. Alongside Ribeiro, his two brothers share significant roles in the business. Celso Ribeiro is the co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer of Roadr, and manages the innovation process and identifies strategies, business opportunities, and new technologies. Lukeny Ribeiro is Roadr’s DevOps Engineer, coordinating pipelines between the developers and IT operations through automation.
How Roadr Helps Drivers and Drives Community Development
Roadr aims to create a bigger and better market for all the players involved — motorists, licensed professionals, service providers, car manufacturers, and auto clubs. “We are an app for the community, empowered by the community,” remarks Ribeiro. “We know there is a high unemployment rate in this industry, and our app will generate jobs while it solves problems for drivers.”
Roadr’s dual mission is to benefit drivers and service providers. Customers will be spared the anxiety of hours of waiting, and service providers will have more job opportunities. The result is a win-win on both ends.
How to Find Roadr’s Verified Service Providers
“We verify all of our service providers by contracting with certified specialists,” explains Ribeiro. “We are launching with contractors already employed with towing companies.”
During the onboarding process, each of Roadr’s providers must upload a valid driver’s license, certification, insurance and background check. When approved, they can choose to work either full or part-time as Roadr specialists.
“Currently, we have professional mechanics coming on board,” Ribeiro says. “However, in the near future, we will be opening the doors to people who have not previously worked in this sector but have earned the necessary certifications.”
To verify their skillsets, people who wish to become service providers can complete the following:
- Tow Truck drivers — TTD and CA# from the DMV.
- Auto technicians — ASE certification.
- Tire change specialists — ATS certification from TIS.
- Automotive Locksmiths — CAL Level (entry level certification), and CMAL Level (master auto locksmith).
Roadr is scheduled for a soft launch in the first weeks of Fall 2022. Los Angeles residents and visitors to the area will be able to download the app in either the iOS App Store or the Google Play Store.
“We don’t want anyone else to experience the stress of being stranded with a broken-down vehicle,” says Ribeiro. “Roadr provides a safety net whenever and wherever your vehicle needs maintenance.”
