In this episode, Harry interviews Jeremy Bird, Executive Vice President of Driver Experience at Lyft, about Lyft's recent global expansion and the strategic acquisition of Free Now. Bird discusses Lyft's growth into international markets, beginning with Canada and Puerto Rico, and highlights the benefits of partnering with Free Now, a prominent taxi app operating in nine European countries. They delve into the regulatory differences between the US and European markets, the similarities in driver ethos between Lyft and Free Now, and the potential synergies from combining their technologies and experiences. The conversation also covers the significance of Lyft's operations in Canada and its micro-mobility solutions, such as bike and scooter sharing, and how these ventures align with Lyft's overall strategy, including the future integration of autonomous vehicles.

• 00:00 Introduction to Jeremy Bird and Lyft's expansion
• 01:05 How has Lyft's expansion into Canada and Puerto Rico been?
• 02:33 What is Lyft’s strategic shift to global markets?
• 05:19 What is Free Now and what are its operations?
• 07:34 How do Europe and US taxi industries compare?
• 10:34 What are the synergies and future plans for Lyft and Free Now?
• 14:33 What is Lyft's global expansion strategy?
• 15:38 How is Lyft's market penetration in Europe?
• 15:52 What are the regulatory challenges and labor relations?
• 17:17 What are the opportunities in the European market?
• 21:15 How is Lyft's growth in Canada?
• 23:50 How has Lyft been integrating micro-mobility solutions?
• 27:32 What are Lyft’s plans for autonomous vehicles?
• 29:20 Conclusion and Future Prospects

Jeremy’s LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-bird-6a03aa11

In this episode, Harry speaks with Will Coleman, CEO and Co-Founder of Alto, an innovative rideshare and delivery service emphasizing safety, hospitality, and consistency. Will discusses Alto’s operations in multiple U.S. cities, their unique business model involving employed drivers and owned vehicles, and their strategic focus on fleet management as a foundation for electric and autonomous mobility.

Most importantly, the conversation delves into Alto’s newest partnership with Uber, the complexities of fleet management, and the differentiation factors contributing to their success, such as lower insurance costs and high service quality. Will also touches on the benefits and challenges of scaling, and shares insights on the future of autonomous vehicles in the rideshare industry.

• 00:00 - Introduction to Will Coleman and Alto
• 01:09 - Will's alternate bio and podcast introduction
• 02:57 - Alto's unique business model
• 04:06 - Challenges of fleet management
• 08:54 - Partnership with Uber
• 16:18 - Benefits of Alto's model for Uber
• 21:56 - Unique experience in the rideshare industry
• 23:30 - Challenges and solutions in fleet management
• 27:14 - The Alto Fleet and electrification
• 29:25 - Potential Downsides of the Partnership
• 34:00 - Alto’s Place in the Autonomous Vehicle Market
• 38:25 - Alto’s reaction to the Waymo Business
• 40:46 - Future Plans and Closing Remarks

Alto: https://ridealto.com
Will Coleman’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-coleman
RSG179: Redefining Rideshare with Alto
RSG203: An Update on Alto
Harry’s Newsletter: The Driverless Digest

In this episode, Harry speaks with Jeremy Bird, the Executive Vice President of Driver Experience at Lyft. They discuss Jeremy's role and responsibilities, including his focus on autonomous vehicles (AV) and their integration into Lyft’s services. Jeremy emphasizes the importance of having an open and honest conversation about the impact of AVs on human drivers, highlighting the potential for a hybrid future where both AVs and human-driven cars coexist. He mentions Lyft's upcoming partnership with May Mobility to introduce AVs on the platform and stresses the need for economic mobility and support for drivers. The conversation also covers Lyft’s commitment to driver earnings, transparency, and new initiatives like an enhanced rewards program and opportunities for drivers to advance or transition in their careers. Jeremy asserts that while AVs may bring changes, the goal is to grow the overall market and improve the driver and rider experience.

• 00:30 Intros
• 2:13 What is Lyft’s main focus right now?
• 5:00 Should drivers be worried about AVs?
• 7:07 What has Waymo’s growth been like?
• 10:04 How will Lyft assist drivers with the rise of AVs?
• 13:15 Will humans be an option in the future?
• 17:40 Are humans in competition with AVs?
• 25:06 Will drivers earn less money because of AVs?
• 29:29 Will driving for Lyft get better or worse in the future?
• 31:20 What is causing Lyft’s success?
• 34:53 How does Lyft compare with Uber?
• 38:48 Where to find Jeremy

https://www.lyft.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-bird-6a03aa11/

https://x.com/jeremybird

In this episode, Harry speaks with Justin Pappan, founder of EV Access, who discusses the inception and growth of his electric vehicle rental service based in Phoenix, Arizona. Three years since its founding, EV Access caters to both visitors and Uber drivers, offering flexible rental options and a focus on customer service. The conversation covers Justin's experiences as a Tesla owner, the operational challenges and strategies of managing an EV fleet, and the company’s future plans, including preparation for autonomous vehicle integration. Justin also delves into the insurance and financial aspects of fleet management, the advantages of Tesla's technology in tracking and maintenance, and innovative marketing tactics. Lastly, he touches on the potential for partnerships and the importance of being prepared for the shift to driverless vehicles.

