Tag Archives: Lyft

How to confuse a driverless car

Hilarious. Self-driving cars have met their match in the form of the humble traffic cone. If you’re on TikTok, you may have seen what I’m talking about: a viral video of San Francisco activists disabling autonomous Cruise and Waymo vehicles … Continue reading

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Cruise cars spotted in the wild

There I was at the WalMart on Yale this week, with my parents, and what did I see but this: Yes, it’s a Cruise car, charging up in the parking lot. We knew that at least initially they will have … Continue reading

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Cruise comes to Houston

I’m genuinely curious to see how this goes. Cruise, a General Motors autonomous vehicle subsidiary, is bringing its self-driving cars to Houston with the goal of offering driverless rides. The cars will begin testing next week, said Megan Prichard, Cruise’s … Continue reading

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Driverless taxi service arrives in Austin

Brace yourselves, Austinites. A rite of passage as an Austinite is feeling bewildered at other drivers’ choices behind the wheel, but that’s starting to change. Cruise, a driverless ridehailing app, has completed its first driverless rides in Austin, marking its official … Continue reading

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Driverless taxi update

Things to watch out for in the nearer-than-you-think future, with Austin first in line. When transit systems experience delays, the reason usually isn’t very interesting: congested streets, medical emergencies, mechanical problems. But the cause of a recent holdup on San … Continue reading

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More on abortion travel benefits and the legislative threats to them

Taking a broader look at what’s out there right now, it’s understandable that some companies are just hoping to not become targets. Republican Texas legislators who sent a threatening letter to Sidley Austin last week over the law firm’s policy … Continue reading

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Republicans threaten businesses over abortion access

If you didn’t see stuff like this coming, you haven’t been paying attention. With Texas poised to automatically ban abortion if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, some Republicans are already setting their sights on the next target … Continue reading

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No Roe roundup

I don’t have a good title for this post, but I do have a collection of stories. Planned Parenthood files restraining order against Texas Right to Life. Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas and its affiliates filed a temporary restraining order … Continue reading

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Driverless Lyft service coming to Austin

We’ll see what the demand is. People in Austin who use the ride-hailing service Lyft will have the option of selecting a self-driving car starting in 2022. But, at least initially, two humans will sit in the front as “test … Continue reading

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Study claims Uber has reduced drunk driving in Houston

Of interest. Paid rides have saved lives and lessened drunk driving convictions in Houston, according to a new study released Wednesday by local researchers that claimed a direct link between more folks hailing an Uber and fewer wheeled into emergency … Continue reading

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Here comes another rideshare company

Seems like a less than optimal time to be expanding, but here we are. Alto, a new rideshare company based in Dallas, will roll into view in Houston as it looks to expand its reach and compete with Uber and … Continue reading

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Dallas ends its scooter experiment

Over in Dallas, never started in Houston. Tis better to have scootered and stopped than to have never scootered at all. That is the consensus of a handful of Houston proponents of rental scooters as they watched Dallas this week … Continue reading

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And now a few words from our city transportation planner

Didn’t know we had one, did you? Well, we do, his name is David Fields, and he had a few things to say to Chron reporter Dug Begley in a recent Q&A: As you look at upcoming plans and projects … Continue reading

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Goodbye, Greenlink

Another version of Metro’s downtown trolley system is shut down due to coronavirus, and likely won’t come back, at least not in that format. Downtown Houston’s free shuttle may have hauled its last passenger, a victim of the central district’s … Continue reading

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Ride sharing for kids

Yet another transportation option. Los Angeles-based HopSkipDrive, a ride-hailing platform that hires vetted caregivers to drive children 6 and older, is now available in Houston. “Parents shouldn’t have to choose between their careers and their children’s education and activities, but … Continue reading

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How secure is the future of ridesharing?

Just a couple of recent stories that got me thinking. Item One: Uber’s business model isn’t all there: While there’s optimism about elements of the core business, the company lost more than $3 billion on operations in 2018, revenue growth slowed … Continue reading

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Rideshare for Medicaid?

