Our Kilometer.in Mobile App featured in APPWORLD magazine. Please check it out in October month issue
Friday, 10 October 2014
Wednesday, 17 September 2014
New Uber, Lyft, Sidecar insurance rules signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown
New Ride Sharing Insruance rules signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown
New Uber, Lyft, Sidecar insurance rules signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown
FILE - In this Jan. 17, 2013, file photo, a Lyft car crosses Market Street in San Francisco. (Jeff Chiu/AP Photo)
SACRAMENTO
-- Online ride-sharing companies will provide more insurance for
drivers under a law signed Wednesday by Gov. Jerry Brown, capping a year
of intense wrangling between the nascent industry and lawmakers.
A deal was struck just before the end of the Legislature's session
last month on AB2293 by Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla, D-Concord. She
issued a statement Wednesday saying it protects consumers but also
"represents much more than that."
"This measure symbolizes business flexibility, consumer
affordability, political compromise and, most importantly, what true
public policy should be -- a collective process for all stakeholders to
contribute," Bonilla said.
Ride-sharing companies like Uber, Sidecar and Lyft connect
passengers and drivers through smartphone apps, but it's not sharing
in
the casual carpool sense: The passengers pay the drivers, who are
considered independent contractors.
The new law will let insurers create
new commercial policies for the fast-growing industry, and it specifies
that personal policies no longer will cover the drivers' commercial
activity starting next July.
From the moment a driver turns on the company's smartphone app,
the company must provide $50,000 in liability coverage for death or
injury to a single person; $100,000 in coverage for all damages in a
single accident; and $30,000 for property damage. In addition, $200,000
of excess liability coverage is required when the driver's personal
policy is insufficient. The company then must provide $1 million in
coverage once the driver is matched with a passenger.
An earlier version of the bill required up to $750,000 insurance
from the moment the app is turned on. The ride-sharing companies had
fought back, arguing that's far more than what's required of taxis --
and for a time in which drivers aren't even on the clock yet.
Armand Feliciano, vice president of the Association of California
Insurance Companies, issued a statement Wednesday praising the new law.
"Once again California is leading the way in forging public policy
to meet the needs of new innovations," he said, adding that Bonilla and
Brown "brought stakeholders together and were able to reach a middle
ground that most of the parties, including Uber and Lyft, could
support."The state Senate passed the bill on a 30-4 vote, and the Assembly passed it 67-0.
Josh Richman covers politics. Follow him at Twitter.com/Josh_Richman. Read the Political Blotter at IBAbuzz.com/politics.
Ride Serives decimate S.F Taxi Industry's business
Ride Services decimate S.F Taxi business
Ride services decimate S.F. taxi industry's business
Brant Ward/San Francisco Chronicle
Yellow
Cab driver John Lyman emerges from his car on California Street Tuesday
August 5, 2014 in San Francisco, Calif. Yellow Cab taxi driver John
Lyman uses an application called Taxi Magic, which will soon be called
Curb, to get more fares in an effort to compete with on-demand services
like Uber and Lyft. Photo: Brant Ward, San Francisco Chronicle
The fall of the taxi
industry in San Francisco, as less-regulated ride services have taken
hold, has been both steep and sharp. The number of trips taken by taxi
plummeted 65 percent in just 15 months, according to a report presented
to the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency board Tuesday.
It's
been evident that the booming popularity of app-dispatched ride services
like Lyft and Uber have dramatically eaten into the taxi industry's
business. But the report on the status of the taxi industry reveals the
depth of the impact.
The average number of trips per taxi has been on a steady slide - from 1,424 per month in March 2012 to 504 this July.
The new ride services "have dramatically changed the for-hire transportation industry in San Francisco," said Kate Toran, the city's new taxis and accessible services director.
While the MTA regulates the taxi industry, the state Public Utilities Commission has claimed jurisdiction over the new ride services, which typically contract with people to use their personal cars to carry passengers who hail them with a smartphone app.
The new companies, unlike taxi operators, have lesser insurance requirements, no restrictions on the number of vehicles they put on the streets, no clean-air standards and less-stringent background checks. The newcomers say they're replacing a failed industry, while the taxi companies claim they're underregulated scofflaws.
Among biggest impacts of the ride services has been the drop in taxi rides taken by people in ramp taxis, which carry people in wheelchairs. As the ride services have grown and the number of cabs has diminished, so has the availability of wheelchair-accessible taxis, which are costlier to operate. The number of pickups in ramp taxis dropped from a high of 1,378 in March 2013 to just 768 in July. The ride services are not required to pick up people in wheelchairs. MTA officials have offered incentives to cab companies to keep more ramp taxis on the road.
