RIDEGURU
Chris Hawes (chawes)
Ride Guru from Boston, MA
CTO of RideGuru, tech expert & enthusiast
756 Rider GuruChris has been involved with the Taxi industry since co-founding TaxiFareFinder.com in 2007, and has been an avid follower of the rideshare industry since its inception. An expert in full-stack web design and development, Chris oversees all the technical aspects of Unleashed's innovative products.
Activity
Posts by chawes
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How to keep your car safe during COVID
Check it out, some smart people figured out how to make airflow in your car safest for avoiding getting germs … -
Due To New California Law, Uber Allows Some Drivers To Set Their Own Rates
Whoahttps://www.npr.org/2020/01/28/800437791/due-to-new-california-law-uber-allows-some-drivers-to-set-their-own-rates?utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&fbclid=IwAR25AV1xVIyT5ykvB3lF6EcC8thYJ4pf4BX2pBKCOZmGCZV8isrR5a_-KOU -
Uber: The ride-hailing app that says it has ‘zero’ drivers
Reality distortion field...Uber contract drivers helped bring in more than three-quarters of the company’s revenue in this year’s first … -
Bird raises new funding at a $2.5 billion valuation, thanks to longer-lasting scooters
Lot of cash for a company that can't turn a profit......That may have something to do with grim reports … -
Inside the new Uber: Weak coffee, vanishing perks and fast-deflating morale [Washington Post]
It's official. Uber has gone from hip startup to boring big company.https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/09/30/inside-new-uber-weak-coffee-vanishing-perks-fast-deflating-morale/Sounds like morale is pretty low among … -
Inside Uber’s plan to take over city life with CEO Dara Khosrowshahi
https://www.theverge.com/2019/9/26/20885185/uber-ceo-dara-khosrowshahi-interview-exclusiveIt’s an ambitious play to become the de facto transportation and delivery service in every major city. But the … -
New York City’s first self-driving shuttle service is now open for business
https://www.theverge.com/2019/8/6/20755163/new-york-city-self-driving-shuttle-serviceMuch like other autonomous vehicle (AV) shuttle services that have cropped up in recent years across the country, it … -
Woman gives birth in back of taxi. Driver is cool.
Warning: graphic. Can anyone top this??? -
The Uber for helicopters is now Uber
This pricing doesn't seem that bad. Getting from Manhattan to JFK can be a nightmare. Helicopter in 8 minutes? Where … -
As was predicted, Uber’s IPO means you’ll be paying higher fares for your rides
This article nicely sums up what I think a lot of us were already thinking.As we’ve reported before, Uber's … -
The future of the gig economy...
Is this it? LOL -
Uber rang in its IPO with champagne and mimosas. Then the hangover began.
You just can't teach an old dog new tricks, can you.SAN FRANCISCO — Uber shut down a party at … -
Beijing Taxi Trajectories
Check out this cool visualization of a day of taxi trips in Beijing. Talk about busy huh! Click on the … -
Four reasons Uber’s IPO stalled on Friday
So the Uber IPO is a huge dud, surprising exactly no one (especially after Lyft's weak performance since it's IPO). … -
Uber and Lyft stop hiring new drivers in New York City
NYC's new regulation around rideshares is officially doing its job now, for better or for worse. Uber and Lyft have … -
Electric scooters may not be around for long [The Verge]
The article is light, but watch the video for more detail.The fundamental numbers don’t really add up because scooters … -
Lyft becomes the first ride-hail company to go public, beating Uber
Welp, here it is folks.https://www.theverge.com/2019/3/1/18246328/lyft-ipo-ride-share-bikes-scooters-uber-public-secI am surprised to see how much Lyft's market share has increased in the … -
Uber and Lyft reportedly giving some drivers cash bonuses to use towards buying IPO stock
So, would you buy the IPO, or just pocket the cash? I know what I'd do...The two programs are … -
Uber Exploring Autonomous Bikes and Scooters [TechCrunch]
Pretty wild. Scooters that can drive themselves to their charging stations, and redistribute themselves to wherever they are needed. So … -
Uber Is Headed for a Crash [nymag]
Interesting read. How long can Uber survive hemorrhaging money?Uber’s investors have been buying your satisfaction in the form of …
Featured Answers by chawes
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Ok since a few people have wondered about this:
How much does it cost to charge a scooter? Less than you might think. Just to run some rough numbers:
The scooter batteries' capacities are reported to be about 8800mAh at 36V. We can convert this to watt hours: 8800 * 36 / 1000 = 316.8Wh
Electricity costs on average of 12 cents per kilowatt hour (ie. 1000 watt hours) in the US. So, the cost of charging one of these scooters from empty is going to be something like:
(316.8 / 1000) * 12 = 4 cents
It's probably a bit more than that since chargers are not 100% efficient. And, the cost of electricity varies between different locations, so take this with a grain of salt. But it's safe to say the electricity cost of charging these things is not something to worry much about.
