Lyft

VO: Get ready for your semi-regular dose of random ideas from the guys at Codelation. We like to talk about big ideas companies that are winning, and those that aren't along with current events in our crazy world of software startups. So come along with Eric kand Josh, who challenge you to think big, start small and turn your ideas into something on this episode of, from idea to done.

Josh: Hey everyone, I'm Josh

Erick: I'm Erick and today's idea is replacing private cars. This week. Lyft came up with an update to their app. With this update. The president said the only one mobility left that Lyft truly wishes to defeat is the private automobile. That seems kind of ambitious to me.

Josh: I, I I'd agree with that, but I think the, the battle between Lyft and Uber really feels like a zero sum game. I don't know if I fully agree with the statement that he said, which was, uh, by 2025, owning a car will go the way of the DVD. They actually show that short term usage of vehicles went up with the growth of Uber and Lyft.

Erick: And the other article talks about incorporating dockless, scooters and bikes and car shares and public transportation with the cost and comparisons on top of their normal taxi services.

Josh: Hmm. Well with that, I think the big opportunity is to have in real time, multiple transportation options available to you. I think that makes sense. It really makes me not have to plan as much, but to adapt to current conditions, unless that adapting for me is to use a scooter that I just, I will not do. I'm a 38 year old adult for God's sakes.

Erick: Um, well, okay. So I got in trouble when I worked at toys for bringing in cards and I'd last them with twine while riding electric scooters. I thought it was awesome. We'll just agree to disagree

Josh: Scooters. I, I don't, I don't. Yeah. Yeah. I, I definitely see that happening and that's totally fair. Yeah. But

Erick: They should incorporate that. It should be

Josh: Okay. Okay. I'll give you that.

Erick: One of the problems I see with this though, is it, it isn't all automatically deducted deducted from your account in the app. There's their main competitor. Uber has taken kind of a similar law, similar route in incorporating some public transportation. The big difference with Uber though, is that you get a ticket in the app. Part of today's super ambitious world is we just don't have time to do anything. I don't care what a bus pass cost. I just don't want to think and push a button and have a bus pass. Lyft. How dare you have me interact with any aspect of public transportation and buy a ticket myself?

Josh: Well, that's stupid. It is a big cost to integrate with those mass transit platforms, but they're really leaving a ton of data and money on the table. I think that in New York or LA or a major Metro, they should look at pulling the transit systems into the app and pay through the app. The mass transit systems would get increased ridership and Lyft would be better positioned.

Erick: And according to the article, Uber is doing that actually in test markets already, you kind of got to keep up with your main competitors. And so they have a pretty ambitious goal to get rid of private cars within six years. And I just don't think they're going to do it. I'm buying a car actually this month. Josh, do you think this one will be my last,

Josh: I'm going to quote, uh, Suman, uh, our developer Sumsn, on this and say, "no". Cars are going to be around for awhile, especially here in Fargo, North Dakota. I mean, so I'm going to leave here today. I'm going to go pick up my three kids and they are all in booster and car seats. How am I going to do that in a ride share? I, I don't know. Maybe I'm just embodying a cranky old man that doesn't get things

Erick: That is basically us. So yeah. Prove us wrong. Lyft.

Josh: Thank you for listening to this episode. If you know a startup that could use our random advice and thoughts, have them subscribe and leave a review on iTunes.