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Uber’s transit offering just went live in Denver

techcrunch.com

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Re: Uber’s transit offering just went live in Denver

#61

Post by bradleyjg »

benatkin wrote: post #4

This means opening Google Maps less, and opening the Uber app more. The ability of Google Maps to show an estimated Uber price and provide a link to the Uber app is nice for Uber but it's better for Uber to have users opening their own app than to have a tiny feature in another company's app. They might be providing walking directions in the future, I think. And once it's a fully-fledged map app, having it track your…

> This means opening Google Maps less, and opening the Uber app more.

I have both installed on my phone. What possible reason could I have for picking the uber one to open up if I'm looking to take public transportation? Is it better in any way whatsoever?

Re: Uber’s transit offering just went live in Denver

#62

Post by stephencoyner »

bradleyjg wrote: post #61
benatkin wrote: post #4

This means opening Google Maps less, and opening the Uber app more. The ability of Google Maps to show an estimated Uber price and provide a link to the Uber app is nice for Uber but it's better for Uber to have users opening their own app than to have a tiny feature in another company's app. They might be providing walking directions in the future, I think. And once it's a fully-fledged map app, having it track your…

> This means opening Google Maps less, and opening the Uber app more. I have both installed on my phone. What possible reason could I have for picking the uber one to open up if I'm looking to take public transportation? Is it better in any way whatsoever?

The announcement says that the Uber app will have ticketing, so with Uber you could complete your whole journey, not just plan it.

Re: Uber’s transit offering just went live in Denver

#63

Post by roel_v »

bradleyjg wrote: post #61
benatkin wrote: post #4

This means opening Google Maps less, and opening the Uber app more. The ability of Google Maps to show an estimated Uber price and provide a link to the Uber app is nice for Uber but it's better for Uber to have users opening their own app than to have a tiny feature in another company's app. They might be providing walking directions in the future, I think. And once it's a fully-fledged map app, having it track your…

> This means opening Google Maps less, and opening the Uber app more. I have both installed on my phone. What possible reason could I have for picking the uber one to open up if I'm looking to take public transportation? Is it better in any way whatsoever?

The goal is to let the Uber app do (or at least suggest) the mode choice for you. So instead of thinking 'hmm, I'll use PT, now I need to open app XYZ', you could be 'I want to go from point A to point B. Let me open the Uber app to check my options.' And those options would include the travel times and costs of all available modes.

Basically, the goal is to have one 'transport' app, and that would be the Uber app. Removing mental overhead - never having to think about what app you want to open (I realize how ridiculous it sounds to call that 'mental overhead', but let's just pretend that any non-zero cost is equal and an inefficiency).

Of course this could only happen if the Uber app has all functionality the Google Maps app has, and every bit as good, and also all functionality of all local public transport apps (like, it would have to have up to date information on the exact current location and time of the trains on the route you're looking at, as some PT apps do). This is a huge, dare I say it impossible task. But still, baby steps and all.

Re: Uber’s transit offering just went live in Denver

#64

Post by oskkejdjdkjd »

askafriend wrote: post #54
oskkejdjdkjd wrote: post #41

Sort of unrelated but god do I hate the fashion of SV. The guy pictured at the top of the article looks like some kind of hyper-hipster. Everything about his clothes screams “down to earth,” “humble,” “stoic,” “thoughtful,” etc. it drives me insane because this guy is the exact opposite of that. He’s a cut-throat business person. It’s part of a broader trend in SV where people put on the appearance of wanting to impr…

If you have issues with something as simple as a pair of jeans and a hoodie, then I would be curious to know the scope of things you get outraged about on a daily basis. Sounds like a terrible prison. I think this is a case of you already having decided that you don't like the guy and trying to find something, anything that will let you justify it.

How is this a substantive comment? Calling my point of view a “prison?” This is just passive aggressive and a veiled insult. Fuck you dude. You are clearly triggered by my comment because you have wasted the time needed to respond to it and yet you do not address the point of my comment, opting to make it personal instead. You think SV is filled with honest and virtuous people who are fighting for a better world, not concerned at all with their bottom lines or political optics? You are a stupid mother fucker.

Re: Uber’s transit offering just went live in Denver

#65

Post by erklik »

roel_v wrote: post #63
bradleyjg wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> This means opening Google Maps less, and opening the Uber app more. I have both installed on my phone. What possible reason could I have for picking the uber one to open up if I'm looking to take public transportation? Is it better in any way whatsoever?

The goal is to let the Uber app do (or at least suggest) the mode choice for you. So instead of thinking 'hmm, I'll use PT, now I need to open app XYZ', you could be 'I want to go from point A to point B. Let me open the Uber app to check my options.' And those options would include the travel times and costs of all available modes. Basically, the goal is to have one 'transport' app, and that would be the Uber app. R…

> Of course this could only happen if the Uber app has all functionality the Google Maps app has, and every bit as good,

Something that I have found is Uber doesn't seem to be as good as Google Maps doing routing between two people. Google has better traffic management and having routes that are shorter and faster. Uber seems to sometimes take a much longer route. Anecdote, of course but yeah, IMO, they have a long while to go yet.

Re: Uber’s transit offering just went live in Denver

#66

Post by joncrane »

roel_v wrote: post #63
bradleyjg wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> This means opening Google Maps less, and opening the Uber app more. I have both installed on my phone. What possible reason could I have for picking the uber one to open up if I'm looking to take public transportation? Is it better in any way whatsoever?

The goal is to let the Uber app do (or at least suggest) the mode choice for you. So instead of thinking 'hmm, I'll use PT, now I need to open app XYZ', you could be 'I want to go from point A to point B. Let me open the Uber app to check my options.' And those options would include the travel times and costs of all available modes. Basically, the goal is to have one 'transport' app, and that would be the Uber app. R…

I was in Costa Rica and I used Google Maps to navigate my way around some beaches and stuff. And to look at the satellite imagery. Nothing to do with directions or even roads.

No way Uber is competing with that.

Re: Uber’s transit offering just went live in Denver

#67

Post by kcorbitt »

zhoujianfu wrote: post #58
kcorbitt wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I use Citymapper for this; have for years ( https://citymapper.com/ ). It does exactly what you're asking for. I too am surprised that Google hasn't eaten their lunch by baking this into Google Maps.

Oh, I hadn’t seen that! But hmm, it doesn’t seem to have jump bikes/scooters, Lyft scooters, bird, or lime in the scooters section, and again there’s no multi-mode.. it just shows walking/biking/Uber/public transit but not a combination of them. It does have a jet pack option which is nice and forward thinking! :)

I get multi-mode suggestions all the time, although the precise mix of options it suggests does depend on the points you're looking to travel between.

Not sure about their scooter coverage though; I don't use it for that.

Re: Uber’s transit offering just went live in Denver

#70

Post by shereadsthenews »

duxup wrote: post #68

I'm worried about tying public transpiration to companies that aren't / don't know if they're at all profitable.

You should be much more concerned about tying transportation to a company that _is_ profitable. The point of public transportation is to provide an external benefit. Uber will just interpose itself and extract rents.
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