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Category: RideShareRevolution

RideSharingRevolution

  • Lyft Now Lets Your Boss Pick Up the Cost

    Uber has Uber for Business, and now Lyft has Lyft for Work.

    The pink-mustachioed company has just introduced a new way for companies to pay for their employees’ rides – when appropriate of course.

    Lyft for Work allows companies to issue Lyft credit to employees that carry certain restrictions. For instance, a credit can come with the caveat that it must be used on rides to and from the office or a particular work event. Credits are further customizable, allowing employers to set time and place parameters like only good from 8pm to 2am or only good on rides in a certain area.

    Lyft is also promoting its new Lyft Line carpooling service by offering credits that only apply if riders use this ridesharing format.

    “Not only can Lyft commuter benefits improve morale and productivity in the short term, but insights on commute lengths and schedules can also help inform future HR decisions to keep employees happy long-term,” says Lyft. “By encouraging their employees to share the ride, companies nationwide are pioneering a movement toward more efficient, affordable commutes and ultimately, a happier workforce.”

    Lyft for Work is initially launching with 29 corporate partners, including Adobe and Stripe.

    “The average American has a daily commute of 50 minutes, and studies show that the commute is one of our least favorite parts of the day. And across the country, nearly 80% of workers drive to work alone. Imagine if that 80% of people filled the seats in their cars through Lyft — we could eliminate rush hour congestion, drastically reduce travel time and make the commute more enjoyable,” says the company.

  • Amazon Tries Taxis For Same-Day Deliveries

    Amazon Tries Taxis For Same-Day Deliveries

    Amazon has been doing a lot of experimenting with different ways of getting products delivered to customers, while expanding its actual services that do just that. Now, the company is even trying out delivery by taxi.

    According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, Amazon has been testing this in San Francisco and Los Angeles this fall, using Flywheel, a taxi-hailing mobile application, which gets the vehicles to show up at its distribution centers, and takes packages to consumers for same-day delivery. It says:

    For its recent test, the people familiar with the matter said, Amazon joined with Flywheel Software Inc., whose cab-hailing mobile app competes with Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc. Amazon summoned cabs through the Flywheel app to mini-distribution centers before loading them with as many as 10 packages bound for a single ZIP Code, paying about $5 a package for delivery within one hour, according to the people…

    The Flywheel deliveries were typically done in the early morning when the cabs had fewer fares and were less likely to be noticed by customers and competitors, said the people familiar with the matter.

    Amazon, as far as we know, hasn’t actually announced or confirmed the service.

    The report makes a point to bring up shipping delays experienced last holiday season from UPS, FedEx, and the USPS. It’s not entirely clear if this taxi thing is just something for the holidays, or if Amazon is thinking about making it a permanent offering.

    Amazon has other initiatives that are only specific to the holiday season. For example, it recently announced that it’s adding 80,000 seasonal jobs, though some of those will be converted into permanent positions. It also has temporary brick-and-mortar stores for the holidays.

    As far as Amazon deliveries go, Amazon is expanding in a variety of ways. Of course there’s the whole Amazon Prime Air drone plan, but that’s not likely to materialize for quite some time if it ever does. In more immediate terms, the company announced this week that it’s expanding same-day delivery into two new cities (Toronto and Vancouver), debuting the offering in Canada. A few weeks ago, it expanded AmazonFresh, its grocery delivery service, to New York City.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Shuddle Shuttles Your Kids Around, Uber Style

    Shuddle Shuttles Your Kids Around, Uber Style

    Any parent knows there’s simply never enough time in the day. Timmy needs to be at practice at five, but Susie has piano lessons at 5:30. Plus, you have a meeting to get to all the way across town. What to do?

    A new service, launching today in San Francisco, wants to be the solution. It’s called Shuddle, and it’s kind of like Uber for kids.

    Shuddle allows parents to schedule rides for their kids via an app. At this point, it’s just scheduling – on-demand rides aren’t yet offered. Most rides need to be booked about a week in advance. There’s a $9-a-month membership fee on top of whatever the rides cost. Like Uber, Lyft, and the like, all payments are made via credit card linked to the app.

    At this point, you’re probably wondering how a company thinks people will be cool with shoving their kids in a car with a stranger, but that’s what Shuddle is banking on.

    Shuddle promises that “your child is safe with us.” They back up that claim by pointing to things like real-time GPS tracking, vehicle inspections, highly-scrutinized drivers, hands-on training, and custom kid-transport insurance that no other ridesharing company can offer.

    According to Shuddle, its drivers “aren’t just anyone.”

    “We screen for friendly and reliable caregivers who have experience working with kids like nannies, teachers, babysitters, counselors and parents.”

    Shuddle’s hiring process includes face-to-face interviews, criminal background checks, vehicle inspections, in-person training, and gathering references from past employers. According to Re/code, Shuddle is launching with about 100 drivers – all of whom are women. That’s likely due to the requirement that all Shuddle drivers have some sort of childcare experience.

    Shuddle was founded by Sidecar co-founder Nick Allen, so it already has a pedigree in the ridesharing space. And like on-demand car services for adults, Shuddle sounds like a great idea. Who couldn’t use an extra set of wheels to shuttle their kids around town?

