You must know about ride sharing apps; of course, you have at least gotten the service once in your lifetime. Ride Sharing is the service of connecting passengers and drivers on one platform for one way commute. When you hear about online taxi services or ride-sharing apps, you will think it started a decade ago. What if we say the evidence of ride-sharing can be traced to the 1970s? Surprised? It all started around World War II; In 1942, the U.S. government required ridesharing arrangements in workplaces when no other transportation options were available to save rubber during the war. In the 1970s, the oil crisis and gasoline price spike encouraged another ride-sharing period.
Also Read: 7 Steps You Should Know How Ride Sharing App Works
During the 1990s, carpooling got popular among college and university students, where campuses have limited parking space. However, comprehensive technologies were not commercially available at that time. Although, today’s ridesharing apps have evolved with the development of GPS, smartphones, and electronic payment options.
Legality Of Ride Sharing Apps
There are different policies for ride-sharing apps worldwide and varies from country to country and between states. Governments have established rules and regulations that specifically govern ride-sharing apps. In many jurisdictions, ridesharing operations for profit motive are completely illegal. One of the main reasons is taxi services, which have argued that ridesharing companies are illegal taxi operations which take away their business. Regulations include requirements for driver background checks, fares, the number of drivers, and licensing.
Impact On Taxi Service
Ride-sharing apps have made life much easier but, on the same side, have affected traditional taxi companies and cab services also, as most people prefer online ride-sharing apps and avoid taking a taxi. Taxi companies have sued ridesharing companies for various reasons; according to a study, some taxi drivers have lost income due to Uber and other ride-sharing apps. Uber has created more jobs than it has destroyed. Additionally, Uber drivers, on average, spend a higher fraction of their time and drive a substantially higher share of miles with a passenger in the car, likely due to Uber optimizing their pairing and operating illegal taxicab operations on the fact that Uber and other ride-sharing companies knew their drivers were not properly licensed and did not have a proper appointment.
Safety
When ride-sharing apps are discussed, the first question arises about safety and security as crimes have been committed by drivers as well as by individuals pretending as rideshare drivers who attract unsuspecting passengers to their vehicles by placing a mark on their car or by posing as an expected driver.
Another criticism on ridesharing companies is that they do not take necessary measures to prevent sexual assault. Government agencies have also fined these companies for violation of background checks. Moreover, drivers of ridesharing apps routinely obstruct bicycle lanes while picking up or dropping off passengers, which endangers cyclists.
There Is A Difference Between Car Pooling & Ride Sharing Apps
The Ridesharing app is a service that connects drivers and passengers for a one-way commute on an immediate basis while carpooling apps are different from them. The ride-sharing app has software which uses a GPS (Global Positioning System) system. This backend system locates the closest available car and connects it with a passenger looking for a ride for the driver.
On the other hand, in car pooling apps, the software connects two people whose destination is the same. The main motive of ride-sharing apps is to profit, benefit the staff working, and increase the revenue of drivers and companies. While carpooling app’s main motive is not profit but to make it easy for both, as the person looking for a ride pays less fare than the ride-sharing app, and the one driving his car covers his fuel cost as his motive is not to make a profit.
Also Read: 5 Hacks For How To Reduce Estimated Taxi Cost
Wrapping Up
In this blog, we discussed the main aspects of ride-sharing and carpooling apps. Moreover, how do they operate, and what are their impacts on society? On one side, these apps have made our lives easier and also benefit society, but they also have created many challenges.