The agency has already taken steps to keep taxis part of the city's transportation landscape by reducing or eliminating fees and streamlining regulations. They've also required electronic information systems in all cabs and encouraged the use of dispatching apps. Most cabs now use electronic hailing apps similar to what the ride services offer.
But MTA directors and some taxi drivers and managers said more is needed. Director Malcolm Heinicke wants to make it mandatory for taxis to have e-hailing apps, and taxi drivers said they want the city to keep ride services and limousines out of transit-only lanes and taxi stands.
The average number of trips per taxi has been on a steady slide - from 1,424 per month in March 2012 to 504 this July.
The new ride services "have dramatically changed the for-hire transportation industry in San Francisco," said Kate Toran, the city's new taxis and accessible services director.
While the MTA regulates the taxi industry, the state Public Utilities Commission has claimed jurisdiction over the new ride services, which typically contract with people to use their personal cars to carry passengers who hail them with a smartphone app.
The new companies, unlike taxi operators, have lesser insurance requirements, no restrictions on the number of vehicles they put on the streets, no clean-air standards and less-stringent background checks. The newcomers say they're replacing a failed industry, while the taxi companies claim they're underregulated scofflaws.
Among biggest impacts of the ride services has been the drop in taxi rides taken by people in ramp taxis, which carry people in wheelchairs. As the ride services have grown and the number of cabs has diminished, so has the availability of wheelchair-accessible taxis, which are costlier to operate. The number of pickups in ramp taxis dropped from a high of 1,378 in March 2013 to just 768 in July. The ride services are not required to pick up people in wheelchairs. MTA officials have offered incentives to cab companies to keep more ramp taxis on the road.
The agency has already taken steps to keep taxis part of the city's transportation landscape by reducing or eliminating fees and streamlining regulations. They've also required electronic information systems in all cabs and encouraged the use of dispatching apps. Most cabs now use electronic hailing apps similar to what the ride services offer.
But MTA directors and some taxi drivers and managers said more is needed. Director Malcolm Heinicke wants to make it mandatory for taxis to have e-hailing apps, and taxi drivers said they want the city to keep ride services and limousines out of transit-only lanes and taxi stands.
Michael Cabanatuan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ctuan
Wednesday, 27 August 2014
Monday, 18 August 2014
Tuesday, 20 May 2014
Define Magazine features kilometer.in service in their May'14 Issue
kilometer.in featured in the Define Magazine (Page no 11) http://issuu.com/define-magazine/docs/define_magazine_puducherry_may_2014
Wednesday, 26 March 2014
How the Sharing Economy Opens New Doors for Travelers
You travel thousands of miles to experience new cultures. So why
would you settle for a generic hotel or nondescript tourist restaurant?
The burgeoning peer-to-peer or sharing-economy movement allows travelers
to skip the traditional booking options and live la vita local
by staying in other people's homes, driving their cars, eating in their
kitchens, and otherwise, seeing a new destination through their eyes.
Why share? After the economic downturn, people developed innovative ways to make money by sharing resources they already had, such as houses, vehicles, and skills, creating a new economy based on collaborative consumption. While this power-to-the-people movement has mobilized an army of microentrepreneurs, it has also resulted in traveler benefits ranging from practical (savings, convenience, and personalized attention) to enriching (authentic experiences and real human connection). It also supports local communities and encourages sustainability.
A travel style favored by generations of backpackers, peer-to-peer has grown meteorically and become more accessible in recent years through the use of the Internet and social media, both of which help connect travelers with hosts and services.
Here are some of the more popular ways to travel in today's sharing economy, from house swapping to unique tours guided by locals.
Share a House
From crashing on a stranger's couch to sleeping in a luxurious
penthouse suite, the trend of staying in alternative accommodations such
as apartments, villas, or even single rooms in private homes has
exploded over the past few years, mainly thanks to Airbnb, an online community marketplace for homeowners and travelers that debuted in 2008.
The site grew quickly via word of mouth, attracting people who liked the local experiences it provided. According to Airbnb, "When you stay in an Airbnb [property], you have the opportunity to learn from a local. Airbnb hosts can give you insider knowledge you couldn't find elsewhere. Hosts have a ton of local pride and are generally eager to share their tips with you to make your trip even more amazing."