    Of course, these are people’s kids we’re talking about here. And no six-point screening process is going to assuage the fears of some parents. Companies like Uber also promise safe rides, and as we know, that’s not a promise they can’t always keep.

    Shuddle is going to have to prove itself extra safe and extra reliable – but it’s clear the market for rides for kids with busy parents is there.

    Image via Shuddle

  • Google Glass Gets Android Notifications

    Google announced the launch of a new notification sync feature for Google Glass, enabling users to see Android app notifications on the device. The feature mirrors a similar one on Android Wear, the platform used by Android smart watches.

    Google sets the scene in a Google+ update: “Max sent you a WhatsApp message, marycam81 tagged you in a photo, your Lyft has arrived… these are just some of the reasons for pulling out your phone. You want to know about the things that matter to you, but you don’t want to be distracted by your phone when you could be enjoying the moment.”

    The feature will be available in a new Glass update rolling out this week. It requires the latest version of MyGlass (v3.3.0).

    In other Google Glass news, it would appear that you can actually develop an addiction by using the device. Don’t be that weird person with the Glass addiction. Just don’t.

    Image via YouTube

  • Uber Driver Reportedly Smashed a Passenger’s Head with a Hammer

    It’s Monday, and on-demand car service Uber is facing another PR nightmare after a driver in San Francisco allegedly smashed a passenger in the side of the head with a hammer.

    The incident happened last week, and the San Francisco Chronicle first reported it on Friday. According to police, 26-year-old Patrick Karajah has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon and battery with serious bodily injury. There may also be an attempted murder charge forthcoming.

    Here’s what went down, according to the Chronicle:

    Karajah allegedly picked up the victim and his two friends from a bar at about 2 a.m. Tuesday. While driving the two men and one woman to their destination, he got into a dispute with the victim over the route he was taking, according to court documents.

    Karajah, who was driving for the basic UberX service, stopped near the intersection of Ellsworth Street and Alemany Boulevard and forced the victim and his friends to get out, according to documents.

    Once the victim was out of the vehicle, Karajah struck him on the side of his head with a hammer, and then drove away, authorities said.

    The victim was found “slipping in and out of consciousness on the sidewalk, suffering from severe fractures and trauma to the head.”

    “We stand ready to assist authorities in any investigation,” said Uber in a statement. Uber confirms it has terminated the driver’s account.

    As Uber, as well as other competing companies like Lyft, face challenges from state regulators over the legality of their business models, safety issues have also arisen at an alarming rate. You may remember earlier this year when an Uber driver was accused of sexual assault in D.C. That wasn’t the first instance of an Uber driver reportedly attacking a passenger. In July, an Uber driver took riders on a high-speed chase, again in DC. Then in June, an Uber driver reportedly kidnapped a drunk woman and took her to a motel, where he slept with her in the room and “fondled her over her clothes and suggested he wanted to have sex, but didn’t force it.”

    As I’ve said before, attacks aren’t just an Uber problem – regular old taxis have their share of incidents on the record. But Uber, and companies like it, rely on the schtick that they a cut above taking a taxi – an easier and safer option. So when an Uber driver beats someone in the skull with a hammer it’s a pretty big blow to its credibility.

    But stories like this don’t seem to be hampering Uber’s growth too much. According to reports from the city itself, ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft are killing the taxi business in San Francisco.

    Image via Uber, Facebook

  • Lyft Acquires Hitch to Help with Carpooling Service

    On-demand car service Lyft has announced that it is acquiring Hitch, another on-demand car service focused on carpooling.

    “John and Logan met the Hitch team over a year ago and as both teams talked, they realized they shared the same vision of connecting people through more affordable and efficient transportation options. Similar to Lyft, Hitch has always believed the shared rides experience is inherently social, and we’re excited that they’re joining the team to accelerate this movement together.”

    With this acquisition, Hitch will be closing down. Hitch users will now have to sign up with Lyft.

    “The Lyft team deeply shares our vision for collaborative transportation. They also value the impact and significance of community in making this dream a reality. Lyft is a perfect complement and together, we look forward to continuing to innovate in the transportation field. We’re only at the cusp of this movement with ridesharing, and we can’t wait to keep pushing the frontier,” says Hitch co-founders Snir Kodesh and Noam Szpiro. Lyft says that they will join the Lyft team.

    Lyft makes no attempt to conceal the reasons for the buy – the company readily admits it’s to help bolster Lyft Line. You may remember that Lyft unveiled Lyft Line last month. It’s a carpooling service that allows users to share a single ride with people traveling on a similar path. Lyft says that this service can save riders up to 60 percent. Lyft launched Lyft Line on the exact same day that competitor Uber announced its own carpooling service, UberPool.

    “Lyft Line is in its early stages, and we’re only beginning to see what we can do with shared rides. We have seen incredible growth and demand for Lyft Line in San Francisco, and the Hitch team and technology will help us move even faster to bring shared rides to more people,” says Lyft.

    Image via Hitch, Facebook

  • Uber, Lyft Reportedly Killing Taxi Business in San Francisco

    One narrative for the influx of on-demand car services hitting cities across the country follows as such: plucky startups like Lyft and Uber are constantly fighting a battle with taxi companies, the old guard, who seek to unfairly regulate these new ridesharing platforms, thus stifling innovation. We’ve seen battles set against this narrative play out recently – most notably the saga between Lyft and the New York City Taxi and Limo Commission.

