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There are already several replacements. Fare, Get Me, Fasten, and a new non-profit called Ride Austin are all open (Ride Austin in limited beta, the others full
by ericabiz 10y ago
There are already several replacements. Fare, Get Me, Fasten, and a new non-profit called Ride Austin are all open (Ride Austin in limited beta, the others full speed ahead.) There's also Wingz if you want to pre-book airport rides. The first week or two was rough, but now it seems mostly OK.
- sanderjd 10y agoSimilar to the current top comment: are these replacements following or planning to follow the new regulations? That seems to be the difference between this being, "there are safety concerns with these services that we are trying, in good faith, to regulate our way around", or being, "we don't like these huge arrogant companies coming and taking over our town". I'm super curious which it is, or how much of each it is.
- SwellJoe 10y agoThe new companies are following the regulations (though many of the rules don't actually go into effect until August; Uber/Lyft left because they threw a tantrum, not because anything actually immediately changed when their proposition failed). There are hundreds of cab, electric cab, and pedicab, drivers who all follow the rules. The rules may not be perfect, but they aren't particularly onerous, either. It's about $40 to get your fingerprint background check done. The rules have been in place for years for those other kinds of drivers. Uber/Lyft wanted special treatment...they wanted their competitors to keep playing by those rules, while they continued to be exempt from them.
- sanderjd 10y agoAwesome, thanks for the background - sounds like things are working well, glad to hear it.