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Yoshi (YC S16) launches “set it and forget it” vehicle re-fueling service in SF

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Re: Yoshi (YC S16) launches “set it and forget it” vehicle re-fueling service in SF

#181

Post by kamaal »

BurningFrog wrote: post #166
kamaal wrote: post #143

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well in that case make sure you have your car parked exactly where they want it parked to be refilled. Else you have to now experience additional stress of getting the car to that place and that falling levels of fuel in your tank at the same time. Its not like they track your car through GPS and show up at the exact place where you are empty.

Using GPS seems like a given for a service like this. At a minimum, I should be able to open my Yoshi app and say "My car will be [here] for the next 4 hours. Make sure it gets full".

I don't think they allow that, from the article:

"Rather than delivering “on-demand,” Yoshi users schedule refueling one time, typically at a place of work where they park for hours during the day without needing their vehicle."

and

"This “set it and forget it” approach allows Yoshi to optimize their delivery routes, explains CEO and co-founder Nick Alexander."

I don't think it works like Uber, where you can order for something and get it on demand. You need to tell them where you will be a few days in advance for them to chart our their route to finally reach you. You need to be aware/anticipate that you will run out of gas a few days before and then schedule the refill and keep your car unused for a good few hours.

Re: Yoshi (YC S16) launches “set it and forget it” vehicle re-fueling service in SF

#182

Post by unclebucknasty »

aresant wrote: post #92

I think the HN crowd underestimates how valuable target users consider their time. I probably average 2 trips to the gas station a month and I have a below average commute. Each trip takes me 10 mins out of my way + 10 mins of fueling depending on if there's a line or not. And it's always before work (I'm in a rush) or after work (want to get home to family). Paying a startup $15/mo to reclaim even 40 mins a month of…

>the HN crowd underestimates how valuable target users consider their time.

I don't, which is why I'm launching a butt-scratching on-demand service. You'll never have to stop what you're doing to scratch your butt again.

In seriousness, time is the most precious resource we have. Still, I wonder if it's possible to overestimate its value.

Re: Yoshi (YC S16) launches “set it and forget it” vehicle re-fueling service in SF

#183

Post by sliverstorm »

bdamm wrote: post #114
kamaal wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>>Paying a startup $15/mo to reclaim even 40 mins a month of my personal time is a no brainer. Just asking, how do you wish to spend those 40 mins you are likely to save per month? Which you will likely get in installments of 20 minutes per 15 days(avg 1 minute/day).

For me it would be not needing to experience the little bit of stress I see when the fuel indicator is edging down to 1/4 tank and wondering when I'm going to squeeze in a trip to the gas station when I'd really rather be somewhere else.

Does it really stress you out that much? The only time low fuel stresses me out is on I-80 when I know for a fact the closest station is a hundred miles away.

I also don't get these 40 minute estimates. On one of my little motorbikes I used to fuel up and back on the road in no more than 3 minutes, and my truck doesn't take more than 5-8.

Re: Yoshi (YC S16) launches “set it and forget it” vehicle re-fueling service in SF

#185

Post by kamaal »

xrd wrote: post #169
kamaal wrote: post #142

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Firstly that is more like 20 minutes. Secondly, I don't know of any one with a schedule so packed that they can't spare 20 minutes once two weeks. The only two situations I can imagine is if you are poor and work more than one job and have to often rush. Which in case it doesn't make sense to pay more for something like this. Or if your time is worth in thousands of dollars an hour/minutes. Which in case you anyway h…

I'm assuming you don't have kids. Kids slurp up every extra moment. And you as a parent are fine with that. Except in the morning when you need to get to work and don't have gas in your car. Then, I'd wager this service is worth even more than $15. In fact, I think these guys should send their email marketing out at 9:45 when harried parents have arrived at work and are still painfully replaying their mornings, tryin…

I'd imagine this would work if this is a daily scene. You wake up every single day and learn you are out of gas. I don't think it happens to anybody everyday.

Either way the service requires you let them know a few days in advance and keep your vehicle unused for a good few hours. If you need to plan out things like filling gas a few days in advance, I'm very sure you wouldn't end up surprised not having gas in the car in the first place.

Re: Yoshi (YC S16) launches “set it and forget it” vehicle re-fueling service in SF

#186

Post by camtarn »

CamperBob2 wrote: post #89
princetontiger wrote: post #73

This is like the late 90s. Startup bubble. The world is moving to EVs. Not sure how this is a tech startup?

I think a dozen people have made this comment so far, and I don't get it at all. Is there some reason why the refueling services can't drive around with a truck full of batteries, instead of a truck full of gas?

