Ride shares allow individuals to be picked up by drivers who happen to be driving by. Though these drivers work as independent contractors for the ride share company, they do not work under the ride share company: they are entirely independent.
A Lack of Standards and Regulations
Many ride share companies do only rudimentary criminal background checks or don’t check criminal backgrounds at all. This can be incredibly dangerous: a rider never knows who they are getting into a vehicle with. Vehicles are also not inspected. While the vehicles need to be registered, the standards are very low: one popular ride share company only asks that they be less than 10 years old. This lack of standards and regulations has not gone unnoticed and is the reason that many companies are trying to shut ride share services down altogether.
Incomprehensible and Unpredictable Pricing Schemes
The main allure of a ride share company is to save money but this isn’t always the case. Ride share companies have made news in recent months due to their unpredictable pricing, which isn’t always noticeable until the end of the ride. Most ride share companies will increase their rates significantly based on demand and this results in pricing that can fluctuate from hour to hour. Consumers can find themselves paying significantly more for a ride share service than a limousine if their timing is wrong.
A Question of Customer Service and Accountability
So what happens when something goes wrong with a ride sharing program? That’s a good question. Ride sharing programs claim that they aren’t in the business of selling rides. In fact, they claim that they are purely social media applications; they broadcast that you are looking for a ride and someone answers your call. Thus, the ride sharing program itself isn’t considered liable for, well, your ride. If you are injured in an accident, charged the wrong amount of money or simply unhappy with the customer service you received, you don’t have any clear individual or company to hold accountable. The fact that most ride share companies don’t have the same insurance as limousine services is similarly concerning.
Until regulations increase in the ride sharing industry, the industry remains quite unpredictable and dangerous. Riders who are interested in trying out a ride share service should be cautious and should take steps to protect themselves, both physically and financially. The best way to avoid any issues is to secure your ride with a fully insured and licensed car service provider such as Platinum Plus. Whether it’s for airport transportation or transportation for groups, we have many options to fit your needs.