by John Kaweske | Oct 12, 2015 | Car Services, Ride Sharing
For most people, using a car service like Uber or Lyft is simple—request a car using your smartphone app, wait a couple minutes for the driver to arrive, get in, and arrive at your destination. All that changes the second you either are or are with someone who has a physical handicap that confines them to a wheelchair. Unfortunately, most vehicles used by car services aren’t modified for wheelchair accessibility. One disabled Paris resident got fed up with the lack of accesable transportation and decided it was time for a change. That’s when Charlotte de Vilmorin founded Wheeliz, a new car-sharing service in France that gives people who use wheelchairs easy-access to modified cars at an affordable price. I believe the world of startups and innovation is still disconnected from the needs of disabled people. To me, it is essential to create and build a sustainable sharing community dedicated to the mobility problem,” says de Vilmorin. And Wheeliz doesn’t only benefit those with disabilities, it also benefits the owners of these specialized vehicles. On average, adapted car owners can earn almost $400 a week listing their vehicle on the site. Currently, big players in the car service industry such as Uber and Lyft are facing several lawsuits in the United States for providing inadequate access for handicapped people. Back in July, Uber attempted to address these concerns by creating UberAssist for seniors and people with disabilities who need trained drivers to help them get in and out of the vehicle. The problem is, because Uber drivers are technically independent contractors, the company cannot require them to own a wheelchair-accessible vehicle. This becomes a huge problem as soon as a driver pulls up to a passenger who uses an electric...
by John Kaweske | Sep 15, 2015 | Car Services
Mercedes-Benz is considering expanding its audience beyond drivers who are looking to buy cars– in fact, their newest venture may not include drivers at all. Dieter Zetsche, owner of Mercedes-Benz’ parent company Daimler, told Reuters about possible plans for an on-demand limo service similar to Uber, except for one huge differentiator: the cars would be driverless. Mercedes-Benz already runs a car-sharing service app called “car2go,” in which people use their smartphones to find and rent nearby Daimler-owned cars, but this is much more exciting. It’s sounds futuristic, but it’s all part of the current race for the first autonomous vehicle to hit the market. The race is probably most popularly championed by Google, which promises to have a self-driving car by 2020. That’s not the greatest news for Mercedes-Benz because their prototype of a driverless car won’t be released in showrooms until 2025 due to liability issues, according to Reuters. In the meantime, though, Daimler is already making moves. The company joined Audi and BMW earlier this summer in buying HERE, a high-definition digital mapping service created by Nokia. And Zetsche says that driverless cars are a “concrete development goal.” Other big-name contenders like Audi, Tesla, and Ford are attempting to master the art of self-driving cars as well. But Mercedes-Benz is one of only a few companies that are attempting to combine the concept with a taxi service. Some of their biggest competition? None other than Uber itself. Uber and its many drivers have a love-hate relationship, thanks to ongoing conflict about drivers’ pay and their statuses as employees in general. (Independent contractors or employees entitled to benefits like gas...
by John Kaweske | Apr 21, 2015 | Ride Sharing
Yet another taxi service is to be set to launch in New York City in the upcoming weeks. The new app Via will offer $5 prepaid taxi rides from 32nd Street up to 110th Street. Although a great deal, this service will only be offered from 6:45AM – 9:00PM on weekdays. Also this ride may be subjected to be shared with other Via customers going in the same direction as you. Even though this trip is stirring up a buzz in New York City, many potential customers are questioning the service due to the idea that it is very similar to a shuttle bus service. The mindset Via is attempting to place is the idea of a reduced fare of a shared trip compared to a solo trip. The idea makes sense to many, but many are still skeptical of idea riding with strangers. Citylab‘s writer explained Via’s ultimate goal, “The company seems to recognize its potential role in the larger transit system. Ramot says that in addition to expanding its basic service to other areas, the company is also looking to partner with transit agencies in smaller cities, where a dynamic-route vanpool option might prove both complementary and cost-effective.” Ultimately, Via explained the idea of this service was to provide a more personalized experience which is more convenient, safe, and comfortable than taking the bus or train. Also, they are available at the push of a button. This is great service between a taxi and public transportation since it provides the service of a taxi, but will cost you as much as it takes to take public...
