International News – On Buses And Scooters

UberTransit adds public transportation to its portfolio. The company is working with public bus and train services, allowing users to plan and pay through the Uber app. There is no Uber revenue model for now, as the ticket price is similar and no commission is taken, but Uber is gaining loyalty on way to becoming, in their own words, the “operating system for life” (think of UberEats and UberHealth). The service is now available fully only in Las Vegas and Denver

On the darker side of Uber – the company is trying to fight AB5, the Californian legislation forcing them to treat drivers as employees, with a feature that lets the driver choose rides according to their expected revenue. The project, called Luigi, is yet another ongoing clash between Uber and the policymakers.

Shanghai and Alibaba have their own version of an AI bus. Enabling riders to book via an app and select a pickup and drop-off location on a certain route (#9 bus between a residential area and a business park), the tech sets optimal routes and the supply needed (number of buses) for the public transportation service. Sound familiar? It sounds much like a mashup of Zeelo and VIA.

In last weeks edition we touched on how mobility is not gender-neutral, but this week we are back with numbers: 40% of bike users in the UK are women; in the US, men are twice as likely to use LEVs (light electric vehicles). In scooters, Voi reports 30% and Dott 25% are women users.

In Tel-Aviv, the municipality is coming in hard on scooters. Every scooter will have to have a license plate, and people will be able to send pictures of riders illegally riding on the sidewalks directly to the municipality. Riders not careful could be blocked for up to a year! From my personal experience, I can say that the sidewalks in Tel-Aviv have become a very scary place, with news of injured people daily. Good on you Tel Aviv! Now let’s wait and see if other municipalities follow.

And lastly; a beautiful SWVL commercial teaches us on how transportation and life in Cairo is, the “S-Pod”, a new mobility vehicle, will enter airports and shopping malls soon, scooters are also for corporates and finishing off with two interesting long reads: about how cities struggle to boost ridership with demand-responsive solutions and a detailed account of the players and projects of autonomous shuttle companies.

We will be back next week with the next edition of international news.

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By Barak Sas

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