Systems and methods for electronic rider verification in a shared transport network

1. A method of electronically verifying a transport user employing a ground transportation network, the method comprising:

receiving, by the ground transportation network, a transport request from a transport user device associated with a transport user, wherein the transport request includes a pick-up location and a drop-off location;

identifying, by the ground transportation network, a transport provider in proximity to the pick-up location received in the ride request, wherein the transport provider comprises a transport provider device in communication with the ground transportation network;

sending, by the ground transportation network, a transport request to the transport provider device;

upon detecting that the transport provider accepts the transport request:

sending, by the ground transportation network, transport instructions to the transport provider device, wherein the transport instructions include the pick-up location and the drop-off location; and

sending, by the ground transportation network, a first personal identification number (PIN) to the transport user device; and

verifying, by the ground transportation network, that the transport provider has picked up the transport user based on matching the first PIN with a second PIN.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first PIN is generated automatically and communicated to the transport user device via SMS, e-mail, or a mobile application of the transport user device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first PIN is generated automatically and communicated to the transport user device at a one minute warning time or other arrival time preceding the arrival of the transport provider at the pick-up location.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second PIN is received by the transport provider device upon the transport user typing or saying the PIN into the transport provider device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second PIN is received by the transport provider device upon:

the transport provider prompting the transport user to say the second PIN; and

the transport provider then typing or saying the second PIN into the transport provider device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transport user device includes global positioning system (GPS) navigation technology.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transport provider device includes global positioning system (GPS) navigation technology.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

further verifying, by the ground transportation network, that the transport provider has picked up the transport user based on determining a coordinated proximity between the transport user device and the transport provider device.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein determining, by the ground transportation network, the coordinated proximity between the transport user device and the transport provider device comprises polling location information of each of the transport user device and the transport provider device.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein determining, by the ground transportation network, the coordinated proximity between the transport user device and the transport provider device comprises detecting establishment of a near-field communication between the transport user device and the transport provider device.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

determining, by the ground transportation network, that the transport user and the transport provider are no longer co-located based on determining that the coordinated proximity between the transport user device and the transport provider device no longer exists.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein determining that the coordinated proximity between the transport user device and the transport provider device no longer exists comprises one of:

detecting termination of a near-field communication between the transport user device and the transport provider device; and

determining that a difference between a location of the transport user device and a location of the transport provider device exceeds an acceptable error.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

determining, by the ground transportation network, a transport start time upon determining the coordinated proximity between the transport user device and the transport provider device; and

determining, by the ground transportation network, a transport end time upon determining that the coordinated proximity between the transport user device and the transport provide device no longer exists.

14. A computer system for electronically verifying a transport user employing a ground transportation network, the system comprising:

a memory having processor-readable instructions stored therein; and

a processor configured to access the memory and execute the processor-readable instructions which, when executed by the processor, configure the processor to perform a plurality of functions comprising:

receiving, by the ground transportation network, a transport request from a transport user device associated with a transport user, wherein the transport request includes a pick-up location and a drop-off location;

identifying, by the ground transportation network, a transport provider in proximity to the pick-up location received in the ride request, wherein the transport provider comprises a transport provider device in communication with the ground transportation network;

sending, by the ground transportation network, a transport request to the transport provider device;

upon detecting that the transport provider accepts the transport request:

sending, by the ground transportation network, transport instructions to the transport provider device, wherein the transport instructions include the pick-up location and the drop-off location; and

sending, by the ground transportation network, a first personal identification number (PIN) to the transport user device; and

verifying, by the ground transportation network, that the transport provider has picked up the transport user based on matching the first PIN with a second PIN.

15. The computer system of claim 14 , wherein the first PIN is generated automatically and communicated to the transport user device via SMS, e-mail, or a mobile application of the transport user device.

16. The computer system of claim 14 , wherein the first PIN is generated automatically and communicated to the transport user device at a one minute warning time or other arrival time preceding the arrival of the transport provider at the pick-up location.

17. The computer system of claim 14 , wherein the second PIN is received by the transport provider device upon the transport user typing or saying the PIN into the transport provider device.

18. The computer system of claim 14 , wherein the second PIN is received by the transport provider device upon:

the transport provider prompting the transport user to say the second PIN; and

the transport provider then typing or saying the second PIN into the transport provider device.

19. The computer system of claim 14 , the plurality of functions further comprising:

further verifying, by the ground transportation network, that the transport provider has picked up the transport user based on determining a coordinated proximity between the transport user device and the transport provider device.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising processor-readable instructions which, when executed by a processor, configure the processor to perform a plurality of functions for electronically verifying a transport user employing a ground transportation network, the plurality of functions comprising:

receiving, by the ground transportation network, a transport request from a transport user device associated with a transport user, wherein the transport request includes a pick-up location and a drop-off location;

identifying, by the ground transportation network, a transport provider in proximity to the pick-up location received in the ride request, wherein the transport provider comprises a transport provider device in communication with the ground transportation network;

sending, by the ground transportation network, a transport request to the transport provider device;

upon detecting that the transport provider accepts the transport request:

sending, by the ground transportation network, transport instructions to the transport provider device, wherein the transport instructions include the pick-up location and the drop-off location; and

sending, by the ground transportation network, a first personal identification number (PIN) to the transport user device; and

verifying, by the ground transportation network, that the transport provider has picked up the transport user based on matching the first PIN with a second PIN.