One of the automatic benefits of living in a start-up saturated city such as San Francisco is that you get to try new things all the time; some of which go on to be big things. There is an app or start up for pretty much everything.
Take Lyft (www.lyft.me) for example. Lyft is an on-demand ridesharing app for a cheaper, safer ride. It came about in response to the horrible city cab service and limited availabilities; Lyft provided an opportunity for locals with a car to give people rides in return for a suggested donation. All drivers are fully insured and background checked. There is also a driver and rider rating system integrated into the app to ensure some standards are in place.
My favourite thing about Lyft is that it is extremely easy to request a Lyft from the mobile app. A map view showing the whereabouts of the driver and the estimated time of arrival is much appreciated. I only had to link my credit card details at registration and don't have to worry about carrying cash or card with me with taking Lyft.
There are other alternative companies such as Lyft available in San Francisco, such as Uber and Side Car. I haven't yet tried their services but they offer the same service.
There is also the likes of Zipcar and Car2Go, a car sharing self-service where users pay for all inclusive use of car rentals by the hour. The cars are usually located through the city at different predetermined parking lots.
SO, how is taking a lift better than driving your own car and/or taking a cab?
1) Save money and time
A vehicle provides freedom but at the cost of quite a few pennies. One friend of mine calculated that she spends nearly $12,000 a year on her car - a sedan. Not on "blinging" up the car but for parking, insurance, tickets, check-ups, fuel, and replacements.
2) Less green house gas emissions
Having fewer cars on the road means reduced Greenhouse Gas (GHG) and improved air quality. The average passenger vehicle emits about 423 grams of CO2 per mile and 5.1 metric tons per year. Which is fueling global warming.
3) Less traffic
Everyone hates getting stuck in traffic. If you carpool you can go on the HOV lane and also contribute to less traffic. It's more fun to commute with others too! Does your work facilitate carpooling?
Do you currently carpool or take ride sharing options like Lyft? Or do you own a car and cannot fathom living life without it?
We are now living in an era where consumers are open to collaborative consumption. Now you can derive more value from a good, and socially benefit the environment and your community at the same time. Yay! Are we moving forward or backwards? Either way, I predict that this generation will be less materialistic. Okay, maybe not 'predict' but more 'wishful' that humans are advancing in this way.
And the greatest part is that these services are SO very easy to join and use on a regular basis. I used to desire a sleek gas guzzler to call my own, but after looking at the costs and benefits - its much healthier for the planet to choose the alternative of ride sharing and carpooling. In fact, at the moment, my roommates and I (five of us) all share one vehicle and it's working out very well so far!
==
Sources:
www.lyft.me
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Take Lyft (www.lyft.me) for example. Lyft is an on-demand ridesharing app for a cheaper, safer ride. It came about in response to the horrible city cab service and limited availabilities; Lyft provided an opportunity for locals with a car to give people rides in return for a suggested donation. All drivers are fully insured and background checked. There is also a driver and rider rating system integrated into the app to ensure some standards are in place. There are other alternative companies such as Lyft available in San Francisco, such as Uber and Side Car. I haven't yet tried their services but they offer the same service.
There is also the likes of Zipcar and Car2Go, a car sharing self-service where users pay for all inclusive use of car rentals by the hour. The cars are usually located through the city at different predetermined parking lots.
SO, how is taking a lift better than driving your own car and/or taking a cab?
1) Save money and time
A vehicle provides freedom but at the cost of quite a few pennies. One friend of mine calculated that she spends nearly $12,000 a year on her car - a sedan. Not on "blinging" up the car but for parking, insurance, tickets, check-ups, fuel, and replacements.
2) Less green house gas emissions
3) Less traffic
Everyone hates getting stuck in traffic. If you carpool you can go on the HOV lane and also contribute to less traffic. It's more fun to commute with others too! Does your work facilitate carpooling?
Do you currently carpool or take ride sharing options like Lyft? Or do you own a car and cannot fathom living life without it?
We are now living in an era where consumers are open to collaborative consumption. Now you can derive more value from a good, and socially benefit the environment and your community at the same time. Yay! Are we moving forward or backwards? Either way, I predict that this generation will be less materialistic. Okay, maybe not 'predict' but more 'wishful' that humans are advancing in this way.
And the greatest part is that these services are SO very easy to join and use on a regular basis. I used to desire a sleek gas guzzler to call my own, but after looking at the costs and benefits - its much healthier for the planet to choose the alternative of ride sharing and carpooling. In fact, at the moment, my roommates and I (five of us) all share one vehicle and it's working out very well so far!
==
Sources:
www.lyft.me
United States Environmental Protection Agency
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