Posted on 07/12/2015 12:09:17 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
*If you’ve never heard of ride-sharing, app-based taxi services like Uber and Lyft, you probably don’t get out much.
They are pretty much taking over the world.
And John Zimmer, who co-founded Lyft, even goes as far as saying that in five years, most millennials won’t own a car. They will see no need for it.
“You could actually start seeing the majority of millennials in the next five years or so saying there’s no reason I should get a car,” Zimmer told Mashable recently. “The car used to be the symbol of American freedom. Now it’s like …owning a $9,000 ball and chain, because you have $9,000 in expenses on your car every year.”
Sounds like something someone with a ride-sharing business would say.
But apparently there’s data to support his theory.
An article in Huffington Post states millennials are less likely to get driver’s licenses compared to previous generations; and according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, the number of cars purchased by people aged 18 to 34 fell by almost 30 percent from 2007 to 2011.
Of course this could be for a number of reasons. The economy; parents unable to foot the bill for a monthly car note.
And these days, the Generation Y’ers use skateboards, bikes and public transportation more often as a means of travel. So this could also lend itself to the reasons why they are not purchasing cars.
Yet it is true, as Mashable notes, that this millennial shift has contributed greatly to the success of ride-sharing companies like Lyft and Uber, whose worth is at least $2 billion and $40 billion respectively.
Not to mention the contributions of their parents and grandparents; who rely heavily on the service for their own means of regular transportation.
Yet and still, the jury is still out on whether or not cars will soon be obsolete for the Gen Y set. A survey conducted this year found that 43 percent of millennials are actually likely to purchase a car in the next five years.
“Whatever millennials do right now, it’s highly likely that they’ll drive more as they age into their 30s and 40s,” wrote reporter Emily Badger in an op-ed for The Washington Post last year. “The question is whether they’ll continue to drive less than their parents did at each stage of life — and whether future generations will replicate their patterns.”
AH! Hubby is also hooked up with a new thing that hasn’t really started yet that would let you summon up an appropriate vehicle for that kind of job.
Great song.
Red Barchetta was a prophetic song.
I bought an old Mercedes diesel for $100 11 years ago that I can’t kill. Other than fuel and liability insurance I pay nearly nothing.
“..there are people all over this country who live 25, 40, or 50+ miles from their jobs (one way) “
I’m in NJ and I’m one of those people. And even though this state is not that large geographically (we are the most densely populated though), judging by the traffic I am only one of many.
And I remember a couple of years ago, hubby and I went camping in VA, around Charlottsville I think. We had to drive about 30 minutes to the supermarket. It was far from a wilderness area, but I said there’s no way you could survive here without a car!
“Papercuts!”
LOL! At my full time job I’m actually working for an Insurance Defense law firm (they are the ones who would be the bad guys in movies) and I’m pretty sure death by papercut would NOT be covered under my insurance.
I bought a 92 ford ranger for 1500 4 years ago, 30 mpg on the highway, hauls everything, just won’t die.
The cost of insurance alone is too expensive. That's why my teenage sons can't get their driver's licenses.
When I was their age (30+ years ago), used cars could be bought for around $300-$400 apiece. And jobs were easier to find back then, too.
Insurance, mostly. They really jack up the rates if you make a minor mistake or two these days.
I think of neighbor so many years ago.
Turns out she had come from somewhere in the mid-West thinking it would be great living in LA. unfortunately no one told her that you can’t live here without a car.
The poor girl was stuck at home everyday! Nothing to do but watch TV. No life!
And, to increase her ignorance she heard a long, “It never rains in Southern California”. Yeah, we’re having a drought and no rain ... but most years, it rains. When it rains in Lo Angeles, the rain comes down strong!!! Lots of rain. And it goes o for days.
Poor girl, she probably still lives in the mid-west. Not a bad thing at all.
I wish i could drive for Uber. My car is very nice but it’s a sportswear. Do they t you drive a sports car?
You could only haul one passenger?
I pay $200/month in gas $150/month in insurance, probably $300/month in maintenance. That’s almost $8,000/yr.
They don’t limit the type of vehicle you drive, but you need an absolutely clean driving record and the car cannot be more than 10yrs old.
Remember that Hussein and his administration did his crony friends a favor and his leftist planners a boost and collected and demolished millions of good used cars. and people fell for it.
Yep, this is it. I commute in to SF on public transport because I sure as cow dung aren’t doing it it in the car.
The auto is my weekend toy.
I am wondering how those skate boards are going to work out on the Lemon Expressway? Maybe a little jaunt from Dallas to El Paso?
Okay, I’m ready to go! I’m glad to hear your husband has had a good experience with Uber!
Sorry for you.
Sounds like an urban thing. Kids in the boonies want a vehicle bad enough to resurrect one.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.