Back in the old days, transportation technology was much simpler. A person who needed a taxi could either dial from a payphone (this was considered the “high-tech” way), or they could wave their hand (the “low-tech” way). With the invention of the internet, however, transportation technology has completely changed the taxi industry – some ways better, some ways worse.
We at Gazoop like to think on the bright side, so let’s start with ways that the internet has positively impacted the taxi industry:
• Mobile Booking: Customers can hail a cab (and prepay) with their phones without any delay.
• GPS Technology: Owners can track their fleet, and drivers can receive immediate directions.
• Instant Presence: Websites are way better at advertising than any billboard or commercial.
Newer Transportation Technology and the Taxi Industry: A Look at the Raw Numbers
The rise of the online era has given amateur competitors a way to compete with the taxi industry on a worldwide basis. Share-rider services such as Uber and Lyft can contract drivers for work at a fraction of the price. Sadly, they are giving taxi companies a run for their money in certain areas.
For example, San Francisco taxis went from giving an average of 1,424 rides per month in March 2012 to giving only 504 rides by July. However, while San Francisco was struggling that year, the taxi industry was doing well in Houston, Texas, where drivers could be expected to average $240 per day in 2014. Obviously, the taxi industry as a whole isn’t going anywhere.
Transportation Technology and Big Data: The Info Wars
While the taxi industry is going to be around for a long, long time, the transportation technology that ride-sharing services use has changed how personal data is collected . . . and not for the better. Groups like Uber have a fairly nefarious privacy policy that pretty much gives them full access not only to your cell phone, but also to your personal life. When you use a ride-sharing service like Uber, you are giving your innermost details to a corporation to do with as they please.
In fact, Uber quietly “enhanced” its data collection methods just last year and now acts even more invasively. Every Uber customer has their precise location logged at all times – even when the app is running in the background. Basically, even when you aren’t using Uber, Uber is still watching where you go.
Creepy!
As if that weren’t enough, Uber is also thinking about accessing your phone so they can send promotional materials to everyone in your contacts list. You just wanted to book a ride, and now all of your friends are being harassed. And all in the name of “convenience”?
Gazoop: New Transportation Technology Done the Right Way
At Gazoop, we only keep track of the information that matters. We don’t want to know what you’ve been doing all day, where you like to shop, or the personal contact information of your friends. We just want to get you to your destination!
Really, isn’t that what the taxi industry is all about? Sheesh, some companies have really lost their minds. Check out our honest services and don’t be deceived by the wrong transportation technology!
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