The days of expensive bus tickets, long waits and lonely drives are over for students and travelers in Madison. With the new regional rideshare app called Coride, which launched this month, drivers and passengers can coordinate intercity rides, allowing them to meet new people while reducing costs and carbon footprints.

Fei Ma, the founder and CEO of Coride, said she got the idea two summers ago. Returning from a trip to Europe, Ma missed the ridesharing she had experienced there. She noticed the amount of students who travel around the Midwest, as well as international students interested in exploring surrounding cities. Ma knew there was a better solution than the hassles of bus-riding or parents coming to pick up their students.

Last summer, Ma tested the idea of ridesharing with a simple website, reaching almost 800 users in a few months. That’s when she decided to build an app, working with a team to develop and launch a more effective way to connect travelers.

The app cuts travel expenses by allowing travelers to share gas costs, making it a cheaper option for both drivers and passengers. It also will significantly reduce carbon emissions by filling up the empty seats in cars.

“What Airbnb is for an empty room in your house, Coride is for an empty seat in your car,” Ma said.

Although not currently funded, Ma and her team are hopeful that the app will catch on quickly. In a year, they want to see Coride installed on every Madison college student’s smartphone, according to Ma.

Last week, Ma and the Coride team won the 2014 Wisconsin Energy and Sustainability Challenge. The contest was designed to create and showcase solutions to the world’s energy and sustainability challenges, with a prize of $13,000. Coride won for its innovative way to save money and energy while meeting a need in the Madison community.

“We aim to help students easily find rides for their travels, while making new friends and connections,” Ma said. “The hope is to build a green and trusted sharing community in Madison.”