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Tag: transportation

  • Lyft Co-Founder Says Rides Are Still Down 50%

    Lyft Co-Founder Says Rides Are Still Down 50%

    “The impact of the pandemic to us in the broader market is rides being down about 50% now,” says Lyft co-founder and President John Zimmer. “They were down 75%. So we are halfway recovered across the board. That impacts individual drivers as well. If you look at how some drivers have shifted, we actually have higher driver earnings now per hour than even pre-pandemic.”

    John Zimmer, co-founder and President of Lyft, discusses the impact of the pandemic on Lyft, noting that daily rides are still down by half since March 2020:

    Lyft Rides Still Down 50%

    Drivers 4 to 1 want to remain independent contractors and want to retain flexibility. Depending on the market, 80 to 90% drive less than 20 hours a week. We think there is a much better way forward than saying (in California) that everyone should become employees. That way forward is to say let’s retain the flexibility and let’s add more protections and benefits like we are pushing for in California.

    The impact of the pandemic to us in the broader market is rides being down about 50% now. They were down 75%. So we are halfway recovered across the board. That impacts individual drivers as well. If you look at how some drivers have shifted, we actually have higher driver earnings now per hour than even pre-pandemic. There’s equilibrium between demand and supply, between riders and drivers.

    Impact Of Lockdowns And The Virus Is Real

    The impact to the broader economy and the impact with lockdowns and the virus is real for our business. Transportation is directly tied to people’s movement and the broader economy. That said, we’ve continually week over week seen incremental improvements going from negative 75% to now above 50%.

    We see markets like Toronto back to 80% of where we were before. As countries get better and as states get better at living with the conditions we have because of the virus I see continued improvement. Driver earnings per hour are higher today than they were pre-pandemic. We are looking right now for more drivers.

    Regulation Has Been Part Of Our History From Day One

    Regulation has been a part of our history from day one. We are as much in the transportation business as we are in the technology business and transportation historically has been a regulated industry. Within our first year of operation, we worked with California regulators to create a new category for regulation.

    It’s been part of our business and will always be part of our business. It’s part of how we think about the path to profitability but we are just moving forward on that path despite anything that is going to change around us in terms of regulation.

    Largest Bike-Share Program In North America

    We also have a diversified set of transportation that we offer. We have the largest bike-share program in North America with City Bikes in New York City and Bay Wheels in the Bay and Divvy in Chicago. Our bike systems are in many cases above where they were pre-COVID. They are a great way to get around and get some fresh air and not be next to someone else.

    Lyft Co-Founder John Zimmer Says Rides Are Still Down 50%
  • Facebook Messenger Continues Evolution To Assistant

    Facebook Messenger Continues Evolution To Assistant

    Facebook announced a new feature for Messenger that lets you request a ride from a car service like Uber.

    In fact, Uber is a partner on the feature, though Facebook says it’s just the first partner. Lyft is reportedly coming soon.

    Introducing Transportation on Messenger from Facebook on Vimeo.

    “To get started, download the latest version of Messenger,” explains product manager Seth Rosenberg. “Then, from within a conversation, tap the more menu and choose Transportation. You can also search directly for Uber – our first partner – and tap the car icon to request a ride. From there, you’ll receive updates on your driver’s status and notify your friends that you’ve called a ride. With the ability to request, track and pay for a ride in Messenger, we’re making transportation as simple as sending a message.”

    For now, users can get a ride for free the first time they use the feature (up to $20 value).

    “All you have to do to claim your free ride is link your existing Uber account or set up a new account within Messenger and request a ride,” says Rosenberg. “Driver status updates and payment receipts will get delivered to a private conversation between you and Uber. With everything in one place, you can seamlessly keep track of your ride and payment history.”

    Over the past year, Facebook has been adding a lot of functionality to Messenger to make it more useful for a variety of situations – way beyond simple messaging. Facebook may have closed down some of its standalone apps recently, but this one is definitely a keeper.

    Images via Facebook

  • MTA Transit Employees Have Their Personal Info Exposed In Data Breach

    Around 15,000 current and former workers of the New York City Transit Authority have their Social Security number and other personal data exposed after the information was found on a CD, which was still inside a refurbished CD-ROM drive. The Associated Press further reported that the information was discovered when the buyer of the reworked CD drive saw the disc, checked its contents, and recognized some of the names on the list.

    The buyer, who happens to be employed by a New York City Transit vendor, immediately notified her employer about the incident. The MTA’s chief information officer Sidney Gellineau wrote a letter that said the vendor turned in the CD to the lawyer of the New York City Transit Authority without making a copy or engaging in any “misuse of the data”.

