This week’s podcast is brought to you by Terawatt – purpose-built charging for autonomous vehicle fleets.
Listen to RSG266 With Tower Mobility
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Quick Takeaways
Company Background
Tower Mobility was founded by brothers Daniel and Andres in 2020 during the pandemic. They initially focused on wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVE) to serve disabled passengers, then expanded their services. The company now operates in six cities (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Chicago, Washington DC), employs approximately 2,000 W-2 drivers, and manages over 600 vehicles, including a fleet of primarily Tesla Model Ys, along with Kia EV9s and Rivians.
W-2 Employee Driver Model
Tower Mobility employs all drivers as W-2 employees rather than independent contractors. This model provides:
- Consistent full-time employment with hourly compensation (~$19/hour base)
- Additional earnings through tips ($2.50-$8/hour)
- Benefits including healthcare and paid time off
- Extensive training and coaching
- Real-time monitoring via cameras for safety enforcement
The model works best for drivers seeking stable, full-time employment rather than flexible gig work. About 50% of Tower’s drivers come from rideshare backgrounds, while the other 50% are new to the industry.
Uber Partnership
Tower Mobility has established a significant partnership with Uber:
- They were the first fleet in LA with over 400 electric vehicles
- Uber provides consistent rider demand while Tower delivers reliable service
- Their drivers maintain 99% acceptance rates and less than 1% cancellation rates
- There’s no preferential treatment – they compete with independent drivers based on performance
- Uber benefits from Tower’s consistency, reliability, and safety record
Fleet Management and Technology
To manage their large-scale operations, Tower has developed:
- Proprietary technology for real-time monitoring of drivers
- Their own “super superchargers” with 96.7% uptime (compared to industry average of 85%)
- A recruitment system capable of onboarding 300 drivers weekly
- On-site workshops for vehicle maintenance and repairs
- Infrastructure for cleaning, charging, and maintaining vehicles
EV Strategy and Benefits
Tower strongly advocates for electric vehicles in fleet operations, noting:
- EVs cost approximately half as much in “fuel” costs ($75 vs $150 per 1,000 miles)
- EVs require less maintenance
- EVs are recommended for fleets with more than 10 vehicles
- Their own charging infrastructure makes operation more efficient
Future Plans and Autonomous Vehicles
Looking ahead, Tower Mobility is positioning itself for the autonomous vehicle future:
- They currently work with Waymo on the wheelchair accessible vehicle side
- They see themselves potentially owning and maintaining AVs for technology companies
- Their infrastructure for charging, cleaning, and maintenance is applicable to AV fleets
- They believe human-driven vehicles will continue alongside AVs for the foreseeable future
- Certain segments like wheelchair accessible vehicles and medical transport may be among the last to be automated
Important Links
- Tower Mobility: https://towermobility.com/
- Daniel Munoz’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-munoz-gmvp/
- Andres Munoz’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andres-munoz-0278926/
- Harry’s Newsletter: The Driverless Digest
RSG266: Watch The Podcast On YouTube
Watch our YouTube episode to hear Lyft’s take on autonomous vehicles and what the future looks like for human drivers. While you’re there, hit subscribe!
We are excited to partner with Terawatt, one of the leading providers of charging infrastructure. To learn more about Terawatt’s network of AV charging hubs and track record of 99%+ uptime, reach out to Logan Szidik at lszidik@terawattinfrastructure.com.
