Free Now extending beyond taxis

[watty]

Free Now looks to go beyond taxis with new services (Irish Times)

Taxi-hailing company Free Now intends to allow users in Ireland to access shared micromobility services such as electric bikes and e-scooters via third parties through its app from next year.  The company, which carried more than 20 million passengers in 2019, is also considering including access to car sharing services such as GoCar and Yuko on its platform as it seeks to expand its offerings locally.  Free Now already has partnerships with third-party providers such as e-scooter sharing service Voi in some markets, and country manager Niall Carson said it is now looking at providing something similar in Ireland.

The news comes as Mr Carson said the company had enjoyed a strong run-up to Christmas, after seeing passenger numbers slump by as much as 86 per cent in April due to Covid restrictions.  He said Free Now is in talks with a number of third-party providers about the provision of new services on its platform, including a well-known car-sharing company.

Rebranding

Free Now recorded record turnover of €22.2 million in 2019, up 30 per cent on the previous year. It also reported pretax losses of €2.9 million, however, up from €2.2 million in 2018 due to a big hike in expenditure related to its rebrand from MyTaxi.  “We carried over 20 million passengers in 2019, but this year the numbers are back considerably due to Covid, with our airport business in particular being badly hit. During the run-up to Christmas we have been doing almost 250,000 rides a week, but I expect numbers to drop back to around 60 per cent year on year with the reimposition of level 5 restrictions,” said Mr Carson.  “We have had an unexpected level of new app downloads in December and also a huge number of new passengers started to use the app as they ventured out after the easing of restrictions,” he added.

The company faced criticism after rebranding for the third time locally but Mr Carson said that as more services were added to its platform the rebrand makes more sense.  “The reason why we opted to remove the word taxi from our name is because we are now essentially a mobility-as-a-service provider and I think that it is becoming clearer as we offer other travel options,” he said.  “An additional benefit is that more services actually lead to more taxis being taken for journeys which are that big longer.”

Free Now’s expansion comes as legislation to allow e-scooters on Irish roads is expected to be passed shortly.  “In terms of e-scooters, currently we are working with partners such as Voi in some European markets, for example Germany, in Ireland we are very open to work with partners and are in conversation with Irish-founded Zipp Mobility and Zeus Scooters, ” said Mr Carson.

The company currently has about 14,000 taxi drivers on its books, and is optimistic that passenger numbers will rebound after Covid restrictions are eased next year.  “I think we’ll have more new passenger conversions as we come out of lockdown and as people begin to travel around much more,” said Mr Carson.

A bit like Uber.  Turnover up 30% to €22 million but pre-tax loses increased to €2.9 million!

If turnover = 22m with 14k drivers, that's approx €1.5k per driver.

[john m]

ON THEIR PLATFORM ...Not more services ?Big Dommos Twelve kids have the Free Now app downloaded so that is App penetration .Free Now intend to diversify the app by letting other service providers use theit platform .Lets say Dial a Gargle .or rent a Ride your friendly whore provider .You arrive in Dublin open your Free Now App to get a taxi .In app will be sub apps that the provider pays Free Now to piggyback things like book a table in a restaurant or a Massage or rent a room or Paddy Power .This does not mean Free Now are going to own Whores or Restaurants or Rooms just that these services will act like plugins to the Free Now offering .Free Now have huge penetration all over Europe so they are developing the App end of their business not just the Taxi service but they might be mutual you book a Restaurant you will book a taxi to get there you book a Whore you might book a Ride for your ride .What they are doing is developing  more like Air BnB ,Uber ,Lets Eat the App side of the business making coin from secondary bookings not depending on just a taxi service .Clever .You already saw they were developing partnerships with Sum Up they will add revolute Zego insurance .Drivers will be offered a huge amount of in app services from Banking to Discount servicing and Insurance .Once passengers down load the Free Now taxi app they will agree to get offers of deals exactly like you get when you use you tube .If you remember back on Roys I told you I met with people from Amazon and we discussed a Free to use taxi app for Drivers with Advertising paying the costs but the Amazon People said the only problem with that was the Drivers cant be relied on .I told you all back on Roys something like this was going to happen .

