| Vol. 4 Welcome to the 4th edition of our bi-weekly recap of the latest and greatest in connected and on-demand mobility. We hope you and your loved ones are staying safe as we navigate the impact of COVID-19 on the mobility industry. If you’re not already receiving this email, you should be: Subscribe |
| GSA’s new governmentwide contract standardizes use of gig economy for agencies Federal News Network, April 27th Ridesharing companies Uber and Lyft, and their drivers particularly, are taking a big financial hit — much as 80% according to some estimates — during the coronavirus pandemic. But when things return to normal, the two gig economy giants are primed to take advantage of a five-year blanket purchase agreement with a $810 million ceiling to transport federal employees. |
| Waymo launches 5th gen autonomous tech on a Jaguar I-Pace CarScoops, April 23rd Waymo, the self-driving development company established by Google, has introduced the latest, fifth-generation “Driver” suite of hardware and software that basically allows a car to be driven without human input. |
| POST COVID-19: Hyundai Motor advised to diversify lease, customized services, supply chain Pulse, April 27th South Korean auto conglomerate Hyundai Motor Group is mulling to enhance car-sharing or subscription and customized design services while diversifying supply chain beyond China as it readies for a new environment after the coronavirus pandemic has underscored the vulnerabilities of traditional vehicle manufacturing system. |
| GM’s car-sharing service, Maven, shuts down after four years Car and Driver, April 22nd General Motors announced that it’s closing its Maven ride-sharing program after three years, a casualty of the coronavirus pandemic that has kept people sheltering at home. |
| Chinese driverless car firm launches autonomous deliveries in California as lockdown continues CNBC, April 17th Chinese driverless car start-up Pony.ai has launched a delivery service in Irvine, California using its autonomous vehicles as people remain stuck at home due to the coronavirus outbreak. |
| Hertz Car Rental suffers massive layoffs, stock drop from COVID-19 pandemic Forbes, April 24th To cut costs, Hertz announced April 20 that it would lay off 10,000 of the 29,000 employees in its North America operation. But with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on travel. the hits just keep on coming. |
| Lyft to stay at Phoenix Sky Harbor despite new rideshare fees ABC5 Arizona, April 21st Rideshare company Lyft says it will continue service at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport despite new rideshare fees set to start next month. |
| Uber launches website to help drivers navigate U.S. unemployment system Reuters, April 21st Uber Technologies Inc (UBER.N) on Tuesday launched a website to help its ride-hail and delivery drivers navigate the intricate U.S. unemployment system, with many gig workers still waiting to receive jobless pay provided under a U.S. coronavirus response bill. |
| Electric scooter maker Gogoro is entering the US, but not how you’d think Electrek, April 27th Gogoro is a Taiwanese-based electric scooter and battery manufacturer that has gobbled up market share while competing against traditional gas-powered scooters in its home market. Fans of the company’s electric scooters and novel battery swap technology have long pined for Gogoro to enter the US and Europe. And now Gogoro has announced plans to enter the US market in May under the brand name Eeyo, followed by a European entry later this summer. But there’s a catch. |
| Dallas one of 14 international cities with Lime’s new COVID-19 scooter program Culture Map, April 27th Lime, the scooter company, is rolling out a new scooter service designed to help health care workers and first responders in the coronavirus pandemic. Called Lime Aid, it provides free 30-minute rides for public-health personnel and law-enforcement officers, in select cities around the world. That includes Dallas and Austin, plus Baltimore, Nashville, Oklahoma City, and Salt Lake City, but also Paris, Cologne, and Tel Aviv. |
| Uber rideshare revenue ticking upwards after dramatic fall Skift, April 20th If you are desperate for any glimmers of hope despite much of the economy tanking, then consider that Uber’s rideshare revenue in the United States increased an estimated 52 percent last week compared with a week earlier. |
| UPS and CVS will use drones to deliver prescriptions in Florida The Verge, April 27th UPS and CVS are teaming up to deliver prescription medicine via drone to residents of The Villages retirement community in Florida. The service, which will use Matternet’s M2 drones, is being conducted with authorization from the Federal Aviation Administration. |