While Airbnb has recently hit the mainstream, the concept of home sharing is not new. Started as a pre-Internet business in 1992, HomeExchange, a house-swapping service popularized by the movie The Holiday, has been connecting traveling homeowners for decades. Nevertheless, the company, which offers free accommodations via a true one-to-one home swap, has received a boost from the current sharing-economy movement.
According to Ed Kushins, founder and president of the company, "Collaborative consumption is turning things that used to be private into something that can be used or rented. Sharing is still a transaction, but with HomeExchange, there is no money changing hands and you get your house back. It's like having a guest in your house."
Staying in someone's home—as opposed to booking a hotel—can make a vacation more affordable and add convenience, both in terms of perks and personal interactions. Kushins says, "You can save on food bills by not eating at a restaurant for every meal, and there are no early check-in or checkout rules; plus you get personal instructions and accommodations and get to meet people, often friends of the exchange partner."
A bevy of similar websites offer lodging options varying from free to paid and simple to luxurious. Travelers can crash and see the town with a local through Couchsurfing or pitch a tent in someone's yard with Campinmygarden.com. Airbnb competitor Roomorama has listings for short-term rentals, and the like-minded FlatClub leverages social media "clubs" to create an additional layer of trust. Onefinestay focuses on a curated listing of more upscale homes.
Share a Ride
Once you've booked a stay in a stranger's home, the next natural step into the peer-to-peer world is driving a stranger's car, which has appeal for travelers wanting to save money and get more personalized service when they hit the road.
Typically, car sharing involves renting cars for short periods of time, often by the hour. An alternative to car ownership, this helps keep unnecessary vehicles off the road, thus making things a little easier on the environment. In recent years, it has expanded to fulfill the longer-term needs of travelers, who can rent directly from car owners (often other travelers who have parked at the airport) on a daily basis, making use of underutilized vehicles and avoiding the hassles associated with traditional car rentals.
RelayRides, a car-sharing marketplace focused on U.S. airports, started out emulating the Zipcar model with on-demand, hourly car rentals, but found that it was more competitive with traditional car-rental companies such as Hertz and Avis.
According to Steven Webb, RelayRides' Director of Community and Communications, "[Our customers] were people who already had cars but wanted them for specialty purposes [like travel] and would like something more convenient and affordable than traditional rentals."
Webb claims that car sharing saves travelers up to 40 percent and provides them with the added benefits of choosing their car and getting picked up at the airport by the owner (rather than waiting in a long line and getting whatever happens to be in the lot at that moment). In other words, if you choose a red 2014 Toyota Prius from the site's listing, you'll get to drive that exact same red 2014 Toyota Prius.
Another option, FlightCar, allows prescreened drivers to rent from people who have parked their cars at the airport. Owners get free airport parking, a car wash, and payment if their car is rented out, and renters receive low rates and free curbside pickup and drop-off at Boston, Los Angeles, and San Francisco airports. There's no waiting in line, no paperwork, and none of the hidden ancillary fees that have been plaguing car renters for years.
Similar services include Hubber, Getaround, and JustShareIt, which offers cars plus motorcycles and other vehicles.
Taxi alternatives Uber, Lyft (you've probably seen the fuzzy pink mustaches adhered to bumpers), and Sidecar provide on-demand ride sharing via smartphone apps. Spinlister offers sharing options for bicycles (as well as skis and snowboards). And if you want to set sail, GetMyBoat will help you find the perfect vessel.
Share a Meal
Houses and vehicles aren't the only things up for collaborative
consumption. People are craving authentic experiences through food. And
plenty of new websites are making it easier to connect passionate
chefs—and grandmothers—with hungry travelers who want to share
home-cooked meals with locals in just about any destination around the
world.
These social dining sites—through which you can book meals or cooking classes in someone's private kitchen—fill the need of an ever-growing niche of travelers who have become dissatisfied with generic food options available at resorts and tourist restaurants and want more memorable meals that reflect the local culture. They are more immersive and offer personalization, since hosts often build meals around specific dietary preferences (e.g., a four-course vegetarian dinner in Naples, Italy) or even tailor set menus to suit individual needs.
Noah Karesh cofounded Feastly in 2013 to help people "understand local culture and connect." He says, "It's a vehicle to sustain relationships and provide meaningful interaction around food. … Meal options range from $5 mac and cheese to $100 multicourse meals and can accommodate all dietary lifestyles." Currently, the site offers experiences in New York, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco as well as a number of other U.S. cities.