    But here’s another way to look at it: apparently, Lyft, Uber, and the like are really putting the squeeze on taxis.

    A new report in the San Francisco Examiner paints a dire picture for traditional taxi services in the city. According to the city’s interim Taxis and Accessible Services director for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, the “health” of the taxi industry “overall is being impacted clearly” by on-demand ride companies like Uber and Lyft.

    But how much? According to Kate Toran, average trips per cab fell from 1,424 in March of 2012 to 504 in July of this year – a roughly 65 percent decline.

    Though business is business and all’s fair in love and capitalism, the encroachment of Uber on what was traditionally taxi territory may be having an unintended effect – on the city’s disabled population. From the SFExaminer:

    Transportation network companies, unlike cabs, are not required to accommodate wheelchairs. Total wheelchair pickups by wheelchair-accessible taxis dropped from 1,378 per month in March 2013 to 768 per month this past July because it was difficult to get drivers to commit to the program that takes more time and money.

    “The ramp taxi program is just a vulnerable program in the taxi program overall because it costs more to operate, maintain and it costs more in gas for the drivers,” Toran said. “It takes more time to do wheelchair securement, so it’s kind of the first to go.”

    Of course, Uber and Lyft don’t require their drivers to equip their cars with accessibility features.

    Some may say good riddance to the old school taxi industry – and that’s completely fair. But it’s important to know that the plucky startup vs. the big bad taxi narrative isn’t entirely accurate, at least not anymore.

    Image via SFMTA, Facebook

  • Women’s-Only Uber-Like Car Service Readies Launch, Could Face Tricky Legal Issues

    If you asked a handful of women whether or not they feel 100 percent safe in taxis, Uber, or Lyft cars – I’m willing to bet the the predominant answer would be not really. Sure, the majority of the time taxi rides go off without incident, but there are those stories – incidents of attempted sexual assault and the like – that set many women on edge.

    It’s this uncertainty that led one woman to create her own, Uber-like on-demand car service. It’s called SheTaxis, and it will be launching in New York City later this month (as SheRides in NYC, per Taxi regulations).

    The gimmick, if you will? SheRides is a car service run by women, employing women, driving women. According to The New York Times, SheRides will only give rides to women and will only dispatch women drivers. Apparently, this model will make women feel more comfortable with calling a stranger for a ride.

    Unless you’re one of the people calling misandry, this sounds like a decent idea. It’s terrible that many women feel unsafe with services like Uber, but it’s hard to blame them. Bad things have happened. People have reported some scary stuff. If some women feel more comfortable using a women’s-only service, have at it.

    Vice suggests a major problem with this model, however. Mainly the fact that it’s pretty much illegal.

    New York City’s Taxi and Limousine Commission (the ones who’ve been fighting Uber and Lyft so vehemently) runs the world of ride services in the nation’s biggest city. Everything goes through them – including ridesharing startups. Apparently, the TLC guidelines prohibit drivers from refusing service to most people (except in very limited scenarios). A company that systematically disallowed 50 percent of the population would most certainly run afoul of this regulation.

    “Regardless of their marketing plan, they will be subjected to the same requirements as yellow cabs prohibiting service refusal,” a spokesperson for the TLC told Vice.

    But the TLC didn’t suggest that SheRides would run into any trouble during launch. What will determine the company’s success or failure, however is whether or not they ban men from riding or simply suggest that they don’t. Vice gives the example of women-only gyms that don’t specifically outlaw men from joining – but everyone just knows and accepts that they are for girls.

    The service is slated to launch on September 16th. It’ll be interesting to see if the model is successful, and if so, who takes the baton and carries it to other cities.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Uber and Lyft Have Reached the Shenanigan-Calling Stage of Their Rivalry

    Rival on-demand car service companies Uber and lyft are in a real pissing match right now, as they continue to accuse each other of employing some under-the-table techniques to get ahead.

    On Tuesday Lyft took a shot at Uber, claiming that the company was engaging in a ride cancellation scheme. Lyft claimed to have cross-referenced phone numbers of known Uber recruiters to those of canceled rides and spotted no fewer than 5,560 hoax ride requests since last fall. Lyft said that the requests and subsequent cancellations have come from 177 different Uber employees.

    Lyft also accused Uber recruiters of taking short rides with the sole purpose of pulling Lyft drivers over to their side. Uber issued a brief statement, patently denying the first accusation and not so much denying the latter.

    But it’s this statement from Uber, adding to its initial response, that’s the most shade-throwin’ thing you’ll see this week:

    Lyft’s claims against Uber are baseless and simply untrue. Furthermore, Lyft’s own drivers and employees, including one of Lyft’s founders, have canceled 12,900 trips on Uber. But instead of providing the long list of questionable tactics that Lyft has used over the years, we are focusing on building and maintaining the best platform for both consumers and drivers.

    These attacks from Lyft are unfortunate but somewhat expected. A number of Lyft investors have recently been pushing Uber to acquire Lyft. One of their largest shareholders recently warned that Lyft would “go nuclear” if we do not acquire them. We can only assume that the recent Lyft attacks are part of that strategy.

