Uber's New Shuttles Look Suspiciously Familiar to Anyone Who's Taken a Bus

The Failures of Neoliberal Governance Paved the Way for Uber’s Conquest of the City

Uber conquered cities around the world in part by offering false, tech-based “solutions” to long-standing problems like broken public transit and underemployment. The company’s victory was made possible by decades of failed neoliberal policies.

Uber's new shuttles look suspiciously familiar to anyone who's taken a bus

Every few years, a Silicon Valley gig-economy company announces a “disruptive” innovation that looks a whole lot like a bus. Uber rolled out Smart Routes a decade ago, followed a short time later by the Lyft Shuttle of its biggest competitor. Even Elon Musk gave it a try in 2018 with the “urban loop system” that never quite materialized beyond the Vegas Strip. And does anyone remember Chariot?  Now it’s Uber’s turn again. The ride-hailing compan…

Uber’s new shuttles look suspiciously familiar to anyone who’s taken a bus

Every few years, a Silicon Valley gig-economy company announces a "disruptive" innovation that looks a whole lot like a bus. Uber rolled out Smart Routes a decade ago, followed a short time later by the Lyft Shuttle of its biggest competitor. Even Elon Musk gave it a try in 2018 with the "urban loop system" that never quite materialized beyond the Vegas Strip. And does anyone remember Chariot? Now it's Uber's turn again. The ride-hailing company…