This could make sense. Texas would soon start relying on Uber, Lyft and other ridesharing services to shuttle Medicaid patients to and from the doctor, if a new House bill becomes law. The state is one of several eyeing rideshare … Continue reading

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Scooter study bill

From the inbox: State Representative Eddie Rodriguez filed a bill directing the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, in consultation with the Texas Department of Transportation, to conduct a study on the use of motor-assisted scooters. Under HB 2715, the study must … Continue reading

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Scooters come to Galveston

Still not in Houston, but getting closer. By the end of January, Galveston Island will be crawling with Crab…Scooters. Ryan O’Neal of Galveston said he expects to officially launch his new business Crab Scooters come late January or early February. … Continue reading

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The autonomous cars/mass transit debate

Seems to me this should be a “both-and” rather than an “either-or”, but you know how I get. Autonomous vehicles that will outperform buses, cost less than Uber and travel faster than cars stuck in traffic today are two years … Continue reading

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Uber scooters

Somehow, you knew something like this was going to happen. Uber is getting into the scooter-rental business. The ride-hailing company said Monday that it is investing in Lime, a startup based in San Mateo, California. “Our investment and partnership in … Continue reading

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A flock of electronic scooters descending on Austin

Not actually one of the signs of the apocalypse, though I’m sure it was annoying. Seemingly overnight, Austin was buzzing with electric scooters last month. Scooter riders weaved through crowded sidewalks and traffic downtown and zoomed out of drivers’ blind … Continue reading

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RideAustin tries to hang on

I wish them luck. The return of Uber and Lyft to Austin has put the city’s only ride-hailing nonprofit in a fight for survival. RideAustin, one of several small companies that started operations in Austin after the ride-hailing giants left … Continue reading

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Help Metro figure out its Regional Transit Plan

Here’s your chance to get involved and shape the direction of transit in the greater Houston area going forward. What is your vision for transit service in the Greater Houston region? METRO needs your help in creating a bold vision … Continue reading

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Uber and Lyft come rolling back

To Austin: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday signed into law a measure creating a statewide regulatory framework for ride-hailing companies, overriding local measures that prompted businesses such as Uber and Lyft to leave Austin and other cities. Uber and … Continue reading

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Senate passes statewide rideshare bill

It’s a done deal. After a debate among lawmakers over the best way to regulate services like Uber and Lyft, the Texas Senate on Wednesday backed a proposal that would override local regulations concerning ride-hailing companies. House Bill 100 would … Continue reading

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Rideshare bill advances in Senate

It was almost different and then it wasn’t, but it still could be. Paid ride companies such as Uber and Lyft are one step closer to the statewide oversight they crave, after a state Senate committee approved a revised plan … Continue reading

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Uber and Lyft speak on the “biological sex” amendment in statewide rideshare bill

It’s a start. Five days after a controversial amendment defining “sex” as “male or female” was added to a statewide ride-hailing bill, representatives from Uber and Lyft called the addition disappointing and unnecessary — though both companies stopped short of … Continue reading

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The post-Uber Austin rideshare experience

Texas Monthly notes the issues that some people faced during SxSW hailing a ride, and considers the rideshare landscape in Austin post-Uber and Lyft. But the thesis that Austin is experiencing a crisis around ride-hailing apps is an old one, … Continue reading

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House passes statewide rideshare bill

Made it farther than it did last session. After a lengthy debate among lawmakers over the best way to regulate services like Uber and Lyft, the Texas House backed a proposal that would override local regulations concerning ride-hailing companies. House … Continue reading

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Senate committee hears rideshare bills

One of these, in some form, is likely to become law. Senate Bill 176, by state Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, and Senate Bill 361 by state Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville, received a joint hearing after [Senate Business & Commerce Committee] … Continue reading

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Paddie files another rideshare bill

From the inbox: Texas State Rep. Chris Paddie (R-Marshall) has filed legislation proposing a statewide regulatory framework for transportation network companies (TNCs) such as Uber and Lyft. House Bill 100 will help bring economic opportunity and access to safe, reliable … Continue reading

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Three rideshare bills

The Texas A&M Transportation Institute Policy Center looks at the (first) three bills relating to ridesharing that have been filed in the Lege: Three bills have been filed so far in the 85th Texas Legislature, regular session, addressing transportation network … Continue reading

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It’s bill-filing season

And they’re off. Today is the first day of early filing in the Texas Legislature. Lawmakers in both the House and Senate may begin filing the bills that will be discussed when the legislature convenes in January 10, 2017. So … Continue reading

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