Rideshare Review: February

Over the last month we have seen much happening in the world of rideshares. We put together a recap list of the top trends from this month in the rideshare industry!

1. #DeleteUber went viral

You have probably seen the #DeleteUber hashtag across social media this month, and the reason many users were pledging to delete their account was the alleged tie between Uber CEO, Travis Kalanick, and newly elected President Trump. The catalyst to the #deleteuber campaign was when Uber turned off their airport surge pricing as NYC taxi drivers protested Trump's travel ban. This action sprung accusations of strikebreaking against Uber. To try to get back in good faith with the public, Uber's CEO recently stepped down from President Trump's advisory council after the #DeleteUber campaign went viral, and has now pledged $3 million to drivers affected by the immigration ban.

2. Uber was accused of sexism

In Silicon Valley, women working at Uber say they are frequently faced with sexism and harassment on the job. This news has stirred much talk around the culture at the tech giant Uber and if they are really as welcoming as they state. The ex Uber employee who spoke out about her experience spread awareness for sexual harassment for women everywhere. Especially in the tech industry, women are underrepresented and according to recent news, also mistreated. Read Susan J. Fowler's article about her experiences here.

3. Uber has a murder problem

In Brazil, many Uber drivers have recently been murdered or robbed. Apparently, the recent increase in crime rates has been attributed partially to the introduction of cash payments for Uber in Brazil. The cash payments have been successful for Uber in some developing countries where credit cards are less common. However, the cash payment can introduce many problems such as difficulty tracking down passengers if they commit a crime against their driver.

5. Uber drivers across the world are striking

In a reaction to price cuts across the world, Uber drivers are striking against the company to demand fair pricing. In some areas, like Qatar, Uber cut prices by 15-20 percent to stay competitive with the increasing number of rideshares in the area. 

6. Uber's ratings are falling

With all of the news of sexism and the #DeleteUber trend, it is not a big surprise that this month Uber's ratings declined. Uber's app currently has an 1.6-star average rating in the U.S App Store, with 3,941 one-star reviews in the last 30 days.

7. Ridesharing apps are expanding

Google's rideshare carpooling app, Waze Carpool, is entering into new markets this month as the company expands. After being trialed in San Francisco and Israel, the app is now being released to more cities across the United States and Latin America. This carpool feature allows commuters to carpool on their rides for a small fee, and is a "connection device" for users.

It's been quite the month in the rideshare world, to stay up to date with all the latest news follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and The Lounge.