Empower’s Post

Ridesharing's value is far reaching, from filling transportation gaps to providing a safe way to enjoy nightlife districts while avoiding drinking and driving. These larger impacts come into greater focus when ridesharing is at risk of being removed. The Minneapolis City Council's ordinance, which will lead to the unfortunate shut down of Uber and Lyft on May 1, has sparked worry among local businesses. Pizza Luce's CEO told WCCO that, without ridesharing, she doesn’t know how her employees will get to work. These larger community-wide repercussions explain why both Mayor Frey and Governor Waltz have opposed the City Council’s actions. Our goal is to collaborate with the cities we serve to solve challenges and improve the platform for those that use it to earn and to get around, because we recognize that ridesharing's impact is bigger than just us. https://lnkd.in/g8jpeBkp

For many rideshare drivers, the journey extends far beyond the five-star rating and the tip; it's about delivering genuine human connections, building relationships, and engaging with their community. As the US faces an "epidemic of loneliness," ride-hailing has emerged as a social outlet. A couple minute rideshare can turn into a wonderful conversation, new world view learned, and a friendship forged. It's amazing how technology can bring us together! #Uber #Lyft #GigEconomy #SocialConnection https://lnkd.in/eZ4f8ayb

Who Benefits from Surge Pricing? In the last decade, new technologies have led to a boom in dynamic pricing. I analyze the most salient example, surge pricing in ride hailing. Using data from Uber in Houston, I develop an empirical model of spatial equilibrium to measure the welfare effects of surge pricing. My model is composed of demand, supply, and a matching technology. It allows for temporal and spatial heterogeneity as well as randomness in supply and demand. I find that, relative to a counterfactual with uniform pricing, surge pricing increases total welfare by 3.53% of gross revenue. The gains mainly go to riders: rider surplus increases by 6.97% of gross revenue, whereas driver surplus and platform profits decrease by 1.97% and 1.42% of gross revenue, respectively. Disparities in driver surplus are magnified. Riders, on the other hand, are overwhelmingly better off. https://lnkd.in/eaY2B6P8

Am catching up on my magazine reading and found this WIRED magazine interview with the CEO of UBER really interesting. Hard to believe he has been there for 6 years now after the Travis Kalanick years and Uber is heading towards profitability and a broad platform strategy. #uber #wired #surgepricing #data #lyft #doordash #gigworker #sustainability #selfdriving #platform #profitability https://lnkd.in/eKfCFUak

Tired of waiting forever for an Uber? You're not alone! Did you know YOUR rating could be a factor? 🤔 It's time to rethink the adage, "The customer is always right." My latest article dives into how this outdated mindset impacts the gig economy. Let's talk about it! #Uber #gigeconomy #customerbehavior #fairness Marketing Accountability Council

Update from previous post. Meeting with investors on 3/15 for a 2nd time to further discuss first round of $5,000,000 and how to proceed. I had asked for only $50k so I could use Wefunder to raise $5M which requires grass root funding of $50K first, but they want to bypass that method & fund it all themselves. Main point is they want it launched in 6 months rather than my 12 month estimate. The software in development is full of modern innovations to greatly improve the rideshare industry for both Rider & Driver, especially in safety. Thus far, our software in development is already making the Uber/Lyft apps look like software created in the 1980's. I'm taking a no holds barred stance because their greed is now hurting the industry, and I am going to fix it with strong competition rather than government regulation. I'm just hoping I can get there before politicians do. Uber now often takes up to 80% of the fare you pay, leaving the driver with as little as 20%, and knowing there isn't any real competition, they know drivers don't have a choice. Some say rideshare is only supposed to be a side gig. I think it should be fair enough to be full time. Teachers often do it during summers, spring break, and holidays to make extra income. Retired & injured/disabled folks often drive for rideshare to cover increasing costs such as rent or property taxes, food, & utilities. Now even that is becoming harder to do because of the greed of the rideshare companies. Lyft could compete, but instead, they choose to follow the lead of Uber. Along with Rideshare (Ride-On-Demand) we will have many other service, as of right now around 32. Therefore, our revenue wont rely solely on driver services, and thus be able to pay them better. This accomplishes a better class of driver, cleaner and well maintained vehicles, etc. Our software on the back end cloud development will weed out habitually bad drivers & riders, creating a service you know you can trust whether you are a rider or a driver. All in all, I find it exciting to be going down this path of bettering a fast growing industry. I know many don't see rideshare as a big thing. Once you understand that rideshare is currently utilized over 600,000 times per day in Texas alone & growing, it helps you put things into perspective. ----------------------------- >>>> I am writing this to introduce you to an exciting new opportunity. This is a pioneering venture set to revolutionize the on-demand market, particularly in the rideshare industry.

What can Moose and Wolves teach us about network companies like Uber? Whether the Moose are the riders or the drivers, as one population increases in numbers, it either stresses itself or the other population. Too many drivers = low wait times for riders (good) and low financial gain for drivers (bad). Too many riders = high wait times for riders (bad) and high financial gain for drivers (good). A network that achieves the Allee Threshold will grow, and ones that don't will often move toward zero. Andreessen Horowitz's Andrew Chen wrote about this effect as it applies to network companies in 'The Cold Start Problem'. Link to graph: https://lnkd.in/gcpcJkZm

LinkedIn Post: 🚗🗣️ The Social Side of Ride-Hailing: More Than Just a Job 🚗🗣️ Uber and Lyft drivers are finding more than just a paycheck in their roles. Many are discovering valuable social interactions that provide a sense of connection and purpose. From easing loneliness to aiding retirement transitions, these encounters offer benefits beyond financial gain. As the gig economy continues to evolve, it's clear that the human element plays a significant role for both drivers and passengers. #RideHailing #SocialInteractions #GigEconomy #HumanConnection

Untapped Market By Uber or Lyft . With students about to go back to school, and school districts having hard time finding drivers for school buses, I don't understand why Uber or Lyft haven't come up with a service dedicated for school kids. A service offered by any UBER or Lyft that would offer parents the chance to choose extra vetted drivers to drive and pickup kids from school could be a new source of income that could bring in considerable new revenue each year. A service like that alone could bring net income of $100 million each year and give parents less stress in the morning. #Uber, #Lyft,#School,#Revenues