    Ah, yes. The ol’ I’m not the type of guy to say it, but if I were, I’d say… bit. Here, Uber accused Lyft of the very same ride cancellation strategy, on a larger scale, without providing any backing details.

    Uber also says the Lyft’s investors are so unsatisfied that they’re begging Uber to acquire it. As they’d say about two years ago on the internet, shots fired.

    Of course, Lyft has already shot back, saying that Uber is simply trying to distract everyone from its own shitty tactics (not in those exact words – although it wouldn’t surprise me at this point). Lyft said that the whole unhappy investors thing is poppycock, saying its investors are ““extremely excited that Lyft is approaching IPO-level revenue.”

    Tune in next week when we find out which company has the bigger dick.

    Image via Lyft, Facebook

  • Uber Is Playing Dirty, According to Lyft

    Uber Is Playing Dirty, According to Lyft

    According to Lyft, rival on-demand car service Uber isn’t playing fair.

    CNNMoney is reporting that data obtained from Lyft suggests that Uber is strategically throwing wrenches into Lyft operations – mainly by requesting and then canceling rides. Obviously, this tactic would not only indispose Lyft drivers, making it harder keep up with customer demand, but it would also cost Lyft drivers untold amounts in job-related expenses, like gas cost for one.

    Lyft claims to have cross-referenced phone numbers of known Uber recruiters to those of canceled rides and spotted no fewer than 5,560 hoax ride requests since October of last year. Apparently, these requests have come from 177 different Uber employees.

    Apparently, even if the Uber employees take the rides, they “take short, low-profit rides largely devoted to luring them to work for Uber,” according to CNNMoney.

    Now those are some rather unsavory practices that Uber’s been accused of. Uber has flatly denied the canceling rides scheme in a statement that focuses on recruitment:

    That is patently false.

    Both riders and drivers help recruit new drivers to the Uber platform, where the economic opportunity is unmatched in the industry. We recently ran a program where thousands of riders recruited drivers from other platforms, earning hundreds of dollars in Uber credits for each driver who tries Uber. Even Lyft drivers have participated in a successful campaign recruiting thousands of other Lyft drivers to Uber, where drivers make a better living than on any other platform.Taking the ride and meeting the driver is essential to driver recruitment.

    Uber is still the big boy on the block, but Lyft is also very popular and making big moves (like New York, despite the challenges). Both companies recently revealed their own versions of carpooling programs, which will allow users to share rides with strangers who happen to need a pickup along the original route. Both Lyft and Uber claim that this will lower costs for riders and make the whole on-demand model more efficient.

    Image via Uber, Facebook

  • Lyft Is Doing That Whole Carpooling Thing Too

    On Tuesday, on-demand ride company Uber unveiled UberPool, a new service that allows users to split fares with strangers who are planning on traveling on a similar path. With UberPool, one single Uber ride can stop numerous times in one “trip” and carry multiple people to their destinations.

    Not to be outdone, rival Lyft is also unveiling a new carpooling service. It’s called Lyft Line, and it does pretty much the same thing as UberPool.

    “Today, we’re excited to announce the launch of Lyft Line — shared rides along shared routes, priced for daily use. Simply set your destination, and we’ll connect you with a ride already going the same way for up to 60% less than an original Lyft ride. Lyft Line will roll out first in San Francisco on iOS, with Android and other cities to follow,” says Lyft.

    That 60 percent is quite an eye-popping number. Chances are, it’ll be a bit to a lot less of a discount than that – considering Lyft will calculate the discounted rates based on the likelihood of any given route finding a match for someone who wants to hop on.

    Still, the discounted and split fares could make for some cheap rides. Lyft says they’re pioneering what they call “personal transit” – which I assume align the benefits of on-demand rides with the added bonuses of cheaper rates and that sense community you feel when riding the bus with strangers.

    “Lyft Line is a system that is flexible, lightweight, and constructs itself in real-time. This is a transit system with infinite routes — and it becomes stronger, more affordable, and more efficient the more it’s used. It will grow as we grow, and change as our cities change,” says Lyft.

    I guess at this point we just have to start debating names – UberPool vs. Lyft Line. UberPool kind of sounds like UberCool, but Lyft Line sounds like a “lifeline” and has that sweet alliteration. Plus, UberPool is too heavy-handed on the whole carpool aspect of the service. The winner is Lyft Line.* That’s it – game over. We’re done here.

    *The author of this post users Lyft more than Uber, he thinks.

    Image via Lyft, YouTube screenshot

  • Whysk Is Here to Redefine On-Demand Transportation

    Clickhole, The Onion’s self-described “latest and greatest online social experience filled with the most clickable, irresistibly shareable content anywhere on the internet,” is fun. It really is. It’s a self-aware Buzzfeed. It’s a self-loathing Upworthy. It’s also a smart move.

    And dammit, this is funny.

    Clickhole presents, Whysk. It’s ready to challenge Uber and Lyft in the ridesharing field by offering something absolutely revolutionary – rides that aren’t actually rides. Well, they are rides, kind of.

    Whysk allows you to be whisked away to your location by on-demand monks. Just watch.

    Just perfect.

    Image via Clickhole, screenshot

  • Lyft Had a Rocky Start in NYC Over the Weekend

    Fresh off its kinda victory on Friday in New York City, Lyft launched in all five boroughs to much fanfare. Unfortunately, high demands coupled with an underwhelming workforce and newly-imposed regulations made getting a Lyft driver a real headache in the Big Apple.

