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I love this. It indirectly calls out that uber has relatively easy to clone tech. A co-op network is a great idea and a white label or open source uber applicat

I love this. It indirectly calls out that uber has relatively easy to clone tech. A co-op network is a great idea and a white label or open source uber application is probably a great idea.

officemonkey 8y ago
I was appalled that the the existing taxi system (essentially a protected monopoly) wouldn't immediately create an Uber/Lyft app when ride-sharing first appeared. Then I realized that building such a thing would only benefit drivers and customers, and those are the two constituents that the existing taxi system doesn't care about.
- sigmaris 8y ago
  In the UK there's an app available, https://gett.com/ https://gett.com/, which is very similar to Uber but hails regular, licensed taxis.
  - tomp 8y ago
    But I don't want to ride regular, licenced taxis. They're still a cartel. They charge a premium for having to learn all the streets of London by heart, but that's not a premium I'm willing to pay (or that I consider valuable) in the modern day'n'age of Google Maps and the likes.
- pnongrata 8y ago
  We've had taxi hailing apps in Brazil since before Uber arrived. Once Uber got here, though, no one could compete with its prices.
icebraining 8y ago
White label ride sharing apps are plentiful nowadays.
marcosdumay 8y ago
There is a long line of people willing to subsidize cab service. A white label app can not compete with them. After investors decide it's a sure way to lose money, it may happen.
- mprev 8y ago
  I keep reading that Uber uses VC and other cash to subsidise rides. But if 25%, 30%, or whatever is Uber's cut then I feel like the VC cash is less about subsidising rides and more about subsidising the Uber infrastructure. It might be a nitpick, but if a $10 ride already feels cheap and the driver only gets $7, then to some extent the driver is part of the chain of people subsidising the ride.
  - ghaff 8y ago
    >to some extent the driver is part of the chain of people subsidising the ride That's almost certainly true in many cases. I don't know if it's some drivers or most drivers, but it's almost certainly fair to say that many drivers underestimate the cost they're incurring by driving for Uber/Lyft. (Or they understand the costs but don't feel they have a choice because they need the cash in hand today and they'll deal with getting new tires next year.)
  - marcosdumay 8y ago
    Around where I live, people are abandoning Uber everywhere because there is a cheaper competitor (with smaller cuts for the drivers, and smaller prices for the rider). And Uber still didn't have any profits here.

I love this. It indirectly calls out that uber has relatively easy to clone tech. A co-op network is a great idea and a white label or open source uber application is probably a great idea.

officemonkey 8y ago

I was appalled that the the existing taxi system (essentially a protected monopoly) wouldn't immediately create an Uber/Lyft app when ride-sharing first appeared. Then I realized that building such a thing would only benefit drivers and customers, and those are the two constituents that the existing taxi system doesn't care about.

sigmaris 8y ago
In the UK there's an app available, https://gett.com/ https://gett.com/, which is very similar to Uber but hails regular, licensed taxis.
- tomp 8y ago
  But I don't want to ride regular, licenced taxis. They're still a cartel. They charge a premium for having to learn all the streets of London by heart, but that's not a premium I'm willing to pay (or that I consider valuable) in the modern day'n'age of Google Maps and the likes.
pnongrata 8y ago
We've had taxi hailing apps in Brazil since before Uber arrived. Once Uber got here, though, no one could compete with its prices.

icebraining 8y ago

White label ride sharing apps are plentiful nowadays.

marcosdumay 8y ago

There is a long line of people willing to subsidize cab service. A white label app can not compete with them. After investors decide it's a sure way to lose money, it may happen.

mprev 8y ago
I keep reading that Uber uses VC and other cash to subsidise rides. But if 25%, 30%, or whatever is Uber's cut then I feel like the VC cash is less about subsidising rides and more about subsidising the Uber infrastructure. It might be a nitpick, but if a $10 ride already feels cheap and the driver only gets $7, then to some extent the driver is part of the chain of people subsidising the ride.
- ghaff 8y ago
  >to some extent the driver is part of the chain of people subsidising the ride That's almost certainly true in many cases. I don't know if it's some drivers or most drivers, but it's almost certainly fair to say that many drivers underestimate the cost they're incurring by driving for Uber/Lyft. (Or they understand the costs but don't feel they have a choice because they need the cash in hand today and they'll deal with getting new tires next year.)
- marcosdumay 8y ago
  Around where I live, people are abandoning Uber everywhere because there is a cheaper competitor (with smaller cuts for the drivers, and smaller prices for the rider). And Uber still didn't have any profits here.