EatWith, a site with a similar mission, launched a year ago and has a presence in more than 30 countries. According to Marketing Director Katie Sorene, the two cofounders were disappointed in tourist restaurants in Greece, where they didn't learn anything about Greek culture; they found that having dinner in peoples' homes was the best experience. She says, "It's more personal and is incomparable to going to restaurants since hosts invite friends and other travelers. It appeals to travelers who are interested in culture and want to taste local food and meet people."
EatWithaLocal, Meal Sharing, and Cookening also offer social dining options in multiple cities, and Home Food focuses on Italy.
Share an Experience
A street-art walk in Brooklyn, a tour of Paris from the back of a 1975 Vespa, and even a fishing trip with a Fijian king: When it comes to seeing a destination, websites like Vayable are helping travelers find unique experiences tailored to specific interests by connecting them to vetted local guides.
According to founder Jamie Wong, "Travelers benefit by building connections with locals, which comes to define the trip." These tours also bring people into new neighborhoods, away from the typical tourist spots and cookie-cutter activities.
But sharing an experience can benefit more than the traveler. Wong says, "The money gives back to local communities. Economic distribution helps empower individuals to support themselves and reroutes capital into pockets of individuals."
Wong created Vayable out of what she recognized as a collective longing for authentic experiences. She says, "The 2008 economic crash gave birth to a need for human connection and experiential travel. People found that money doesn't make them happy. Experiences do." Started in 2011 in San Francisco, the website has blossomed in the past three years to include 600 destinations around the world.
CanaryHop, a marketplace for activities and tours, and online community GuidedByALocal offer more options for connecting travelers with local experiences.
Trust and Safety in the Sharing Economy
The potential for sharing resources, human connection, and cultural exchange may be appealing, but many travelers are left with a simple question: Is peer-to-peer travel safe?
For example, most of these services use multilayered vetting systems that include verifying identities through credit cards, phone numbers, social media accounts, etc. You can also read through profiles and verified reviews or check references of a given host.
RelayRides uses a two-way review system, in which car owners rate drivers and vice versa. The company also checks driving records and offers an insurance product for renters that includes liability and collision as well as roadside assistance and customer support.
Some sites have built-in functionalities for direct messaging between guests and hosts, which allows them to get to know each other while protecting their personal identities. According to Kushins, "By the time you agree to the exchange, the fear has gone away. You get to see and learn about the person, and the natural apprehension you have dissipates."
Meal-sharing businesses like EatWith and Feastly follow federal or local food-safety regulations. Both sites also have systems in place to verify chefs, either through tools like Skype or by sending "ambassadors" to test out the food and overall dining experience.
The Future of Peer-to-Peer Travel
While the sharing economy defies the status quo set by traditional business models, it's facing its share of challenges over legitimacy and perceived competition.
For example, Airbnb is currently in legal battles with New York for listing "illegal" apartment rentals and for costing the state millions in hotel tax dollars. San Francisco airport sued FlightCar for skirting the airport fees that traditional car-rental agencies pay. And, according to Reuters, Seattle just voted to limit the expansion of ride-share companies like Uber, Lyft, and Sidecar and require that drivers and cars meet the same insurance standards as taxis.
Despite the rules imposed by regulatory bodies and competition-fearing companies, sharing-economy advocates are optimistic and believe the key to success lies in collaboration.
According to Airbnb, "The sharing economy is a new paradigm for people, but when we work together, leaders and community members around the world quickly see how Airbnb makes communities stronger."
Some say issues around legality will become irrelevant as the peer-to-peer movement legitimizes and becomes part of the mainstream and its benefits to the economy are realized.
According to Karesh, "The sharing economy is seeing a massive transformation. In the next five years it will not be a new economy but will be part of the economy." Concerning the travel industry, Wong says, "It expands the tourism market with regard to communities and sustainability. … It's not displacing the old market but creating a new one."
Do you participate in the sharing economy as a traveler or host? Have you tried any of these peer-to-peer sites? If so, tell us about your experience in the comments below.
Why share? After the economic downturn, people developed innovative ways to make money by sharing resources they already had, such as houses, vehicles, and skills, creating a new economy based on collaborative consumption. While this power-to-the-people movement has mobilized an army of microentrepreneurs, it has also resulted in traveler benefits ranging from practical (savings, convenience, and personalized attention) to enriching (authentic experiences and real human connection). It also supports local communities and encourages sustainability.
A travel style favored by generations of backpackers, peer-to-peer has grown meteorically and become more accessible in recent years through the use of the Internet and social media, both of which help connect travelers with hosts and services.