    Folks took to Twitter to vent.

    There was also the issue of Lyft’s “Prime Time pricing”:

    Lyft has been fielding tweets like this since their Friday launch.

    According to an admittedly unscientific experiment by DNAinfo New York, there were “no more than two cars on the road at a time in the five boroughs — and most times, no car could be found at all.”

    NY Mag confirmed this shortage, saying that “no drivers were available” in all of Manhattan on multiple app checks.

    “We are working hard to grow our community of drivers as quickly as possible to meet this overwhelming demand,” said Lyft in a statement. “Tens of thousands of New York residents across all five boroughs opened the Lyft app to request a ride over the weekend, and we look forward to adding more drivers and giving all New Yorkers access to safe, friendly and reliable rides.”

    It could, in fact, be some pretty hard work ahead for Lyft. In order to be able to launch last Friday, Lyft had to make a major concession to the city’s Taxi and Limo Commission. Lyft had to give up a major aspect of what makes Lyft (and Uber and others like it) true peer-to-peer ride-sharing services – Lyft drivers in New York City will have to be licensed by the TLC.

    That clearly makes it harder to quickly populate the drivers pool.

    And a thin workforce is obviously not what you want in a city the size of New York.

    If you can get a ride in NYC, it’s going to be free for a while. All new users have received 50(!) free rides for the first two weeks. And you could have a fun experience…

    Image via @ashishsingal1, Twitter

  • Uber Driver Accused of Sexual Assault in DC

    Uber Driver Accused of Sexual Assault in DC

    Despite implementing a ‘safe rides fee’ earlier this year, stories about Uber passengers experiencing anything but safe rides continue to pop up.

    The latest comes from Washington DC, where a 32-year-old Uber driver has been charged with second degree sexual abuse after a passenger claimed that he molested her in the back of his car this past Sunday.

    From Washington City Paper:

    In the affadavit, the woman says she passed out in the cab and that when she woke, the driver was rubbing her breasts. She then fell back asleep, according to court documents, and woke up again to the sound of car doors locking. The cab had stopped and the driver was feeling her breasts and pulling down her underwear down to her knees. She says she asked the driver to be let out of the vehicle, but he refused and at one point asked if he could go back to her hotel with her. In a follow-up interview with authorities, she said Chakari briefly penetrated her with his finger or another thin object.

    Luckily, the woman somehow managed to send out a couple of texts to a friend (who had called the ride for her on his account). He was able to contact the driver, which appears to have ended the attack.

    Uber says the driver has been suspended and they are cooperating fully with the investigation.

    This isn’t the first case of driver impropriety that’s hit Uber recently. In July, an Uber driver took riders on a high-speed chase, again in DC. Then in June, an Uber driver reportedly kidnapped a drunk woman and took her to a motel, where he slept with her in the room and “fondled her over her clothes and suggested he wanted to have sex, but didn’t force it.” Another Uber driver was accused of rape in Washington DC, but that case has since been dropped. In February, a woman claimed she was briefly kidnapped by an Uber driver over a fare dispute.

    Rides-sharing, on-demand car services – or whatever you want to call them – have a lot of potential and are clearly not going anywhere in the foreseeable future. But safety is a huge concern – especially for the most high-profile company in this field. Every time an Uber passenger is sexually assaulted, taken on a cop-evading joyride, or simply made to feel uncomfortable, we all should ask ourselves – exactly who’s car are we getting into?

    Uber, like Lyft and similar services, assure us that safety is of the utmost priority. But things like this keep happening. And for those who have fell victim to a predatory or off-their-rocker driver, best intentions aren’t really enough when it comes to safety.

    Then again, it’s not like this kind of thing is limited to Uber. Regular old taxi drivers don’t exactly have a clean sheet in this department. I think the emphasis on companies like Uber springs from the fact that Uber’s whole schtick is that it’s a cut above taking a Taxi. Time to put up or shut up, I’d say.

    Image via Uber, Facebook

  • Lyft Launching in NYC After Making Concessions

    The battle of Lyft vs. New York City – mainly its Taxi and Limo Commission – has finally produced a resolution. Lyft will launch in all five boroughs of NYC tonight, but only after making some pretty big concessions.

    “Tonight, after making positive progress with local and state leaders, Lyft will launch in all five boroughs of New York City. We’ve finalized an agreement to offer immediate access to our friendly, affordable rides through a TLC-licensed model beginning at 7 p.m.,” says Lyft.

    TLC-licensed model? Recode reports that Lyft had to give up a major aspect of what make Lyft (and Uber and others like it) true peer-to-peer ride-sharing services. Apparently, Lyft drivers in New York City will have to be licensed by the TLC.

    Lyft has also agreed to suspend their current operations in Buffalo and Rochester, while they “work with the Attorney General’s Office and Department of Financial Services to align New York State’s insurance laws and regulations with emerging technologies of the 21st century.”

    Lyft had planned to launch earlier this month, despite regulatory pushback. The TLC’s official rationale for opposing Lyft’s business was that the company had “not complied with TLC’s safety requirements and other licensing criteria to verify the integrity and qualifications of the drivers or vehicles used in their service, and Lyft does not hold a license to dispatch cars to pick up passengers.”

