Uber History - media.planning.org home

Uber History

Founded at Le Web 2009 by Garrett Camp & Travis Kalanick

What is Uber?

It’s a smartphone app that reliably connects

riders to the nearest limo or taxi – when and

where they need it.

Uber’s goal is to connect riders with the highest quality

transportation with the fastest response time.

Uber allows riders to request from anywhere;

ride in style and convenience; and have a

hassle-free payment.

Uber delivers huge benefits to consumers, to

drivers, and to economic growth in cities.

Every city beating San Francisco

29 cities worldwide…and counting!

I need a

better globe

Uber Data

Uber Data - Math Team

• ETAs

• Supply and demand matching

• Pricing

• Covert ops

Uber Data – Prediction and Forecasting

Uber Data – Real Time Pricing

• Why?

• Demand spike

• Supply shortage

• …ensure the Uber experience

• Algorithm based on utilization

NYE

2012

NYE

2013

Regulatory

• Uber only operates in cities where it’s legal.

• Uber does not own any vehicles or employ any drivers.

• Our technology simply connects people seeking rides with legal and insured

transportation providers.

• Any time there is change, those that benefit from the status quo will try to

protect it.

• Uber is growing around the world, and there is a steady drumbeat of progress

which pro-consumer, pro-innovation places like – New York , DC,

Massachusetts, and California – are recognizing that everyone wins when

technology and choice in transportation is allowed to flourish.

Continued opposition…

Uber’s Top 5 Silly Transportation Laws

1. You can’t order a limo in < 1hour

2. You can’t order a limo for <$40

4. Limos can’t charge by time and distance

3. Limos can’t sit within 200 feet of a hotel,

bar, or restaurant downtown

5. Limos can’t be to their pickup location

<30 minutes in advance

EVERYONE’S Private Driver

Transportation is Local…

BLACK, SUV or TAXI? Choose Your Own Adventure

• 1 App

• Multiple car types

• Same request process

• Same car tracking

• Same payment ease

Uber Marketing

‘Giving Riders High Fives’

Valentine’s Day

The UberCade

Rider One…

On-demand….

Pop-ups…Where is Uber needed?

Uber Love!

Uber Operations

‘Giving Drivers Hugs’

Cities Need

modern, accountable, convenient,

stylish, efficient

Transportation Alternatives

Chicago Transit Authority

CTA’s Experience with Digital

Transit Information for Customers .

Graham Garfield General Manager, Customer Information, CTA

American Planning Association Conference

“Transforming Transportation through Phones”

April 15, 2013

• Digital Information Available from CTA

• Brief History of Development

• Current CTA Approach and Initiatives

• Customer Experience and User Stats

Overview

Bus Tracker

• Website ctabustracker.com

• Mobile website ctabustracker.com/bustime/wireless/html/home.jsp

• Texting/SMS

• API

• Third-party apps

• Bus shelter LED signs

• Rail station digital signs

Digital Information Available from CTA

Train Tracker

• Website transitchicago.com/traintracker

• Mobile website transitchicago.com/mobile/traintracker.aspx

• Texting/SMS

• API

• Third-party apps

• Rail station

digital signs


Customer Alerts

• Fully integrated into CTA website

• Available in Bus and Train Trackers

• CTA Updates subscription service

– Email or SMS

– Route

– Time of day

• Twitter

• API


Digital Screens at Transit Stops

• Bus stops

– LED signs in shelters

– A few hundred shelters (~2,000 shelters, ~11,500 stops)

• Rail stations

– On digital advertising

screens

– On transit info-only screens

– At least one screen at

every rail station by

Labor Day 2013


Automated Voice Annunciation System

(AVAS) on buses • $15.6 million system, installed by Clever Devices

• Installed in 2002-03, activated Aug-Dec 2003

• Provides automated stop announcements and displays

upcoming stop on LED signs

• At stops, announces the route and destination of bus

• System determines the bus’ position by using a

combination of:

– Global Positioning Satellites (GPS)

– odometer inputs that provide distance traveled

– a gyroscope that observes changes in direction

Brief History of Development

Bus Tracker - pilot

• Utilized equipment already installed for AVAS,

leveraging previous investments in technology –

“building blocks”

• Pilot launched in summer 2006 on #20 Madison

route

• $1.3 million contract with Clever Devices

• Launched website, installed LED sign at one

shelter


Bus Tracker - rollout

• Began rollout of additional routes in April 2007

• Three contracts totaling $24.1 million for the

purchase and installation of hardware and

system upgrades

– Clever Devices

– IBM

– Sprint/Nextel

• Rollout completed May 2009

• Additional features such as email alerts, “alarms”


Train Tracker

• Launched January 2011

• Developed for approx. $125,000, using in-house

staff and existing web developer contract

• No GPS on trains – estimated arrival times

generated through a combination of:

– data collected by QuicTrak, train management software

that monitors the signal system to indicate train locations

by track circuit occupancy

– schedule information

– averages the times of the last five trains to

move across a portion of track


Bus and Train Tracker by Text (SMS)

• Bus Tracker text – Dec 2009

• Train Tracker text – Feb 2012

• Information provided:

– online

– at bus stops on decals

– at train stations on

timetable posters

• Opens up info to a broader audience


Developer Center

• Launched Dec 2009

• Provides access to

CTA service data to

enable third-parties to create web tools, widgets

and mobile apps

– Bus Tracker API (previously available Sept 2009)

– Customer Alerts API

– Google Transit™ Feed Specification (GTFS) Data

– Train Tracker API – added June 2011


Provide Solid Basic Info and Tools

• Provide core services for bus, train tracking and

customer alerts

• Platform-agnostic Web platform, not apps

• Provide basic text/SMS services

• Available free

• Easy to use

Current CTA Approach and Initiatives

Open Data

• Added to City’s

Data Portal Oct 2011

• Publish a variety of

data useful to developers,

researchers, journalists &

urban planners, as well

as interested citizens

• Data sets include ridership, mapping data (KML and

shapefiles), fare media sales outlets, et al.

• Dual purpose: transparency and app developers


Encourage Third-Party

Development

• Let free market do what it

does best

• Make data, APIs available

• Allow developers to serve

niche markets, create

“mash ups”

• Support with Developer Ctr

• Encourage with App Center

• Economical for public agency, engage public


Customer Experience and User Stats

Mobile Access – Age

• Senior citizens less likely to have access

to mobile texting or emailing

• < 35 years-old are more likely to have

smartphones

Mobile Access – Income

• Lower income groups less likely to have access to

mobile texting or emailing

• However, most customers in these income groups

(81.7%) still have access to the technology

• All customers with annual household incomes of

$125,000 or more have access to this technology


Bus Tracker – Awareness

• Over 85% of all customers have heard of Bus

Tracker in general

• Younger customers more likely to have heard of Bus

Tracker, steady decline in the awareness of among

older customers

• Income level doesn’t vary among the customers’

awareness


Bus Tracker – Usage

• Of customers who have heard of Bus Tracker,

74% indicate they are current users

• Customers ages 18-34 are much more likely to use

Bus Tracker than other age groups

• Senior citizens are the least likely age group to use

• Income does not have a significant impact as to

whether customer uses Bus Tracker


Customer Behavior

• Discretionary trips

• “Smarter trips” – informed transfer choices

• Scanning street replaced with tracking

• Increased dependence on real-time

estimated arrivals, discomfort when

unavailable


Thank you for your time

transitchicago.com

[email protected]

Uber History - media.planning.org home

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