Pick and drop service in Pakistan

Pick and drop is what a recurring daily shared commute is called in Pakistan — the same driver, the same route, the same time, usually to an office, university or school, and often settled monthly. On Sawarri these rides sit on the same board as intercity carpools, behind the local rides filter.

What pick and drop means

The difference between a carpool and pick and drop is repetition, not anything else. A carpool is one journey. Pick and drop is that same journey repeated every working day, and arranged accordingly — the seat is held for the week rather than for one trip.

In both cases the driver is already making the trip. They are going to work; there are three empty seats in the car; they give them to people going the same way and split the cost. Nobody is driving for a living, which is why a seat costs well below a taxi.

What it costs

Each driver sets their own per-seat price, and some mark it negotiable. Sawarri does not set, collect or take a commission on the fare — the amount shown on the ride is what you pay the driver directly. For pick and drop people usually agree a monthly figure, so settle two things up front:

• How days off are counted. Whether a day you do not travel is still charged — holidays, sickness, Eid. Agree it at the start, not afterwards.
• When payment happens. Start or end of the month, and by what method. Since the payment is between you and the driver, writing it down or agreeing it over message avoids an argument later.

How to find a pick and drop

1. Open Pick & drop, which filters the board to local rides inside a city rather than intercity trips.
2. Enter your route. The area you leave from and the place you are heading to. A recognisable area name finds more rides than an exact home address — "G-11" or "Blue Area" rather than a street.
3. Look for recurring rides. Rides that repeat daily or on weekdays are marked as such. Those are the ones you want — they roll forward to the next date on their own rather than the driver re-posting them.
4. Talk to the driver. Request the seat, and once approved settle the exact pickup time and place — and the monthly figure — directly with them.

Nothing listed for your route? Post the commute you need on Offer a ride. A driver already making that run can take it up, and recurring commutes are exactly the kind of trip somebody is doing anyway. Some common starting points have their own pages — browse them from routes and cities.

Pick and drop service by city

Each guide below is written from the rides actually posted in that city — the real routes, the usual timings and what to settle first.

• Islamabad and Rawalpindi: pick and drop service in Islamabad and Rawalpindi — the twin-city routes into the sectors, Bahria and DHA, and women-only options.
• Universities: university pick and drop in Islamabad and Lahore — Air University, NUST, FAST, Bahria, Punjab University, the University of Lahore and three Lahore colleges. NUST H-12 also has a page of its own.
• Lahore: office pick and drop service in Lahore — Bahria and DHA to Gulberg, Johar Town and the hospital and university runs.
• Karachi: office pick and drop service in Karachi — the five corridors into I.I. Chundrigar Road, Shahrah-e-Faisal, Clifton, Korangi and SITE.
• Any other city: the Pick & Drop board lists every daily ride posted right now, and routes and cities has a page for each city.

Before you pay a month, read monthly pick and drop: how it works and what to agree up front.

If you are the one driving

If you make the same trip every day and have empty seats, post it once and mark it recurring — it rolls forward to the next date on its own. You see who is asking and you approve them; you are never obliged to take anyone. The fuel cost gets shared, and Sawarri takes none of it.

What keeps a pick and drop working is reliability. Tell your passengers if your timing changes, because their whole day is arranged around it, and if you have given a seat for the week, keep it for the week.

Common questions

Is pick and drop the same as a carpool?

Almost. In both, the driver is already making the trip and is sharing the empty seats. The only difference is that pick and drop repeats every working day and is usually agreed monthly, whereas a carpool can be a single journey.

Is pick and drop cheaper than Careem or a taxi?

Normally much cheaper, because you are not paying for a journey — you are paying a share of the cost of a journey that was happening anyway. There is no fixed price; each driver posts their own figure.

Can I get a women-only pick and drop?

Yes. Drivers can mark a recurring local ride women-only in the same way as any other ride. See women-only rides.

Does Sawarri charge for pick and drop?

Not passengers. Searching and booking a seat are free, and Sawarri takes no commission on the fare — the amount you agree with the driver goes straight to them. Drivers post their first five rides free; from the sixth ride, each listing costs 20 credits.