    Gellineau’s letter, which was sent on March 6, was addressed to the individuals affected by the security breach. He assured them that the MTA has commenced the investigation in order to get to the bottom of the situation.

    The contents of the disc included complete names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and even earnings of approximately 15,000 active, former, retired, and deceased NYC Transit workers. The affected employees hold a variety of positions within the company, ranging from executives, supervisors, and salaried workers. No hourly paid employees were found on the list.

    In the MTA’s letter, Gellineau declared that their policy prohibits the placement of unencrypted personal data on a CD by an employee. He added that their company is “not aware of any other such violation of the policy”. According to the Associated Press, a complaint has been filed with the NYPD, although the police department has yet to comment on the issue.

    News of personal data theft committed by hackers have been a hot security topic lately, but experts claim that it is not unusual for personal information to be exposed by accident. In order to prevent these accidental breaches, some companies place restrictions on their workers’ computers that make them unable to copy files and take them outside the workplace.

    NYC Subway

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Maruti Celerio Plans to Up Indian Car Sales

    In America, a car with an automatic transmission is no big deal. A lot of us can’t even drive a car with a manual shift, and we’ll do okay in life despite that. In India, however, the case is virtually the opposite. According to Wall Street Journal, only 1% of passenger vehicles sold in India have automatic transmissions.

    The reason for this is because automatic transmission cars in India are significantly more expensive, and maintenance issues along with low fuel economy make the cars obviously an unattractive buy. Maruti Suzuki India plans to change this perception with the Maruti Celerio.

    The Maruti Celerio features an “EZ Drive” which allows a driver to switch between automatic and manual drive. Both versions are similar in fuel economy with close to a 23.1 kilometers a liter, and Suzuki promises that maintenance costs will be very close to the current cars in India. Six different versions of the Celerio will be released with features such as air bags and an anti-lock braking system as well as extras such as alloy wheels, an advanced audio system and Bluetooth Connectivity at an affordable price.

    Celerios have to maintain affordability– Indian consumers are pursuing other modes of transportation in an effort to save money. We have to remember that this is a country where some citizens are still able to use carts to transport goods to nearby areas. Urban Indian cities also boast an advanced railway system that that could serve some sufficiently instead of dealing with car expenses. Sales are at a steady decrease and although Maruti holds 41% of Indian car sales, they have only seen a 1.7% increase during the last quarter.

    The Maruti Celerio will hit the streets February 6th, and Suzuki began taking orders for the innovative vehicle that may boost the country’s economy this past Friday.


    Image via NDN

  • Hyperloop Immediately Gains Support On Reddit

    Hyperloop Immediately Gains Support On Reddit

    On Monday evening, Elon Musk revealed his proposal for the Hyperloop to the world. The transportation system would turn a five hour car ride from Los Angeles to San Francisco into a 30 minute ride in a tube. Despite being the one who drafted the proposal, Musk is skeptical on a number of fronts. That’s why some Redditors are charging full steam ahead to back him, and the project, up.

    Soon after the Hyperloop was announced, a subreddit called /r/HyperloopCAProp popped up on the popular news sharing site. The subreddit’s goal is to push for a public vote on a proposal that would replace the current high speed rail project in California with Musk’s Hyperloop project.

    The first step is to create a proposal, and the subreddit’s moderator, rocketscientist89, already has a plan:

    The basic fundamentals of the proposal are: re-use the existing land/surveying studies for the rail project for the hyperloop, taking into account any necessary modifications for legal/technical reasons. We should aim to stick to the already approved path.

    Find, fund, and establish a proof-of-concept test line somewhere in CA, where it is is honestly not that important (IMO) but we should try to get it where people can visit, and hopefully ride a full scale version of it even if only for a short distance. There is a lot of fleshing out to do here, but that’s the point of this.

    With both a proof-of-concept and re-using the existing foundational studies/research for the highspeed rail project, we should be able to draft a realistic proposal that addresses the technical and logistical challenges of building the full scale line, running from SF to San Diego. Ideally, this should include estimates of cost, job creation, long-term impacts, etc. Again, a lot of work to do, but if we crowd-source this I believe it is achievable.

    Timeline: We should shoot to have this proposal on the 2016 Ballot. That gives us a little over two years to get it done. Lets hit the ground running reddit!

    To get on the ballot, the subreddit and other volunteers will have to draft the proposal and then obtain 500,000 signatures of California citizens. The subreddit has a lot of work cut out for them if you take /r/California’s population of 12,666 to be indicative of Reddit’s Californian population, but there’s likely to be a lot more if you take subreddits like /r/LosAngeles into account.