Here are some of the more popular ways to travel in today's sharing economy, from house swapping to unique tours guided by locals.
Share a House
 |
 |
The site grew quickly via word of mouth, attracting people who liked the local experiences it provided. According to Airbnb, "When you stay in an Airbnb [property], you have the opportunity to learn from a local. Airbnb hosts can give you insider knowledge you couldn't find elsewhere. Hosts have a ton of local pride and are generally eager to share their tips with you to make your trip even more amazing."
While Airbnb has recently hit the mainstream, the concept of home sharing is not new. Started as a pre-Internet business in 1992, HomeExchange, a house-swapping service popularized by the movie The Holiday, has been connecting traveling homeowners for decades. Nevertheless, the company, which offers free accommodations via a true one-to-one home swap, has received a boost from the current sharing-economy movement.
According to Ed Kushins, founder and president of the company, "Collaborative consumption is turning things that used to be private into something that can be used or rented. Sharing is still a transaction, but with HomeExchange, there is no money changing hands and you get your house back. It's like having a guest in your house."
Staying in someone's home—as opposed to booking a hotel—can make a vacation more affordable and add convenience, both in terms of perks and personal interactions. Kushins says, "You can save on food bills by not eating at a restaurant for every meal, and there are no early check-in or checkout rules; plus you get personal instructions and accommodations and get to meet people, often friends of the exchange partner."
A bevy of similar websites offer lodging options varying from free to paid and simple to luxurious. Travelers can crash and see the town with a local through Couchsurfing or pitch a tent in someone's yard with Campinmygarden.com. Airbnb competitor Roomorama has listings for short-term rentals, and the like-minded FlatClub leverages social media "clubs" to create an additional layer of trust. Onefinestay focuses on a curated listing of more upscale homes.
Share a Ride
Once you've booked a stay in a stranger's home, the next natural step into the peer-to-peer world is driving a stranger's car, which has appeal for travelers wanting to save money and get more personalized service when they hit the road.
Typically, car sharing involves renting cars for short periods of time, often by the hour. An alternative to car ownership, this helps keep unnecessary vehicles off the road, thus making things a little easier on the environment. In recent years, it has expanded to fulfill the longer-term needs of travelers, who can rent directly from car owners (often other travelers who have parked at the airport) on a daily basis, making use of underutilized vehicles and avoiding the hassles associated with traditional car rentals.
RelayRides, a car-sharing marketplace focused on U.S. airports, started out emulating the Zipcar model with on-demand, hourly car rentals, but found that it was more competitive with traditional car-rental companies such as Hertz and Avis.
According to Steven Webb, RelayRides' Director of Community and Communications, "[Our customers] were people who already had cars but wanted them for specialty purposes [like travel] and would like something more convenient and affordable than traditional rentals."
Webb claims that car sharing saves travelers up to 40 percent and provides them with the added benefits of choosing their car and getting picked up at the airport by the owner (rather than waiting in a long line and getting whatever happens to be in the lot at that moment). In other words, if you choose a red 2014 Toyota Prius from the site's listing, you'll get to drive that exact same red 2014 Toyota Prius.
Another option, FlightCar, allows prescreened drivers to rent from people who have parked their cars at the airport. Owners get free airport parking, a car wash, and payment if their car is rented out, and renters receive low rates and free curbside pickup and drop-off at Boston, Los Angeles, and San Francisco airports. There's no waiting in line, no paperwork, and none of the hidden ancillary fees that have been plaguing car renters for years.
Similar services include Hubber, Getaround, and JustShareIt, which offers cars plus motorcycles and other vehicles.
Taxi alternatives Uber, Lyft (you've probably seen the fuzzy pink mustaches adhered to bumpers), and Sidecar provide on-demand ride sharing via smartphone apps. Spinlister offers sharing options for bicycles (as well as skis and snowboards). And if you want to set sail, GetMyBoat will help you find the perfect vessel.
Share a Meal
 |
 |
These social dining sites—through which you can book meals or cooking classes in someone's private kitchen—fill the need of an ever-growing niche of travelers who have become dissatisfied with generic food options available at resorts and tourist restaurants and want more memorable meals that reflect the local culture. They are more immersive and offer personalization, since hosts often build meals around specific dietary preferences (e.g., a four-course vegetarian dinner in Naples, Italy) or even tailor set menus to suit individual needs.
