InstantCab (YC W12): A Hybrid Alternative To Ride-Sharing and Taxi Apps | Hacker News Reader

InstantCab (YC W12): A Hybrid Alternative To Ride-Sharing and Taxi Apps

techcrunch.com

37 pointsajju12 comments

A big problem I've seen with the proliferation of these apps is that I've seen drivers with three or four devices, (which makes sense from the driver's perspective--maximizing opportunity), but even though I'm in the car paying a fare, they show up on the other apps as available! The result is that when you put out a call for a ride, even though it shows tons of vehicles available, most of them are actually currently occupied. As TFA points out, this leads to distrust since as a rider you can't actually be sure you'll be able to get a ride.

I think the app makers need to encourage riders to report to them when they see drivers using other apps and misleadingly showing themselves as available. I know I'm going to start doing it.

That's a good point Josh. We ask drivers to set themselves as unavailable if they are on another ride, and we are measuring a lot of things that help us figure out which drivers are more reliable so we can reward them accordingly vs which drivers are unreliable so we can part ways with them.

Of course we'd definitely love feedback from you and other users when you see a driver engaging in untrustworthy behavior. Email us ask at instantcab.com (or leave a comment with your rating if you are using InstantCab)

HN Readers: there's a $5 off coupon at the end of TechCrunch article, but we have a special coupon for π off your ride. Use "HNFriends" at or after signing up.

Also happy to answer any questions you have :)

Hi, i am one of the founders of Yaxi. We are doing very similar in Mexico if you are interested in having a chat, pepe at yaxi dot com. We are also taking the hybrid approach and have sent thousands of trips too.

Jose: sending you an email

This is a totally awesome service -- once called an InstantCab in SF and a limo came to pick us up. A goddamn LIMO.

Thanks Ajay. As the commenter on TechCrunch said, ballers get baller service ;)

>InstantCab drivers are more likely to actually use the app the way it’s intended. Also, there’s really no way for drivers to cancel. Once they’ve accepted a ride, there’s simply no button they can push to get out of it.

What if they hit the button accidentally?

Ian: We have worked hard to make the app easy to use for drivers to minimize mistakes. For example: when we started the company, every one of us including engineers drove cars for 10 hours shifts for 3 weekends in a row, giving rides to friends to understand how to design well for drivers.

Mistakes still happen occasionally, and we have procedures to deal with them but we took this approach to make it clear that bailing after accepting a ride is not an option.

I worked with these guys for a couple days and I can say they are a really amazing team: positive energy, healthy debate and mutually supportive. Way to go InstantCab!

Thanks Eric! Appreciate your vote of confidence. Come by the office and let's grab lunch on Monday if you have some time!

Love it, can't wait for it to make it's way down to SoCal

Reply on news.ycombinator.com