    Still, the Reddit community has performed some amazing feats in the past. A group of Redditor’s raised $90,000 as part of TestPAC to challenge Rep. Lamar Smith’s run for reelection in 2012 after SOPA, which he drafted, was defeated in the House. They were ultimately unsuccessful, but gathering 500,000 signatures should be much easier than defeating an entrenched politician with a multi-million dollar reelection campaign.

    [h/t: The Raw Story]

  • Here’s Why The Hyperloop Would Withstand An Earthquake (At Least In Theory)

    Here’s Why The Hyperloop Would Withstand An Earthquake (At Least In Theory)

    Elon Musk’s Hyperloop proposal takes the system’s susceptibility (or hopefully non-susceptibility) to earthquakes very seriously. The subject is brought up numerous times within the 57-page document.

    The proposal actually details what would happen in a number of emergency situations, but indicates the Hyperloop would be built to withstand an earthquake with “the necessary flexibility” and tube alignment.

    “A ground based high speed rail system is susceptible to Earthquakes and needs frequent expansion joints to deal with thermal expansion/contraction and subtle, large scale land movement,” it says. “By building a system on pylons, where the tube is not rigidly fixed at any point, you can dramatically mitigate Earthquake risk and avoid the need for expansion joints. Tucked away inside each pylon, you could place two adjustable lateral (XY) dampers and one vertical (Z) damper.”

    “These would absorb the small length changes between pylons due to thermal changes, as well as long form subtle height changes,” it says. “As land slowly settles to a new position over time, the damper neutral position can be adjusted accordingly. A telescoping tube, similar to the boxy ones used to access airplanes at airports would be needed at the end stations to address the cumulative length change of the tube.”

    In a lengthy description of the tube section of the system (the part in which the capsules travel through), earthquakes are mentioned again:

    The tube will be supported by pillars which constrain the tube in the vertical direction but allow longitudinal slip for thermal expansion as well as dampened lateral slip to reduce the risk posed by earthquakes. In addition, the pillar to tube connection nominal position will be adjustable vertically and laterally to ensure proper alignment despite possible ground settling.

    It says the Hyperloop’s capability to withstand earthquakes has been demonstrated in structural simulations.

    If an earthquake did strike while the Hyperloop was in operation, the proposal suggests the capsules (in which passengers ride) would be controlled remotely with emergency braking systems being deployed.

  • Your Hyperloop Ride Will Include Beautiful Scenery And Your Own Personal Entertainment System

    Your Hyperloop Ride Will Include Beautiful Scenery And Your Own Personal Entertainment System

    As you’ve no doubt heard, Elon Musk revealed his plans for the Hyperloop transportation system on Monday. You might be wondering what it would be like to ride in it. While it’s hard to say for sure without it actually existing, Musk tries to give us an idea in a large PDF document with all the details about its plans.

    There’s a section of the document that focuses on the interior. “The interior of the capsule is specifically designed with passenger safety and comfort in mind,” it says. “The seats conform well to the body to maintain comfort during the high speed accelerations experienced during travel. Beautiful landscape will be displayed in the cabin and each passenger will have access their own personal entertainment system.”

    The interior weight of the capsule is expected to be about 5,500 pounds, including the seats, restraint systems, interior and door panels, luggage compartments, and entertainment displays (this is all expected to cost about $255,00).

    Here are a couple of diagrams included in the plans, looking at a capsule version with doors open at the station and a cutaway with passengers on board.

    Hyperloop capsules

    The different version of the capsule called the “Passenger Plus,” would weigh about 6,000 pounds, and would cost about $185,000.

    Here’s some info about emergency situations and the actual route the Hyperloop will take.

  • Hyperloop: Here’s How An Emergency Situation Would Play Out

    Hyperloop: Here’s How An Emergency Situation Would Play Out

    On Monday, Elon Musk unveiled his detailed plans for the long-anticipated Hyperloop project, a futuristic transportation system that would make a trip from San Francisco to Los Angeles just over a half an hour long (here’s the initial proposed route).

    Musk revealed the details of the project in a 57-page PDF document. WIthin that is a section about onboard passenger emergencies. According to this, each capsule (which contains passengers) would have a direct radio contact with station operators in case of emergencies. This would enable passengers to report incidents, request help and receive assistance.

    Each capsule would also contain first aid equipment.

    “The Hyperloop allows people to travel from San Francisco to LA in 30 minutes,” the document says. “Therefore in case of emergency, it is likely that the best course of action would be for the capsule to communicate the situation to the station operator and for the capsule to finish the journey in a few minutes where emergency services would be waiting to assist.”