    Lyft’s response was that they didn’t think the TLC’s licensing and base station rules apply to their ridesharing model.

    Then, hours before Lyft’s scheduled launch, they were slapped with multiple restraining orders – from both the TLC and state Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman. That’s where we stood before today.

    Here’s what Schneiderman had to say about today’s ‘truce’:

    “We are pleased that our offices have reached an agreement today with Lyft. We are firmly committed to the notion that regulators can work constructively with companies so that new ideas can come to the market — and that smart regulation should create an environment where innovators can compete. Lyft’s launch in New York City — in full compliance with laws and regulations — is proof positive of this principle. We will continue to work with Lyft so that any future business it undertakes meets that standard and protects consumer safety. We look forward to exploring solutions that enable companies in the sharing economy to operate and thrive throughout New York State.”

    “This agreement is the first big step in finding a home for Lyft’s peer-to-peer model in New York,” says Lyft.

    Something tells me this isn’t the end of the battle.

    Image via Lyft, Facebook

  • Lyft Slapped with Restraining Orders Hours Before NYC Launch

    According to a report, both the New York City Taxi and Limo Commission and the state Attorney General have filed temporary restraining orders against on-demand car service Lyft, who is planning on launching in Brooklyn and Queens Friday evening.

    Earlier this week, Lyft announced their intentions to begin operations in NYC. That was immediately met with pushback from the city’s Taxi Commission, who said that the company “has not complied with TLC’s safety requirements and other licensing criteria to verify the integrity and qualifications of the drivers or vehicles used in their service, and Lyft does not hold a license to dispatch cars to pick up passengers” and that “unsuspecting drivers who sign-up with Lyft are at risk of losing their vehicles to TLC enforcement action, as well as being subject to fines of up to $2,000 upon conviction for unlicensed activity.”

    WNYC reporter Kate Hinds just tweeted this:

    Lyft confirmed the legal proceedings to The Verge, saying,

    “We are in a legal process with local regulators today and will proceed accordingly. We always seek to work collaboratively with leaders in the interests of public safety and the community, as we’ve done successfully in cities and states across the country, and hope to find a path forward for ridesharing in New York.”

    And the Taxi and Limo Commission had this to say to Business Insider:

    “We are in state supreme court seeking a TRO, as is the AG.”

    Lyft responded to the Commission’s protests by saying that they “differ with the TLC is that [they] do not believe its licensing and base station rules apply to the Lyft ridesharing model.”

    Lyft is scheduled to throw a launch party in Brooklyn this evening to celebrate their two-borough launch.

    WNYC’s Kate Hinds via The Verge
    Image via Lyft, Facebook

  • Lyft Launches Friday in NYC Despite Regulatory Pushback

    Lyft is not backing down in its quest to bring its on-demand car service to the Big Apple, despite warnings from the city’s Taxi and Limo Commission that they will not hesitate to take legal action.

    Earlier this week, Lyft announced that it was finally launching in New York City – not all of NYC, but in two boroughs to start. On Friday at 7pm EST, Lyft will begin operation in Brooklyn and Queens. Lyft has offered all new passengers in the city two free weeks worth of rides, saying that “the people of New York deserve more transportation options.”

    Lyft, no stranger to regulatory backlash, is now facing a formidable opponent in New York’s Taxi and Limo Commission.

    “Lyft has not complied with TLC’s safety requirements and other licensing criteria to verify the integrity and qualifications of the drivers or vehicles used in their service, and Lyft does not hold a license to dispatch cars to pick up passengers,” said the TLC in a statement. “Unsuspecting drivers who sign-up with Lyft are at risk of losing their vehicles to TLC enforcement action, as well as being subject to fines of up to $2,000 upon conviction for unlicensed activity.”

    TLC head Meera Joshi expounded on that statement, warning Lyft and its drivers that the commission will take any and all actions necessary to thwart its efforts.

    “Every rider deserves the safety and consumer protections our rules provide, and we have a long track record of working successfully with innovative companies to help them start out the right way,” she said. “We’re still hopeful that Lyft will accept our offer to help them do the right thing for New York City passengers as they should, but New Yorkers can rest assured that the TLC will do its job and take the actions necessary to protect them,” she said.

    Lyft, of course, scoffs at any suggestion that safety is an issue.

    “As always, safety is our top priority and every driver has undergone a screening process that is more stringent than what’s required for NYC taxis, including a strict background check, vehicle inspection and $1,000,000 insurance that provides more than three times the $300,000 minimum for taxis,” says Lyft.

    It isn’t safety, but a simple difference of opinion between it and the TLC, says Lyft. In a statement, Lyft suggested that it will launch as planned, as it doesn’t believe the TLC’s licensing and base station rules apply to the Lyft ride-sharing model:

    Lyft will offer a new and much needed transportation option for New Yorkers in the areas of the city where existing options are lacking. This improvement in transportation will provide important opportunities that New Yorkers want and deserve. We’ll continue to work with all stakeholders to create a path forward. Our focus remains on the community, who will be the ultimate beneficiaries.

