4 ms·

Free and open source alternative to Uber/Lyft

47 points by JPLeRouzic 7y ago

skykery 7y ago
I like the idea, good job!
pedalpete 7y ago
I suspect a lot of work has gone into creating this, but there are more than a few challenges that need to be overcome. 1) one of the great benefits of the existing rideshare services is the lack of needing cash. Payments are going digital, but bitcoin isn't there yet so many of us rely on credit/cash cards. This new service does not accept credit card payments and they tout this as a feature. I'm not so sure. 2) If the app is free for drivers and riders, how is the high cost of operations going to be managed? There are servers that need to be paid for, lots of geo-lookups at scale, which isn't free, etc etc. 3) Anyone can drive any car. No quality assurance, no background checks. Is there even a revue system? 4) Negotiable pricing?? I don't know about you, but I don't want to haggle on the price of a ride. When Lyft or Uber say the price is "x", I accept it, or decide to take another form of transportation. Often, it's the latter. 5) Network effects. How are they going to get drivers & riders. That is the biggest question. How will they manage routing, availability, etc. etc.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
- asynchrony 7y ago
  6) Liability.
- whenchamenia 7y ago
  Having ridden existing rideshares, there is precious little quality assurance a simple voting system could not solve, as it has for uber/lyft.
- GenghisSean 7y ago
  From their unordered list of items on the technical roadmap they include the following. - Make it safer for passengers and drivers - Add drivers/passengers rating - Make it easier to use and safer for moms/dads and children - Make it easier to use for people with disabilities Who knows if they'll do those things. They seem to be aware of some of the challenges. In regards to #2 they are probably planning on relying on donations in the short term.
deedubaya 7y ago
What assurances do the riders have that the vehicle they're riding in is mechanically sound? That their driver doesn't have a history of violence? What happens if a rider damages the vehicle?
- LASR 7y ago
  None. None. Nothing.
- whenchamenia 7y ago
  No other rideshare inspects cars, this is a problem with uber also.
  - sgc 7y ago
    Lyft definitely inspects cars. it's very basic, but they do inspect them. Uber does as well.
a11yguy 7y ago
I rarely use Uber, but when I do I feel safe. I don't know that I'd feel safe doing it completely anonymously.
- whenchamenia 7y ago
  But you are no safer than hitchhiking. Its an illusion.
ebg13 7y ago
Huh. It's a telegram bot. https://github.com/ro31337/libretaxi https://github.com/ro31337/libretaxi
dang 7y ago
Thread from 2017: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13529213 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13529213

47 points by JPLeRouzic 7y ago

I like the idea, good job!

I suspect a lot of work has gone into creating this, but there are more than a few challenges that need to be overcome. 1) one of the great benefits of the existing rideshare services is the lack of needing cash. Payments are going digital, but bitcoin isn't there yet so many of us rely on credit/cash cards. This new service does not accept credit card payments and they tout this as a feature. I'm not so sure. 2) If the app is free for drivers and riders, how is the high cost of operations going to be managed? There are servers that need to be paid for, lots of geo-lookups at scale, which isn't free, etc etc. 3) Anyone can drive any car. No quality assurance, no background checks. Is there even a revue system? 4) Negotiable pricing?? I don't know about you, but I don't want to haggle on the price of a ride. When Lyft or Uber say the price is "x", I accept it, or decide to take another form of transportation. Often, it's the latter. 5) Network effects. How are they going to get drivers & riders. That is the biggest question. How will they manage routing, availability, etc. etc.

deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
asynchrony 7y ago
6) Liability.
whenchamenia 7y ago
Having ridden existing rideshares, there is precious little quality assurance a simple voting system could not solve, as it has for uber/lyft.
GenghisSean 7y ago
From their unordered list of items on the technical roadmap they include the following. - Make it safer for passengers and drivers - Add drivers/passengers rating - Make it easier to use and safer for moms/dads and children - Make it easier to use for people with disabilities Who knows if they'll do those things. They seem to be aware of some of the challenges. In regards to #2 they are probably planning on relying on donations in the short term.

deedubaya 7y ago

What assurances do the riders have that the vehicle they're riding in is mechanically sound? That their driver doesn't have a history of violence? What happens if a rider damages the vehicle?

LASR 7y ago
None. None. Nothing.
whenchamenia 7y ago
No other rideshare inspects cars, this is a problem with uber also.
- sgc 7y ago
  Lyft definitely inspects cars. it's very basic, but they do inspect them. Uber does as well.

a11yguy 7y ago

I rarely use Uber, but when I do I feel safe. I don't know that I'd feel safe doing it completely anonymously.

whenchamenia 7y ago
But you are no safer than hitchhiking. Its an illusion.

ebg13 7y ago

Huh. It's a telegram bot. https://github.com/ro31337/libretaxi https://github.com/ro31337/libretaxi

dang 7y ago

Thread from 2017: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13529213 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13529213