 The Future !If Free Now expand their app service they must strengthen the Brand .They will Brand ALL cars they WILL introduce Uniforms .They WILL ban you if you refuse a Pick up .YOU will pay for them to use you expect 20% commission .In Three years time most of you wont be taxi drivers you will be Free Nowers .And you were warned years ago .

[Octavia1]

They can brand my car if they pay me vhi ...200 into a pension fund every week ....pay sick pay wen I get the flu ..
Pay  me insurance...pay me treble  on bank holiday and double on sunday ...time and a half after 8 .00 pm ...
Provide me with safety equipment plus clothing an comfortable shoes ...free doctor and a lump sum of 200 k on retirement at 60 .......

Otherwise they can go an stick ther own flute up ther own pooper scooper 

[Taxi driver42]

We is fucked lads proper fucked
Wheres bolt?

[john m]

Occi .I have posted Doom and Gloom up here .Why ?I am an Economis a practitioner of the Dark Science .I read and understand what I read not read and interpret what I want .Go back To the Taxi Review .Who represented Drivers was it their Nominees or the Ministers picks? Most of you never read the Goodbody report .That is the Blueprint the Governments Plan for the industry .Let me interpret the Dep of Transport  said they want Off Street ranking all drivers aligned to a dispatcher and cash free transactions .In what universe is that not the Dep of Trans saying they are going to hand over the industry to an app provider .Idiots thought off street ranking meant car parks or Keshes or parking in hotels or shopping centers it didnt it means Prebooking queing in app virtual ranking .The Apps controlling the flow and supply of cars and the financial transaction .With that one move the Dep of Transport have total control of supply control of congestion and insight into financial transactions .Any time any body was setting up an app I always said they would fail .From the lads in Blackrock who gave away free Dinners ,to Bill Cullens mate,lar Kellys app .Whistle and FLag and U Wha idea I always said they would fail and they all will because they do not understand what they are doing .A taxi app is not a taxi app it is a Government Sponsored Control and Contain device .Just like Debit Cards and cashless transactions will give government control over spending if to much coin is being spent on Porter Government Economists will do the sums to see if the Revenue from sale of Gargle covers the cost of damage done by gargle if it dosent they will increase Excise on porter Just like they introduced Carbon tax as the cost of dealing with asthma and lung damage cannot be met by the tax on coal or Petrol .That is the simple principal of Economic Planning and the by word is Production ,Planning and Control .What you are watching is Government policy being implemented by clever people who read the Goodbody report and recognized the business opportunity to build a Taxi app and then expand the Brand .I always knew this I always told you this .Did all of you get an annual Statement from My Taxi last year ?Did all of you get an Annual statement from Free Flow ?Did all of you get an Annual statement from Sum Up or Revolute .Did any of you ask for them ?.The fact they have been issued if they concern your business transactions you must retain them for revenue purposes .Wake up and smell the Roses .Occi they dont need You or Me

[Octavia1]

Them e scooters are the future of urban transport for the able bodied.....the wheelie bins cripple mobeels will be owned by bmw / daimler or uber ....theyll be fully electric an rented to blokes who crawled out of an open sewers in Calcutta an  wont complain that hes earning 2 euro an hour cause he sharing the same bunk  bed wit 2 others on different shifts ,   an 10 them in the same room rented by a politician .
..
That eamonn cabbage brain will change the law regarding electric scooters an electric bikes ....an he be right ...
Them things are good for the pollution...for congestion an parking ....if I had any money hidden under the bed .....ide put it on a electric scooter app ....private owned taxis are a ting of the past ....I've a hybrid thatll go another 8 yers
And I wont be allowed buy another one ...
Itll be illegal...an so will I......