Takes quite a while to recharge a battery, compared to pumping fuel - the trucks would be much more limited in the number of customers they could serve per day. Also, as electricity is much cheaper domestically, price-sensitive customers would have a much higher incentive to just plug in themselves.

Re: Yoshi (YC S16) launches “set it and forget it” vehicle re-fueling service in SF

#187

Post by SilasX »

sedachv wrote: post #135
noer wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Furthermore, Uber solved a problem in a market with inefficiencies and use regulation arbitrage to do it. This is just an on demand service betting on the fact that people are lazy enough to not want to put gas into their car. IMO, there are bigger (or actual) problems to solve. Honestly, I wonder why they didn't launch in Chicago or Boston in the winter when weather would make people not want to bother going outside…

> Furthermore, Uber solved a problem in a market with inefficiencies and use regulation arbitrage to do it. What is "regulation arbitrage?"

Profiting from legal loopholes[1], esp where two things accomplish the same goal, but one of them is more vigorously enforced/regulated than the other.

In this case, both taxis and limo/livery services[2] provide the same good -- "rides to somewhere" -- but taxis are more regulated in terms of rate, driver training, equipment, and how many can be active (medallion limits). Limo/livery services (or something passed off as one), by contrast, are less regulated, and what regulations they have aren't as closely monitored because (until recently) no one cared.

The analogy to arbitrage is that it's a case of same good, but different prices on different "markets". (Whether you market it as a "livery" or "taxi" service.)

Side note: IMHO, such arbitrage can't fully account for the success of Uber/Lyft, which have actually obeyed the major "no street hails" rule. They provided a better service (reliability and seeing when your ride is coming), squeezed out enormous efficiencies from harnessing IT, and solved major public goods/incentive problems that the regs were failing at -- how to fairly allocate the undesirable fares and get people to provide feedback on bad drivers.

[1] http://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/regulatory-arbitrage.asp

[2] The legal difference between the two is that a taxi can do street hails -- on-the-spot arrangements found by line of sight -- while limo/livery services must be pre-arranged through some booking service that logs the specific driver/vehicle assigned to chauffeur a specific person + guests to another place.

Re: Yoshi (YC S16) launches “set it and forget it” vehicle re-fueling service in SF

#188

Post by BurningFrog »

kamaal wrote: post #181
BurningFrog wrote: post #166

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Using GPS seems like a given for a service like this. At a minimum, I should be able to open my Yoshi app and say "My car will be [here] for the next 4 hours. Make sure it gets full".

I don't think they allow that, from the article: "Rather than delivering “on-demand,” Yoshi users schedule refueling one time, typically at a place of work where they park for hours during the day without needing their vehicle." and "This “set it and forget it” approach allows Yoshi to optimize their delivery routes, explains CEO and co-founder Nick Alexander." I don't think it works like Uber, where you can order fo…

You know, one could argue I should read the article before opining!

That makes much sense for the 1.0 version, but I have to think my GPS vision is on the 2.0 roadmap.

Re: Yoshi (YC S16) launches “set it and forget it” vehicle re-fueling service in SF

#189

Post by nick007 »

ars wrote: post #150
nick007 wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We don't have an API yet that something like automatic can report your gas gauge to. Though it's something we're thinking about. However, the way that the service works now, it wouldn't save you anything in the average case. We come by and fill your car up regularly (usually once or twice a week) without you having to "order" when you need it. Unless you take a long trip and need a fill-up off-cycle, you shouldn't ne…

Do you tune the frequency (i.e. lower it) based on prior usage?

Yes we do. Our median member is on a weekly frequency, but we have people getting filled-up more and less frequently than that depending on their need.

Re: Yoshi (YC S16) launches “set it and forget it” vehicle re-fueling service in SF

#190

Post by aianus »

tlrobinson wrote: post #81
fred256 wrote: post #7

This article from a few months ago comes to mind: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-05-02/gas-delive...

I'm adding gasoline delivery to the list of startups which should absolutely not "move fast and break things" or "beg for forgiveness rather than ask for permission" > "We haven't talked to them. I don't know about that. It’s news to me" > "You can never ask for permission because no one will give it"

> I'm adding gasoline delivery to the list of startups which should absolutely not "move fast and break things" or "beg for forgiveness rather than ask for permission"

The status quo is that every half-drunk, chain smoking, Joe Regular is allowed to fuel up his tank unsupervised. This is unlikely to be any more dangerous.

> "You can never ask for permission because no one will give it"

This is the unfortunate truth.

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