    Where we differ with the TLC is that we do not believe its licensing and base station rules apply to the Lyft ridesharing model. It’s important to clarify that our differences of opinion are not about safety standards, and that’s because we put safety first. In new markets when we begin conversation with local regulators, we always find a way to ensure that communities have Lyft. We’re certainly different from the status quo, but that is our strength.

    Today we’re releasing our Safety Commitment. We will never waver in keeping our drivers and passengers safe. This is Lyft’s commitment to our community and yours.

    Here’s that Safety commitment Lyft mentions:

    Lyft NYC Safety Commitment

    Though it’s not Lyft, stories like this about similar service Uber fail to help the company’s cause. Lyft has fought with regulators in cities all across the country, but it’s likely never seen an entity as massive as the New York Taxi commission.

    Image via Lyft, Facebook

  • Uber Driver Takes Riders on High-Speed Chase in DC

    Uber Driver Takes Riders on High-Speed Chase in DC

    A New Yorker says he was kidnapped by an Uber driver in Washington DC and taken on a high-speed chase.

    The D.C. Taxicab Commission has confirmed an incident did occur and they are investigating. Official details aren’t yet available, but according to frequent Uber user Ryan Simonetti it was one hell of a wild ride.

    According to Simonetti, he and two colleagues called an Uber ride around 1:15. When the car arrived and they made their way to it, he noticed that a DC taxi inspector was talking to the Uber driver. They got in anyway.

    Before they knew it, the Uber driver had taken off and the taxi inspector was following close behind, lights on.

    According to Simonetti, the driver then began to speed and run red lights. He sideswiped cars. The driver apparently claimed that the taxi inspector “wasn’t a real cop” and that if he stopped, he’d be leveled with a $2,000 fine.

    The ride lasted around 10 minutes, until the taxi inspector was somehow able to block the Uber driver’s path on an off-ramp. This gave Simonetti time to jump out of the car before the driver turned around and drove the wrong way down the ramp.

    “It was like an episode of ‘Cops,’” Simonetti said.

    Uber was quick to respond to Simonetti’s tweet for help, so there’s that.

    The ride-sharing company has also issued a statement:

    Uber became aware of a potential incident involving an UberBLACK trip in Washington, DC [Tuesday] afternoon. Rider safety is our #1 priority. We will cooperate with authorities in their investigation and have deactivated the driver pending the outcome.

    This isn’t the first case of driver impropriety that’s put Uber on the defensive. In June, an Uber driver reportedly kidnapped a drunk woman and took her to a motel, where he slept with her in the room and “fondled her over her clothes and suggested he wanted to have sex, but didn’t force it.” Another Uber driver was accused of rape in Washington DC, but that case has since been dropped. In February, a woman claimed she was briefly kidnapped by an Uber driver over fare.

    And then there’s the wrongful death lawsuit that Uber currently finds itself embroiled in.

    All of these incidents, as they pile up, are leading people to ask just who the hell is driving me around when I use Uber or Lyft, or a similar on-demand car service?

    Everything turned out ok for Simonetti and crew, as law enforcement is now on the case.

    Image via Uber, Facebook

  • Uber Is Now a $17B Company After Latest Funding

    On-demand car service Uber has just announced a massive $1.2 billion injection from “some of the leading investors in the world,” which values the company at $17 billion (not counting what they already have in the war chest).

    With that announcement, Uber now operates in 128 cities in 37 countries around the world and says that they are directly responsible for creating 20,000 new jobs every month.

    “With our growth and expansion, the company has evolved from being a scrappy Silicon Valley tech startup to being a way of life for millions of people in cities around the world. This ‘Uber’ way of life is really a reflection of our mission to turn ground transportation into a seamless service and to enable a transportation alternative in cities that makes car ownership a thing of the past,” says Uber CEO Travis Kalanick in a blog post.

    Uber says that their car service is “improving the environment, reducing DUI rates and fueling urban economic development.”

    With this new round of funding, Uber is now planted firmly in the big leagues – but it isn’t exactly smooth sailing for the company. For one, Uber (and other similar services like Lyft) are facing stiff resistance from the old guard – taxi companies. And that influence has trickled down into state-by-state politics, where they are facing probable fines in some areas for “illegal operations.”

    Just today, we learned the the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles sent Uber a cease and desist letter, demanding that Uber stop all operations in the state or face fines.

    Not only that, but Uber has also faced questions about the safety of its service – mainly a question of “just who the hell is driving me around?” An off-the-clock Uber driver has been accused of kidnapping a drunk woman, taking her to a hotel, and sexually assaulting her. The company is also currently embroiled in a wrongful death suit after the tragic accident that took the life of a six-year-old girl on New Year’s Eve.

    Still, Uber has confidence moving forward – and a whole lot of cash to boot.

    “We appreciate the confidence that investors, riders and partner drivers have shown in us and we intend to deliver,” says Kalanick.

    Image via Uber, Facebook

  • Virginia DMV Tells Uber, Lyft to Cease ‘Illegal Operations’, Suggests They Focus on Lobbying

    The state of Virginia is none too happy at on-demand car services Uber and Lyft operating, in its mind, outside the framework of its passenger carrier laws.

    The state’s Department of Motor Vehicles has sent out two cease and desist letters, one to Uber and one to Lyft, demanding that both companies stop operating in the commonwealth of Virginia until they “obtain proper authority.”

