The emergence of app-based ride-sharing platforms like Uber and Lyft transformed the way people in cities get around — and not always for the better. It nearly decimated the taxi industry while offering riders a more seamless way to travel. But it also choked many cities with car traffic and disrupted labor with the popularization of gig work. The Verge covers all the news and analysis related to ride-sharing as well as what the future holds for this mode of transportation.
Rideshare rides in lower Manhattan will cost an extra $1.50 as part of a new rideshare congestion fee starting tomorrow.
As TechCrunch spotted, Lyft has announced that through the end of January, it will give that back as account credits that can be used within a week for Lyft or Citi Bike rides
Ride share drivers in New York are guaranteed a minimum wage — but Uber and Lyft gamed the law by locking drivers out of the app, making it impossible for them to earn more, a Bloomberg investigation found.
Bloomberg collected more than 7,000 screenshots of lockouts and estimated how much the companies could save using the lockout tactic.
The $2.99 monthly subscription service lets riders lock in a fixed price during peak hours, which Lyft claims can save members up to $40 a month. You’ll pay less if the ride ends up being cheaper than the locked-in price.
You can sign up by clicking “Price lock” in the menu section of the Lyft app.
I got an uncomfortable feeling while reading this essay about the difficulties of finding a reliable means of transportation from the DNC. Part of it is the over-reliance of cities on ridehail apps like Uber to accommodate large numbers of people in the absence of adequate public transit. And the other part is the knowledge that this is just the way it’s going to be from now on. Taxi stands are a thing of the past. Uber has its claws sunk deep in the government. We’re all stuck in the Ride App Zone for life.
[rosselliotbarkan.com]
Tony West, who also served in the Department of Justice during the Obama administration, just spoke at the DNC. Of course, he wasn’t there to talk tech, but rather, to speak to Harris’ character.
Announced in May, Uber Caregiver will help caregivers more easily arrange transportation and deliveries starting this summer. What I think is really useful, though, is that Uber’s partnering with health insurers so you could use healthcare benefits to pay for rides to medical appointments and more.
The waitlist is free to join, so why not?
[businesses.uber.com]
If you use Uber with an iPhone, you can turn off unwanted marketing notifications — but the feature is a leetle hard to find. Okay, it’s a lot hard to find. John Gruber found it, though: go to Account > Settings > Privacy > Offers and Promos from Uber and tap the word here. You can then unsubscribe from some or all Uber marketing emails or notifications.
Uber’s Lost & Found Index just came out, with a look at the most commonly forgotten items (clothes, luggage, not shocking), the most forgetful cities (get it together, Miami!), and the weirdest things people are leaving in their Ubers. Also, it’s Wednesday, which is apparently Leave Your Wallet In An Uber Day. Be careful out there!
