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Comment by joeyspn | Hacker News Reader

BlaBlaCar [0] operates/ed only with community reviews (for drivers and passengers) and is doing just fine in EU... It is in fact so successful, that govs and press always talk about "services like blablacar and uber" (they're classified as basically the same kind of service)

[0] https://www.blablacar.com/

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Not sure about other EU countries but here in Italy Blablacar and Uber are completely different.

For example the price you're allowed to ask is calculated to ensure it's only a cost sharing without any income for the driver.

> without any income for the driver

What? It doesn't make sense... Then why would any driver want to provide services via the app?

Also, I'm not talking about the specifics of the payment or reward systems, I'm just pointing out that they're both considered to be "on the same level" and in the same "difficult to tax" tech service (carpooling, ride-sharing, etc)... just google "blablacar uber" and see the results...

Because it reduces their cost on a route they were already going to take. It's the actual sharing part of the so-called 'sharing economy'.

Because the cost of fuel in the EU is quite high, and a lot of people commute long(er) distances on a regular basis instead of flying.

It is considered an entirely acceptable system because the "cost reimbursement" will fully cover the cost of wear + tear + fuel, meaning that a drive across the country can be rendered effectively free for the driver.

Also, "without any income for the driver" isn't necessarily correct - if you have a full car you will make a tidy profit.

Edit: the cost of a blablacar trip to a passenger would be on the order of 13-16 euros for an hour's drive. Comparable or cheaper than a train, with more flexibility.

Because BlaBlaCar is NOT a taxi service. They can't operate in Europe as a Taxi service, as it will be illegal to have a Taxi service without the proper permissions, paying proper taxes, etc. So they are doing REAL car sharing. Some one helps you to pay for the cost of the trip, and that's it. It's the old car pooling but more teachy.

Others have talked about fuel costs, but some BlaBla drivers I've met simply wanted company in longer solitary trips.

At least here in Finland, you are only allowed to share the expenses and not profit from it (unless you're a registered taxi driver and have the permit). There is a small incentive for the driver if he/she is heading the same direction anyway but otherwise you're right, it doesn't make any sense for the driver. So it's quite different from Uber in that sense.

because if you make a profit you need a professional insurance and or a taxi license. blablacar is a carpool service where the driver is not professional. You use it to recoup fuel costs and tolls.

Other justifications are: having company, decreasing your carbon footprint.

> Then why would any driver want to provide services via the app?

The incentive of the driver is sharing the cost of the gasoline/roads with the rider. Cost of gasoline in EU is higher than in US.

Because if they profit they are either uninsured, or need to sort out extra cover.

Wouldn't being uninsured for liability be equally bad whether the driver makes a profit or not? If you injure someone and are at fault or get sued, that's a major civil liability, regardless of whether the person you injured was paying you or not.

As long as you don't make a profit the usual (and legally mandated) liability insurance covers all passengers.

I see, right, because personal drivers' insurance will often have exclusions for business use.

Austria here: Pretty standard model. Uber driver gets a share of the profit. So that is not the same all over the EU.

Spain (I know this from a Friend): Pretty harsh regulations, no Uber at all.

So it is stupid.

As far as I understand, BlaBlaCar has some centralized controls on your identity since payments go through them and changing your payment info is not quite as easy as making up a new nickname.

That's a big difference to an anonymous-by-default cash-only network.

> That's a big difference to an anonymous-by-default cash-only network.

I haven't used it recently but in 2013-2014-2015 it was as an anonymous-by-default cash-only network. (edited original post to reflect it)

Overall I had zero problems, very nice experience, and I met interesting people

You used to be able not to use any of their payment services. Also identity verification processes that they offer/ed are/were not obligatory. So in many cases references were all people used to trust someone.

(I have been using the service for years)

They operated for years without accepting payments, the payment is a recent thing.

Their business model is to first expand to a territory by providing a simple connection between passengers and drivers. Then, when their user base is large enough, they introduce the payment system.

However, when I was using the service it was quite common to get the drivers number and contact them directly for the "next" time.

My point is that since the payments are a recent change, previously the rides were in fact completely anonymous.

I've literally never heard anyone outside Spotify ads 3 years ago even mention blablacar, let alone in the same breath as Uber.

Then you live disconnected from the european news... googled in 3 seconds:

[FRANCE] http://www.capital.fr/bourse/actualites/blablacar-uber-sont-...

[SPAIN] http://www.elmundo.es/comunidad-valenciana/2016/04/14/570f66...

[UK] http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/science-technology/60586...

[NETHERLANDS] http://www.nu.nl/internet/4268012/autodeeldienst-blablacar-w...

etc...

Paid media coverage is a far cry from regular people actually using/talking about it. I've never heard of them.

Loads of people use it for going to/from UK-France as it's generally the cheapest method (both for drivers and passengers).

it's super popular in France, at the very least.

It's used for longer distances, city to city, country to country. I wouldn't see it as the same market as Uber is in. Plus it's ride sharing, not "taxi" (as in driver rides only because you told him to).

Germany here.

Everyone I know (not exaggerating) knows about or has used services from BlaBlaCar.

Students use it regularly. Services like https://www.fromatob.de/ include it in the fare calculation.

Uber and Lyft are basically non-existent here.

Nor have I but apparently it's big in some parts of Europe, so I don't assume my experience applies everywhere.

Used it in Europe, sometimes cheaper than busses. Sometimes useful for unusual routes. It truely was "ride sharing", chipping in for fuel costs rather than a new job.

it's really popular in some European countries. For passengers it's an alternative to trains or bus coaches. It's used for intercity travel, not a taxi replacement. Also it's ride sharing, drivers are not professionals and are not allowed to profit from it. Drivers are only allowed to recoup fuel and toll costs on journey they intended to make anyway.

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