It's also kind of funny that they write this with the rideshare vs. taxi angle. I mean, from what they are saying, it doesn't matter whether they are Ubers or Lyfts or Taxis, just that 3,000 cars could do the work of the current fleet...
Well I think the point is that IF they could employ a more efficient system, where people traveling the same direction could be grouped together into one car, they could cut down on the number of cars required. I'm surprised it's by such a drastic amount, although NYC is kind of a unique case. I doubt the numbers would be quite so impressive in other cities.
Talk about a captive audience!
Smart, for sure... but with the right motives?
Isn't this good for taxi drivers?
So do you still have to tip?
Seems like a bad idea to me. Aren't they creating a big liability for themselves?
Haven't heard anthing about Lyft but you can bet they're frantically figuring out how to respond to all of this...
That's fascinating. I think one thing that it shows is that the entire concept of local travel is changing as a result of all of this. While at first, rideshares were seen as a displacement for taxis, it's now becoming clear that they're changing the whole game. People are starting to ditch car ownership, instead relying on taxis and rideshares for getting around. If that's true, then the market for all of these services is going to explode over the next few years. This is good for anyone who drives a taxi or a rideshare.
And of course, as a taxi and rideshare rider, I want taxis to continue to do well in order to keep rideshares on their toes.
Interesting read and some good points, I think.
London taxi drivers have long said the same thing, after all they must pass an extremely rigorous exam ("The Knowledge") before they are even allowed to drive a taxi. They claim to be able to beat a GPS, and I believe it. I think local knowledge like this gained through years of daily driving in a city is invaluable and -- at least for now -- irreplaceable by any technology. Even with real-time traffic data, a good driver knows all the nuances of a city's traffic patterns that enable them to get from A to B fast.
Another change over the past year that I've started to really notice is rideshare drivers complaining about earnings. For the first few years drivers seemed really happy, it was almost a dream job -- make your own hours, drive when you want, and make a comfortable $XX/hour. But it seems that rideshare companies, led by Uber, are on a downward spiral to try and gain market share and force upstarts out. It's predatory pricing, and it seems largely at the expense of drivers. I have to start to wonder whether drivers will start to drop off when they decide they can't make a living doing it, giving taxis another advantage until Uber is forced to respond by raising rates again.
There's no denying the convenience of rideshares, though. Clearly taxi companies have to play catch up in that regard. The taxi industry is less nimble than the rideshares, but I do think they will get there before too long. I really don't see taxis going anywhere.
Yeah. They're solving one of the major pain points of rideshares, that is, knowing you'll be able to get a car when you need one. I live in the suburbs where that's not so much a guarantee, especially if you've got an early morning flight or something.
I'm gonna try them out.
Sure, but it happens. CL has a critical mass though. This site does not.
I know a married couple who met through craigslist missed connections. They have kids now and everything. Maybe there's something to this.
Nah. He may be shrewd but he's not on this level.
It's hard to feel too bad for this particular guy... but there are many entrepreneurial-spirited cab drivers who worked hard for years to be able to afford a medallion, and now have lost it all. Sad stories.
As a user I almost always tip when I use Lyft. With Uber it's tough, even if I want to I often don't because I don't have small bills.
This I'm not ok with.
Interesting. I don't hate the idea, but I worry that it will end up just promoting already-popular places, at the expense of new joints that might be really good. This type of thing makes it hard for new restaurants to break in.
Salzburg! What a cool place.
Interesting re: fasten. They are making waves.