Noah Karesh cofounded Feastly in 2013 to help people "understand local culture and connect." He says, "It's a vehicle to sustain relationships and provide meaningful interaction around food. … Meal options range from $5 mac and cheese to $100 multicourse meals and can accommodate all dietary lifestyles." Currently, the site offers experiences in New York, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco as well as a number of other U.S. cities.
EatWith, a site with a similar mission, launched a year ago and has a presence in more than 30 countries. According to Marketing Director Katie Sorene, the two cofounders were disappointed in tourist restaurants in Greece, where they didn't learn anything about Greek culture; they found that having dinner in peoples' homes was the best experience. She says, "It's more personal and is incomparable to going to restaurants since hosts invite friends and other travelers. It appeals to travelers who are interested in culture and want to taste local food and meet people."
EatWithaLocal, Meal Sharing, and Cookening also offer social dining options in multiple cities, and Home Food focuses on Italy.
Share an Experience
A street-art walk in Brooklyn, a tour of Paris from the back of a 1975 Vespa, and even a fishing trip with a Fijian king: When it comes to seeing a destination, websites like Vayable are helping travelers find unique experiences tailored to specific interests by connecting them to vetted local guides.
According to founder Jamie Wong, "Travelers benefit by building connections with locals, which comes to define the trip." These tours also bring people into new neighborhoods, away from the typical tourist spots and cookie-cutter activities.
But sharing an experience can benefit more than the traveler. Wong says, "The money gives back to local communities. Economic distribution helps empower individuals to support themselves and reroutes capital into pockets of individuals."
Wong created Vayable out of what she recognized as a collective longing for authentic experiences. She says, "The 2008 economic crash gave birth to a need for human connection and experiential travel. People found that money doesn't make them happy. Experiences do." Started in 2011 in San Francisco, the website has blossomed in the past three years to include 600 destinations around the world.
CanaryHop, a marketplace for activities and tours, and online community GuidedByALocal offer more options for connecting travelers with local experiences.
Trust and Safety in the Sharing Economy
The potential for sharing resources, human connection, and cultural exchange may be appealing, but many travelers are left with a simple question: Is peer-to-peer travel safe?
Advertisement
Many of these websites and apps do the initial vetting for you. So
while you are still essentially interacting with strangers, there are
many checks and balances along the way that help build trust and allow
you to make informed decisions.
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For example, most of these services use multilayered vetting systems that include verifying identities through credit cards, phone numbers, social media accounts, etc. You can also read through profiles and verified reviews or check references of a given host.
RelayRides uses a two-way review system, in which car owners rate drivers and vice versa. The company also checks driving records and offers an insurance product for renters that includes liability and collision as well as roadside assistance and customer support.
Some sites have built-in functionalities for direct messaging between guests and hosts, which allows them to get to know each other while protecting their personal identities. According to Kushins, "By the time you agree to the exchange, the fear has gone away. You get to see and learn about the person, and the natural apprehension you have dissipates."
Meal-sharing businesses like EatWith and Feastly follow federal or local food-safety regulations. Both sites also have systems in place to verify chefs, either through tools like Skype or by sending "ambassadors" to test out the food and overall dining experience.
The Future of Peer-to-Peer Travel
While the sharing economy defies the status quo set by traditional business models, it's facing its share of challenges over legitimacy and perceived competition.
For example, Airbnb is currently in legal battles with New York for listing "illegal" apartment rentals and for costing the state millions in hotel tax dollars. San Francisco airport sued FlightCar for skirting the airport fees that traditional car-rental agencies pay. And, according to Reuters, Seattle just voted to limit the expansion of ride-share companies like Uber, Lyft, and Sidecar and require that drivers and cars meet the same insurance standards as taxis.
Despite the rules imposed by regulatory bodies and competition-fearing companies, sharing-economy advocates are optimistic and believe the key to success lies in collaboration.
According to Airbnb, "The sharing economy is a new paradigm for people, but when we work together, leaders and community members around the world quickly see how Airbnb makes communities stronger."
Some say issues around legality will become irrelevant as the peer-to-peer movement legitimizes and becomes part of the mainstream and its benefits to the economy are realized.
According to Karesh, "The sharing economy is seeing a massive transformation. In the next five years it will not be a new economy but will be part of the economy." Concerning the travel industry, Wong says, "It expands the tourism market with regard to communities and sustainability. … It's not displacing the old market but creating a new one."
Do you participate in the sharing economy as a traveler or host? Have you tried any of these peer-to-peer sites? If so, tell us about your experience in the comments below.
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