I'm happy Lyft is demonstrating that it actually cares about its core/founding values of decreasing car usage. They could have viewed this as a distraction to expanding its existing dedicated-driver model, in order to better compete against Uber. (Lyft Line is just multiple passengers; Sidecar already does "driver destination" aka real carpooling, but they're also playing a different game focusing on drivers in gener…
> that's not a VC-scale business
It's depressing that "VC-scale" (i.e. convincing some rich dude he can flip his investment soon for a 1000% return, possibly by unloading shares on unsuspecting rubes) is what matters. What ever happened to making something people want, then selling it at a profit?
I'm happy Lyft is demonstrating that it actually cares about its core/founding values of decreasing car usage. They could have viewed this as a distraction to expanding its existing dedicated-driver model, in order to better compete against Uber. (Lyft Line is just multiple passengers; Sidecar already does "driver destination" aka real carpooling, but they're also playing a different game focusing on drivers in gener…
> that's not a VC-scale business It's depressing that "VC-scale" (i.e. convincing some rich dude he can flip his investment soon for a 1000% return, possibly by unloading shares on unsuspecting rubes) is what matters. What ever happened to making something people want, then selling it at a profit?
Nothing, but you get a bank loan for that, or bootstrap. VC money comes with strings, including the expectation of high growth.
I agree very much with your sentiment, but I think the solution isn't changing VC, it's finding other kinds of capital.
Shared carpooling (called "slugging" here) has a been a viable commuting option for people in the DC area for decades. No money changes hands; the point is that a car with 3+ people can use the much faster HOV lanes. http://www.slug-lines.com/Slugging/About_slugging.asp
Shared carpooling has always been an option, but there has never been a dominant player, so it's always hard for me to find shares. Natural monopoly and all that.
The thing is, I've never heard that term until now. I lived in the DC area for two years and worked with quite a few commuters. It's cool that it's a concept but there hasn't been mainstream adoption to the point where it's as easy as an app in your pocket until now. If a tree falls in the woods...
You clearly have not lived in Woodbridge. There are literally thousands of commuter parking spaces just for people slugging into the city. For instance, 2,425 parking spaces just for people slugging into the city[1]. [1] http://www.slug-lines.com/AM_Lines/Horner_rd.asp
I'm happy Lyft is demonstrating that it actually cares about its core/founding values of decreasing car usage. They could have viewed this as a distraction to expanding its existing dedicated-driver model, in order to better compete against Uber. (Lyft Line is just multiple passengers; Sidecar already does "driver destination" aka real carpooling, but they're also playing a different game focusing on drivers in gener…
b) 90% of Americans don't "do" traditional carpooling and they're not about to start
90% of Americans didn't pay non-professional strangers for a ride before Uber came along. 90% of Americans didn't share what they were having for lunch before Instagram. 90% of Americans didn't share the hilarious list of "cats who forgot how to cat" before Buzzfeed.
The point being it's pretty much impossible to predict what product will be a success based on past market behaviour. Saying something won't work is very often right, but it's a sucky reason not to try.
Trying to charge people for carpooling, something we've traditionally done for free. The "sharing economy" isn't about sharing- it's about monetizing free things and taking a cut. This is not in any way improving humanity. It's a step backwards.
Who has done it for free? Pretty much nobody, in my experience. Creating a market which connects willing riders with willing drivers is a good thing.
I'm happy Lyft is demonstrating that it actually cares about its core/founding values of decreasing car usage. They could have viewed this as a distraction to expanding its existing dedicated-driver model, in order to better compete against Uber. (Lyft Line is just multiple passengers; Sidecar already does "driver destination" aka real carpooling, but they're also playing a different game focusing on drivers in gener…
b) 90% of Americans don't "do" traditional carpooling and they're not about to start 90% of Americans didn't pay non-professional strangers for a ride before Uber came along. 90% of Americans didn't share what they were having for lunch before Instagram. 90% of Americans didn't share the hilarious list of "cats who forgot how to cat" before Buzzfeed. The point being it's pretty much impossible to predict what product…
Your overall point is correct but I don't think it applies here.
There are deep cultural reasons for why carpooling hasn't become popular in America. From what I have observed as a foreigner, people in this country love their big personal spaces, and their cars are a part of that. It's related to why public transportation isn't popular: most people don't want to sit within such close proximity to strangers.
ass backwards. you want the next bn dollar idea? while I am at work, my car sits in the parking lot of the building for 8-10hours, unused. i don't want to be a lyft/uber driver. i want MY CAR to work for uber/lyft in its off hours. have a driver pick it up in the morning at the office, then return it when i want to get home (full gas tank and cleaned car for an extra fee). someone takes this and get rich.
how is someone going to get to your workplace to pickup the car (assuming you are talking about a suburban office park and not a CBD/downtown)
A friend of mine interviewed for a van-deliverer job very many years ago. He would put a bicycle into the van, drive the van to the customer, ride the bike back to the depot and pick the next van and repeat. The customer would drive with the van for the day. Then the reverse in the evening.
b) 90% of Americans don't "do" traditional carpooling and they're not about to start 90% of Americans didn't pay non-professional strangers for a ride before Uber came along. 90% of Americans didn't share what they were having for lunch before Instagram. 90% of Americans didn't share the hilarious list of "cats who forgot how to cat" before Buzzfeed. The point being it's pretty much impossible to predict what product…
Your overall point is correct but I don't think it applies here. There are deep cultural reasons for why carpooling hasn't become popular in America. From what I have observed as a foreigner, people in this country love their big personal spaces, and their cars are a part of that. It's related to why public transportation isn't popular: most people don't want to sit within such close proximity to strangers.
In my experience it's mostly due to convenience. When public transportation is available and more convenient, it's heavily used. It needs to be available everywhere and all/most of the time. Car pooling is similar, coordinating with other people, leaving home/work at the same time everyday is difficult, not convenient. If Lyft is widely used, it can solve this problem. No need to have advanced plans.
In fact, in Washington DC, I can see people offering these rides for free to a second person in the car and use the HOV lanes. This is already done from fixed locations without the help of an app. Lyft would make it so much easier.