[john m]

Occi many years ago when I was interested in Politics .I spoke to a Crowd from Inchicore and told them their  future .They told me I was a Dumb Cunt .Now they are complaining that the Kip is a Tenement and No Gaffs .I told them Inchicore was going to be the New Stoneybatter a commuter work camp for Ants that worked in the City .I pointed out with all the New Appartments in Clancy Quay Heuston South Quarter St Michaels Estate ,Why were they Closing St Michaels Christian Brother National School and Emmett Road Tech .Why are there four Luas Stops serving Inchicore .No schools planned to service kids no Youth Clubs nothing to do for teenagers at night .Its so expensive to rent unsuitable two bedroomed Apartments for family living that Economic Contraception  will be automatic .There wont be any kids .It wont happen over night but its the Plan just like the demise of the taxi industry and the pub industry is in the design phrase ..You might notice all the Big new Google Ghettoes none of them have old type Bars but Cafe Bars and Coffee Shops .Cultural Detol Occi everything is getting Bleached .

[watty]

378-bed co-living apartments approved for Cork St.  The photo is from the news story link.  Looks like a fancy jail-cell! Imagine paying ? €200-300k for that and living in it for 20 years!  Double bed so imagine 2 people living in it.

[john m]

Watty Mc Manus and Magner and Desmond are all investing in Hospitals and Old folks homes .The future is no Children Import people of working age and get them straight into production keep rents and costs high so they cant afford to breed  .Bit like a Bee Hive Drones who work and a few Queens to breed  .Thats the real meaning of Green Policies follow Natures way Live to work .

[Rat Catcher]

Seasons greetings.

[Octavia1]

Occi many years ago when I was interested in Politics .I spoke to a Crowd from Inchicore and told them their  future .They told me I was a Dumb Cunt .Now they are complaining that the Kip is a Tenement and No Gaffs .I told them Inchicore was going to be the New Stoneybatter a commuter work camp for Ants that worked in the City .I pointed out with all the New Appartments in Clancy Quay Heuston South Quarter St Michaels Estate ,Why were they Closing St Michaels Christian Brother National School and Emmett Road Tech .Why are there four Luas Stops serving Inchicore .No schools planned to service kids no Youth Clubs nothing to do for teenagers at night .Its so expensive to rent unsuitable two bedroomed Apartments for family living that Economic Contraception  will be automatic .There wont be any kids .It wont happen over night but its the Plan just like the demise of the taxi industry and the pub industry is in the design phrase ..You might notice all the Big new Google Ghettoes none of them have old type Bars but Cafe Bars and Coffee Shops .Cultural Detol Occi everything is getting Bleached .

The hole of Ireland is turnin into temple bar johnny .....I've more authentic culture under me foreskin
Full of American an foreigners havin babies an callin themselves irish cause ther babies  popped out the fanny in the combe ....gas ...we fought the English cnut for 800 yers to get our country back an fianna fail an fianna gowl gave it away to American an chinese after only 80 yers sold to the highest bidder  .....
Fuking criminal madness ......justin is telllin us all on the other channel  to be tolerant an love the the pink pound an the Jewish dollor an flu infected yen ........I say fuk the irish .....ther the dumbest cnut on the planet .......
Now happy Christmas all yous cnuts ....I'm  about to get pissed ...wat a fuking great year .......
10 months paid holidays ......I learned how to paint ....well nearly ....an I didnt die of the chinese plaugue .......
Let's hope next yer is just as good
 

[Octavia1]

https://youtu.be/o-tAxVP-tiQ

[Taxi driver42]

378-bed co-living apartments approved for Cork St.  The photo is from the news story link.  Looks like a fancy jail-cell! Imagine paying ? €200-300k for that and living in it for 20 years!  Double bed so imagine 2 people living in it.

Kitchen come bedroom come living room
So cosy fall out of bed and bang ur head off a kitchen

[Shallowhal]

Breakfast in bed....without having to really get out of it.....and living there would make ye want to go to work!!

[Taxi driver42]

Breakfast in bed....without having to really get out of it.....and living there would make ye want to go to work!!

Clean and compact
Not enough room for a rope to hang urself
Jump out the window better option