• EV Access: https://evaccess.io/
• Justin Pappan's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-pappan/

• 00:30 Introduction to Justin Pappan and EV Access
• 00:51 Personal Connection and Tesla Experience
• 01:40 Challenges and Solutions in EV Rentals
• 02:34 Business Model and Future Plans
• 03:42 Fleet Details and Market Strategies
• 06:27 Operational Insights and Customer Education
• 17:25 Financial Strategies and Vehicle Partnerships
• 24:47 Advice and Industry Insights
• 26:18 The Challenges of Creating Authentic Content
• 26:45 The Value of Real-World Experience in Online Courses
• 29:06 Navigating the Car Rental Market
• 30:45 Effective Marketing Tactics for Fleet Owners
• 33:51 The Importance of Diversifying Platforms
• 41:17 Tools and Strategies for Fleet Management
• 42:21 Insurance Challenges in the Ride-Share Industry
• 45:57 Preparing for an Autonomous Vehicle Future
• 50:06 Conclusion and Contact Information

• Listen to these podcasts mentioned in the show:
• RSG261: EV Fleet Charging With Bluedot - Martin Hamedani: https://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/show/therideshareguy/id/32888257
• RSG139: Ed Walker on Managing Insurance for Shared Mobility Operators: https://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/show/therideshareguy/id/15512057

In this episode, Harry interviews Garrett Wood, the founder and CEO of GetScale. Garrett discusses how GetScale uses one-on-one conversations combined with proprietary data and technology to recruit and motivate individuals for gig economy roles. He shares his extensive experience from his time at Uber, where he helped build and scale the first driver recruiting team. The conversation delves into the challenges and strategies of driver acquisition, onboarding, and conversion, including the importance of motivation and real conversations. Garrett also covers the operational details of GetScale's services and how they enhance recruitment processes for large gig economy businesses.

• Garrett’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garrettscottwood/
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/get-scale/
• https://www.getscale.com/
• 00:32 Introduction to Garrett Wood and GetScale
• 02:51 Garrett's Journey at Uber
• 05:06 Challenges and Strategies in Driver Recruitment
• 07:43 The Role of Motivation in Driver Conversion
• 12:50 GetScale's Approach to Recruitment
• 19:42 Tactical Insights for Gig Economy Companies
• 34:05 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In this episode, Harry interviews Martin Hamadani, Vice President of Partnerships at Blue Dot. Martin discusses his role in leading the commercial and growth efforts for Blue Dot's B2B fleet business, highlighting his extensive experience in scaling startups and business development. They delve into Blue Dot’s solutions for public and home charging for EV fleets, focusing on the integration of various public chargers into a single platform for ease of use. Martin also explains Blue Dot’s value propositions for corporate fleets, gig drivers, and rental companies, emphasizing the importance of a unified EV charging experience. Topics include the benefits and challenges of EV adoption, the impact of Tesla's supercharging network, and strategies for fleet management. Martin concludes by sharing insights on the company's engagement at trade shows and future plans.

• 00:32 Introduction to Martin Hamadani and Blue Dot
• 01:14 The Evolution of Blue Dot's EV Solutions
• 03:53 Addressing Public Charging Challenges
• 06:34 Home Charging Solutions for Fleets
• 9:22 EV Charging for Rideshare Drivers
• 17:06 Tesla vs. Non-Tesla EVs in Fleets
• 22:33 Charging Flexibility and Costs
• 24:21 Fleet Owners and Corporate Partnerships
• 26:47 Exploring Car Sharing and Rentals
• 36:18 Challenges and Best Practices for Fleet EV Adoption
• 40:50 Conclusion and Contact Information

Martin’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinhamedani/

In this episode Harry speaks with Kathryn Webster. Kathryn is an associate at KKR, a global investment firm investing across private markets in every asset class all over the world. She is also the founder of Together Achieving Dreams Foundation, bridging the gap between potential and possibility for the blind and low vision.

• 0:00 Intros
• 3:48 How should riders refer to blind passengers?
• 5:33 What is it like calling a ride as a blind person?
• 12:09 How should service animals be referred to?
• 16:58 What questions can you ask regarding service dogs?
• 22:37 What should a driver do if they are scared of dogs?
• 28:11 What does Kathryn think of fake service dogs?

Links/references from the show:

• Kathryn’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathryncornellwebster/
• Lyft’s Anti-Discrimination Policies: https://help.lyft.com/hc/en-us/all/articles/115012923767-Anti-Discrimination-Policies
• Lyft’s Service Animal Policy: https://help.lyft.com/hc/en-us/all/articles/115013080048-Service-animal-policy
• Downloadable Policy Copy Service Animal FAQ and Policy: https://assets.ctfassets.net/ecaxsf5u3xse/37rxua7DcxdyiAPFyVNN2s/3acbe37181e66fe3744f98ef1d3853c2/Service_Animal_Policy.pdf
• 3-Minute How-To Service Animals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SppA9cmanfY
• Service Animal Hotline: 1-844-554-1297 for direct phone support

In this episode Harry speaks with Maria. Maria is the VP/MG of Gig at Getaround, the world's leading connected carsharing platform, on a mission toward empowering people to carshare everywhere.

• Maria’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-briskman-ba7802138/
• 0:00
• 1:30 What is the joint between Getaround and HyreCar?
• 7:49 How can this partnership benefit drivers?
• 10:11 What markets is this available in?
• 14:57 What has Maria observed about successful drivers?
• 21:00 What’s it like to be a renter or an owner?
• 23:40 What are some new things coming?
• 27:00 Are renters or owners more in demand?