LibreTaxi: Free and Open Source Alternative to Uber/Lyft
January 31st, 2017Via: LibreTaxi:
LibreTaxi makes taxi affordable by getting rid of the third party between passengers and drivers. Negotiate the price before the ride is confirmed, pay cash upon arrival. 1-minute hiring for all drivers.
This seems like a step in the right direction for the industry, I keep reading articles about Uber drivers making less than minimum. Pretty sure it was @Dale that brought up the price of the repairs not being factored into these business models, which is crazy.
Cars continue to get worse/cheaper, browsing through consumer complaints on 2015-2016 models of nearly everything is eye widening. This includes Toyota, Honda, and American models, hold on to what you have if you can. (I read consumer complaints for “fun,” you learn a lot)
My main concern with this is competition from the others who are already undercutting their “employees.” This strikes me as a predatory business model, people trading their cars for short term money, only to lose more in repairs in the long run.
At this point, there is no long run when it comes to this business model.
The whole thing ends in less than five years—but probably much sooner in cities.
You can’t even shake a stick at everyone planning autonomous ride hailing services.
Tesla, Uber, BMW, Google, Apple, Ford, etc. etc.
Maybe human drivers will find a niche for customers that want to experience the nostalgia of a human driver, but that will be about it.
So if this situation seems grim now, haha. Just give it a couple of years.
I want you to be wrong, but the momentum behind this already is unbelievable.
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/dec/14/uber-self-driving-cars-run-red-lights-san-francisco
“Uber blames humans for self-driving car traffic offenses as California orders halt”
They’re already experimenting with it, Uber’s regard for the law is laughable.
http://www.foodlogistics.com/news/12284207/ohio-announces-plans-to-create-smart-road-for-driverless-trucks
This is going on near me, I drive 33 occasionally. If you thought speed monitors and street light cameras were bad, wait until you see the smart city in action.
Granted, they have trouble differentiating a filled pothole from a car killing one, but thankfully they have plenty of more than willing human guinea pigs (Uber’s future business model.) Hold on to your cars, learn how to repair them and keep them going for as long as you can.