    Hold it.

    Of course, we’re talking about emergencies pretty vaguely here. Different kinds of “emergencies” could require different courses of action. While not necessarily life-threatening, Business Insider, for example, raises a good point about there not being any bathrooms on board. This could at least make for some sanitary issues.

    But in terms of real medical emergencies, Musk says the typical times between an emergency and access to a physician should be shorter than if the incident happened during an airplane takeoff (but at least planes have bathrooms).

    “In the case of the airplane, the route would need to be adjusted, other planes rerouted, runways cleared, airplane landed, taxi to a gate, and doors opened,” the document says. “An emergency in a Hyperloop capsule simply requires the system to complete the planned journey and meet emergency personnel at the destination.”

    “The design of Hyperloop has been considered from the start with safety in mind,” it says. “Unlike other modes of transport, Hyperloop is a single system that incorporates the vehicle, propulsion system, energy management, timing, and route. Capsules travel in a carefully controlled and maintained tube environment. The system is immune to wind, ice, fog, and rain. The propulsion system is integrated into the tube and can only accelerate the capsule to speeds that are safe in each section. With human control error and unpredictable weather removed from the system, very few safety concerns remain.”

    It suggests that all safety scenarios should be considered relative to other forms of transportation, as with the airplane example above.

    Power Outages

    With regards to power outages, the proposal indicates that the “vast majority” of Hyperloop travel is spent coasting, so capsules don’t require continuous power. That said, it does have back-up plans including batteries and energy storage.

    Air Pressure

    With regards to capsule depressurization, there would be oxygen masks like those found on airplanes, but the onboard control system would maintain capsule pressure using reserve air carried onboard. In what is proposed to be an “unlikely event,” other capsuls in the tube would automatically begin emergency breaking while they tube undergoes rapid re-pressurization if there is a large scale capsule depressurization.

    Getting Stuck

    If you’re worried about being stuck in a capsule within the tube (which could be a nightmare scenario for the claustrophobic), this is also deemed extremely unlikely due to the fact that the capsules coast at high speed without the need for propulsion for over 90% of the trip. If one did manage to become stranded, the capsules behind the stranded ones would have their emergency brakes deployed. They would then be driven using small onboard electric motors.

    Quakes

    Being in California, earthquakes are a natural concern, but the proposal indicates that the Hyperloop would be built to withstand one with “the necessary flexibility” and tube alignment.

    Terrorists

    In the event of a human-related incident (presumably such as a terrorist threat), the proposal indicates that security would be at the same level as airports.

    As far as general reliability, the Hyperloop is supposed to have a service life of 100 years.

    So, do you think you’re going to feel safe getting in one of these things?

  • Titanic II Interior Design Revealed [Video]

    Titanic II Interior Design Revealed [Video]

    In case you haven’t heard, they’re making a Titanic II. Not a sequel to the James Cameron movie, but a sequel to the actual ship. The project was announced last April by Australian tycoon Clive Palmer, as the flagship of Blue Star Line, his cruise company. The plan is for it to launch in 2016.

    The ship’s blueprint has now been unveiled, along with artists’ renderings of what the interior will look like. The Daily Mail shares this video:

    Noted Titanic experts Steve Hall and Daniel Klistorner were announced as design consultants in October.

    The ship will begin a six-day voyage in late 2016, if everything goes according to plan. It is supposed to follow a similar route to that of the original ship. Construction will begin this year.

    A dinner is being held in London on March 2nd, and it will display items salvaged from the original Titanic.

  • Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Wants Nationwide Ban On Cellphone Use While Driving

    In today’s installment of the “good luck with that” files, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood has come out in favor of an all-out ban of the use of cellphones while driving. This would prohibit anyone from using their device for any reason – calls, texting, Facebooking – while driving on a road in the United States.

    This call came while LaHood was speaking at the Texas Distracted Driving Summit, via Reuters.

    “Everyone has a cell phone and too many of us think it is OK to talk on our phones while we are driving,” he said. He went on to call distracted driving an “epidemic” and said that it’s necessary that police have “the opportunity to write tickets when people are foolishly thinking they can drive safely or use a cell phone and text and drive.”

    @RayLaHood
    Ray LaHood    #Texas #DistractedDriving Summit keeps the focus on #safety http://t.co/8UuFUSst 5 hours ago via bitly ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    “In light of two new studies, one by our own National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and one by Bridgestone, distracted driving is still a dangerous epidemic, particularly among our youngest drivers,” LaHood said in a recent blog post. “Raising awareness is a critical part of helping to curb this dangerous behavior. Passing good laws and backing them up with strong enforcement is also crucial.”