    The DMV is threatening to fine Uber and Lyft drivers. It wouldn’t be the first fines the Virginia DMV has handed Uber or Lyft, as they assessed civil penalties earlier this year. Uber and Lyft, naturally, contend that they are not taxi services, but ride-sharing companies.

    “Virginia law requires for-hire passenger carriers to have proper operating authority. Although certain types of passenger carrier arrangements are excluded from this requirement, none of those exclusions applies to Lyft’s operations. For example, Va. Code 46.2-2000.1 contains an exclusion for ride-sharing arrangements; however, a separate statute sets out the requirements for ride-sharing arrangements. This statute defines ride-sharing arrangements as those which do not involve transporting passengers for profit. See Va. Code 46.2-1400, et seq. Lyft’s operations are not ridesharing arrangements as defined in Virginia law because Lyft receives compensation for its services.

    The letter sent to Uber says the exact same thing.

    A spokesperson for Uber calls the Virginia DMV’s actions “shocking and unexpected.”

    “The DMV’s actions today are shocking and unexpected. Uber has been providing Virginians with safe, affordable and reliable transportation options for months and has continued to work in good faith with the DMV to create a regulatory framework for ridesharing. The DMV decision today hurts thousands of small business entrepreneurs who rely on the Uber platform to make a living, create new jobs and contribute to the economy – and it hurts the countless residents who rely on Uber to connect them with affordable, safe and reliable transportation alternatives. We look forward to continuing to work with the Virginia DMV to find a permanent home for ridesharing in the Commonwealth,” says Uber’s Natalia Montalvo.

    A Lyft spokesperson echoed Uber’s sentiments on safety.

    “The current regulations surrounding taxis and limos were created before something like Lyft was even imagined,” a Lyft spokesperson told WVEC. “Lyft’s peer-to-peer business model does not easily fit into the current framework, but we have made safety a top priority from the beginning by putting forth strict safety measures that go beyond what is required for existing transportation providers.”

    At the end of the letters to both Uber and Lyft, the Virginia DMV makes a suggestion to the companies:

    “As you know, DMV is actively studying Virginia’s passenger carrier laws and business models such as Uber/Lyft. DMV has invited Uber/Lyft and other stakeholders to participate in this study and will produce a final report before the next legislative session. I strongly suggest that Uber/Lyft focus its resources on participation in this study rather than continue illegal operations in the meantime.

    In other words, get your lobbying pants on boys, and head to Richmond.

    Here’s the most telling aspect of this story, via Watchdog.org:

    Sunni Blevins Brown, spokeswoman for the Virginia DMV, confirmed that a “number of transportation companies, including taxis, have contacted DMV regarding this matter.

    Of course they have.

    Lord knows ride-sharing companies, especially Uber, have a lot of ‘splainin to do in other areas of their business model, but it’s hard to look at the DMV’s action as anything but a transparent move to protect the old guard.

    Image via Lyft, Twitter

  • Uber Driver Allegedly Kidnapped Drunk Woman, Took Her to Motel

    Uber Driver Allegedly Kidnapped Drunk Woman, Took Her to Motel

    One of the big questions facing on-demand car services like Uber is this: Exactly who the hell is driving me around? Really, that’s a question that many people ask themselves during any car ride with a stranger–taxis included. But services like Uber and Lyft are new players in the game and therefore under much more scrutiny, especially since they promise a better experience than your traditional cab.

    A Panorama City Uber driver has been arrested and accused of kidnapping an inebriated club-goer. The driver, 32, picked up the passenger, a 26-year-old woman, at the request of the nightclub. It was an off-the-books ride, but the driver was in fact an Uber driver.

    According to police, the driver “took advantage of the situation, and drove her to a cheap motel, which he had visited before, and carried her into the room. He slept the night in the room, and when she awoke, he let her leave, though he asked her to stay, according to the victim.”

    After first alleging that no sexual assault occurred, police now say that the victim claims the driver “fondled her over her clothes and suggested he wanted to have sex, but didn’t force it.”

    The driver is currently being held on $1 million bond.

    Uber has released a statement on the incident:

    Uber became aware this afternoon of a serious incident in Los Angeles. The facts are unknown at this stage and it’s certainly unclear that this is an Uber-related incident, as the driver in question was not logged in, connected to or operating on the platform at the time. We have reached out to authorities and will work with them to help uncover the facts. It is also our policy to immediately suspend a driver’s account following any serious allegations, which we have done. Nothing is more important to Uber than the safety of our riders.

    As LA Weekly points out, the is not the first time that an Uber driver has been accused of malfeasance. Uber is currently embroiled in a wrongful death suit after the tragic accident that took the life of a six-year-old girl on New Year’s Eve.

    Like the driver accused of this recent kidnapping, the driver involved in that death did in fact work for Uber, but was not providing services for Uber at the time–he was off the clock, basically.

    Oftentimes, we’re at our most vulnerable when calling for a ride. We’re drunk, tired, and can’t drive ourselves. We trust that whoever’s driving the car knows where to go and carries no bad intentions. With any service like Uber, there are going to be people who find a way to take advantage of the system–but these startups are going to have to find a way to battle the bad press and eliminate these very public incidents.

    And I don’t know if a $1 ‘Safe Rides Fee’ is going to do it.

    Image via Uber, Facebook