Previously, the Ridesharing Forum team reported about some leading ridesharing apps and self-driving cars making their way back to Market Street after being banned from plying that road.
Passengers were eager for the comeback, until there were some other passengers who had bad experiences with their rides there. Here’s the story.
Garrett Leahy shared a piece on The San Francisco Standard, detailing their unfavorable experiences with Uber, Waymo, and Lyft on Market Street.
“On Wednesday, I took two Waymos, two Uber Blacks, and a Lyft Black ride, which are allowed to ferry passengers down the thoroughfare that had been off limits to cars (except taxis)…” they indicated, but buckled up next. “But as I learned firsthand, Waymos and some human ride-share drivers still prefer not to take the road less traveled. I often had to walk blocks to meet cars, and many avoided Market St. entirely. Some services suggested drop-off locations that are known to be dangerous at night.”
Let’s start with their experience with Waymo. They recounted how they pinned their location upon ordering the self-driven ride, but the car actually stopped elsewhere, but at least it was near the place they phad inned.
“The plan to put more cars back on Market St. has been sharply divisive – backed by businesses but hated by mobility advocates. The city first cleared only Waymo, but after Uber and Lyft threatened to sue over the robotaxis’ exclusive access, Uber Black and Lyft Black rides were added. Lurie’s office declined to comment, referring questions to the companies,” Leahy commented.
But then, that was not it. When they ordered another Waymo ride for another destination, there were people around who never wanted the car in, even bad-mouthing them.
They added that they encountered the same pinned location problem with Lyft, and even laughed at the official Lyft sign that says, “No need to rush when you’re driving in style.”
Then, worse, the Lyft driver he got even questioned the policy, saying that Lyft isn’t allowed in the location, so he stopped at another area. Isn’t he updated?
He then decided to call an Uber, but he also encountered the same problem. Wrong stop.
“The app sent me to Mason near Turk St., away from the city-designated pickup zone on Market St. near Mason St., but not too far. While I waited, a Mercedes pulled into a gated driveway nearby; a hunched-over man blocked the gate. The driver stepped out of the Mercedes, nudged the man’s ankle, and said, ‘Wake up.’,” he wrote.
Was he an isolated case? If you happen to have encountered either Waymo, Lyft, or Uber ride at Market Street, feel free to share your experiences here on this site.
Meanwhile, in other news, there are free rides that await senior citizens in Philadelphia due to the SEPTA service cuts.
The initiative is named the Uber Senior Ride Program, which helps senior citizens maintain access to stuff like grocery stores and doctors’ appointments.
“This innovative partnership is a prime example of how the private sector and community organizations can connect to fill critical gaps to support our neighbors,” the government said in their statement. “By providing a reliable transportation alternative, we’re helping ensure older Philadelphians can maintain their independence and dignity, while preserving their quality of life.”