    As of right now, 10 states have bans in place on the use of handheld cellphones. 37 states currently ban texting by any driver. A nationwide ban would be a whole other animal, however.

    In December of 2011, the National Transportation Safety Board proposed a similar nationwide ban on cellphone use while driving. Their suggestion extended to hands-free bluetooth devices that weren’t factory installed. That suggestion didn’t receive a lot of public support.

    It’s important to note that the NTSB is an independent organization, having severed ties with the Department of Transportation back in 1975. So Ray LaHood’s suggestion isn’t just a rehash of this previous NTSB statement.

    Here’s the brief opinion portion of the article. I’m in no way insensitive to the victims of accidents involving distracted driving. I think that texting, Facebooking, and any other activity like that shouldn’t be a part of your daily commute. I’m just not sure about a nationwide ban on all cellphone use while driving. Limited government advocates will shout overreach, and they might have good reason. Not only that, but enforcement would be a nightmare. By and large, I’m doubtful anyone could stop people from making calls behind the wheel.

    What do you think? Let us know in the comments.

  • Google Maps Now Shows Best Time-Saving Travel Method For Your Trip

    Taxi or subway? Start the car or hug the bike lane? It’s not exactly planes, trains, and automobiles, but there’s a lot of different ways to get you to the same place, all of which might take longer or shorter depending on the current traffic conditions of your chosen method of travel. Google Maps announced today a potential salve for that burning decision in that you can now see the estimated length of time it’ll take for you to travel somewhere based on what type of transportation you take.

    From the Lat Long Blog:

    In areas where the information is available, this new and improved feature evaluates current traffic conditions and is constantly being refreshed to provide you with the most accurate, up-to-date estimate possible. To see this feature, simply access directions as you normally would on Google Maps. Below the time estimate for how long your trip might take without any traffic, you’ll see the adjusted estimate that factors in current traffic data.

    Let’s say you live in Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C., and you want to get to the Ronald Reagan National Airport. When you summon up directions on Google Maps, you can now see the estimated amount of time your trip will take via taxi based on the current traffic conditions. However, if you’re feeling leisurely about arriving at Reagan, you can check out how long it’ll take for you to take the metro. Below you’ll see the respective estimates for taking a taxi (or a car, I suppose) or taking public trans.

    Uh, and if you’re feeling especially leisurely about getting to where you’re going, you can always compare the directions via bicycle although, ironically, that’s likely to take you the longest yet require the most amount of effort. But it’s your world, get there as you please.

  • No Hands-Free Devices For Drivers Idea Fails To Win Public Support

    There are plenty of things that a driver can do to distract him/herself to a dangerous degree – texting, disciplining children, drinking beer, eating a meatball sub, etc. And while most people can agree that first thing on that list, texting, is a pretty unsafe rush hour activity, Americans are unsure about new regulations proposed by the National Transportation Safety Board.

    Last month, the NTSB came out with sweeping recommendations to cure the problem of distracted driving, which they called “an epidemic.”

    Those recommendations included a nationwide ban on cellphone use while driving. This means both texting (which is already banned in some states) and talking. Basic phone calls as well as “non required” activity like checking Facebook and Twitter would also fall under the ban. The kicker was that the NTSB didn’t limit their ban to handsets, but also included hand-free devices. The only exception that would allow a driver to talk on these devices is if they are part of a factory-installed system.

    That last part is the focus of a study by market research firm Morpace, and it looks like its not going to sit too well with American drivers.

    According to their research, 57% of consumers think that all hands-free devices should be legal.

    This figure comes despite the fact that 64% of those surveyed said they are “extremely concerned” about distracted drivers and 30% said they are “somewhat concerned.” So more than 9 out of 10 people say that are concerned about dangerous road distractions, but over half fail to put hands-free units in that category.

    But the same people aren’t really huge fans of the hands-free devices. Only 11% said they use them “very often” while 68% said they don’t use them often.

    If such a law were to be put into place, 40% of those surveyed said they would be likely to buy a car with one to approved factory-installed hands-free devices. A mild conspiracy theorist can take that wherever they want.

    I’m confident that if you asked Americans if they want their kid on the road with a drunk driver, a majority would say no. I’m also pretty confident that if you asked the same question, but this time changed it to a texting driver, the answer would remain no. But according to this study, Americans don’t mind sharing the road with a guy chatting with his mom on a Bluetooth device.

    What do you think? Let us know in the comments.