Is it discriminatory to create a women-only rideshare company? What’s going on with Grubhub’s violation program? Is Apple getting into rideshare? Stay tuned for this week’s roundup with senior RSG contributor Paula Gibbins.
Understanding account violations (Grubhub)
Summary: Grubhub has updated it’s fraud-prevention process to help you understand what violations are and how they work.
A “violation” is a pattern or behavior that’s usually associated with fraud, which is defined as an undesirable behavior that impacts the restaurant or diner.
Through this process, you get a clear roadmap for exactly what behaviors might trigger a violation and how you can get back on the road if a violation occurs.
If a violation occurs, you will receive a notification through the Grubhub for Drivers app and an email. You’ll have a chance to review and acknowledge the violation via the app. If 3 violations occur, your account will be blocked and you won’t be able to log on to the app. After you have had a violation for 90 days, it will expire and be removed from your account….
My Take: Drivers took to Reddit when this news broke and gave their opinions on the changes. Long story short, drivers are not fans.
One person stated, “I already haven’t done a GH delivery this calendar year. This was enough for me to cut them off. I already stopped doing GH for the most part when the Just Eat takeover happened because the rates plummeted and it wasn’t worth the hassle. If I want to decline orders all day I have DoorDash.”
Another took a different approach, stating that nothing is really changing: “In my *theory*, that I have tested and observed over the years, the only thing changing is that we can now see everything with the exception of our driver rating.”
But that doesn’t mean drivers won’t be nervous about getting deactivated for violations as outlined. Especially if some are out of their control. A bot can’t determine if you’re being intentional or not, leaving drivers potentially vulnerable to unfair deactivations.
Motor Trend reimagines the ‘Apple Car,’ sees autonomous rideshare in Apple’s future (Apple Insider)
Summary: American auto magazine Motor Trend is back to rehash its initial predictions for Apple’s yet unannounced “Apple Car”, this time updating it for the “inevitable” autonomous future.
The new report is, once again, a think piece that collates a collection of rumors into Motor Trend’s best guess at what Apple might have in the the works.
It doesn’t take long for the publication to reference its first stab at imagining the “Apple Car,” one which wound up being ridiculed for being too “podlike.” Yet, as Motor Trend points out, podlike cars are being developed all over….
My Take: Obviously, the Apple Car is still in the works and nothing is fully known at this time, but it’s no surprise that the rumors indicate Apple will be leaning toward autonomous capabilities while possibly eyeing a stake in the rideshare market. This will be something to keep our eyes on in the coming months as more develops.
New Bird partnership with WeGo is micromobility first for Nashville (Mass Transit Mag)
Summary: Bird has launched a partnership with WeGo to provide a micromobility solution in Nashville, Tenn.
The term describes the increased reach of public transportation when paired with micromobility, and a new partnership between Bird and Nashville’s WeGo public transit agency is helping more riders benefit from this clean, cost-effective alternative to driving.
Here’s how it works.
Using data provided by WeGo, Bird has identified commonly used bus stops that are likely to benefit from micromobility parking zones with consistently available e-scooters. Bird then worked with the agency to strategically enlarge its service area in Nashville-Davidson County to allow these bus stops to be easily accessed.
Riders traveling to and from Nashville using popular thoroughfares like Nolensville Pike, Gallatin Pike and Murfreesboro Pike can now complete their journeys using a combination of shared scooters and public transportation as opposed to gas-powered cars….
My Take: This sounds like a very well-thought out solution that more cities should look into. This is a great way of actually combining rideshare with public transit, which is one of the original issues rideshare claimed to be able to help solve.
Women-only rideshare company to launch in Atlanta (11 Alive)
Summary: A rideshare company catered exclusively for women is launching in Atlanta. It’s called HERide and was founded by a former Lyft driver of four years.
“The main thing that makes us different is we are for women by women,” founder Jillian Anderson said. “All of the drivers on our platform are women.”
“I was probably one of the earliest Lyft drivers in Atlanta,” she said. “I would normally drive at night, and I would pick up a lot of women and they were canceling rides until they got a woman driver.”
“There’s been women that have been followed, she added. “There’s been women that have been contacted after their ride. Women that have been touched on.”
Thousands of assaults are reported to Uber and Lyft every year, according to the rideshare giants’ own data….
My Take: I understand where people are coming from that are shouting “discrimination” at this kind of ridesharing business that only caters to women. BUT as a woman, I think this is brilliant and needed.
Is it discrimination to want a safe ride? To be able to enter a stranger’s vehicle while intoxicated and not having to hope and pray they won’t molest or harrass you?
Unfortunately, we live in a world where women are abused and harassed and they often get blamed for it. The victim is also considered to be the perpetrator because she had a drink, or wore a skirt, or smiled at the “wrong” person.
If this world actually took precautions to help safeguard vulnerable people and helped those who have been abused and actually punished the people doing the abusing, then maybe we wouldn’t feel the need for women-only rideshare.
Personally, I know I’d feel safer getting into a woman’s vehicle, or if I was a driver, knowing I’d be transporting women.
Are you a female driver? What do you think of a woman-only rideshare company? Would you join it?
-Paula @ RSG