Top Three Learnings

The top 3 things that I learned from this course are:

1. There are new economic drivers in place that are rapidly transforming the traditional business landscape into a platform driven economy that reduces humankind's impact on the environment by increasing utilization of resources. Legal and tax infrastructure are struggling to keep pace with these transformations but all things evolve - eventually.

2. The peer-to-peer economy is creating many opportunities for peers to:

• Reduce living expenses by shedding unnecessary assets and purchasing access to these assets only when needed 
• Turn primarily unused assets into sources of income generation
• Live more meaningful lives by living for experiences instead of possessions

3.  People are "more good than not". This is the fundamental principle the P2P/access/sharing economy is built upon. Too many times it becomes easy to get wrapped up in the latest terrorist attack, local robbery, or jerk in the next car. When we know others are watching us and grading our behavior, people are generally more good than not. Over the course of our field work time in San Francisco, we have come into contact with many people who have entrusted us with their time and assets and likewise we have depended on them to deliver on their promises. In every case for me personally, the peers on the other side of the transaction delivered reinforcing principle.

Reflections on Uber

The Uber site visit provided a small glimpse into an interesting company that continues to disrupt the transportation industry as we know it through their innovative offerings. Uber leverages their position as platform provider to use collected data in interesting ways such as statistically predicting rider/driver compatibility. I particularly liked hearing about Uber's "Landing Party" teams (a reference to the small focused away teams portrayed in Star Trek) which are assembled from various human resources throughout their highly matrixed organization to tackle problems using their "double diamond approach".
My impressions of Uber prior to the visit were of a company focused on rider quality without much consideration for driver issues. The site visit did very little to change this perception despite many assurances to the contrary. Uber, though allowing both drivers rate passengers, admitted that no passengers had been removed from the platform furthering the notion of a lack of concern for driver issues. Interestingly, a few days after the Uber site visit, Bloomberg published article citing how Uber was rolling out driverless cars in Pittsburgh (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2016-08-18/uber-s-first-self-driving-fleet-arrives-in-pittsburgh-this-month-is06r7on).

The Dual Experiences of P2P Car Sharing on Turo

Peer-to-peer car sharing through Turo delivers on its promise to give renters affordable access to a desired transportation experience. The mobile app and website project vivid images of experiences created by off-road outdoor adventures, elite rentals, or fuel efficient excursions in a variety of locations. Selecting a desired experience opens up a wonderful world of vehicle options that can be further tailored to meet the individual tastes or desires of the renter. Each vehicle listing is deliberately given a personal touch using images of the vehicle combined with the owner's first name and picture.

Jessica's 2013 Range Rover Evoque was responsible for delivering some of my experiences during my stay in San Francisco. I first made arrangements to rent Jessica's vehicle during my layover at LAX. I simply provided Jessica my flight details and she made arrangements to pick me up from San Francisco International airport which is only a couple of exits away from her house.

San Francisco Experience brought to you by Jessica's 2013 Range Rover 

Evoque

During my flight and corresponding communication blackout, Jessica had another matter come up that required her to be somewhere else so she sent her uncle, a very sweet 73 year old recent immigrant from the Philippines, to pick me up and handle the exchange. The experience was fantastic with a wonderfully personal exchange that felt like a close friend picking me up from the airport. The vehicle was clean inside and out and Jessica later called me to apologize for not being able to personally exchange the vehicle. In talking with Jessica, I soon realized that all engagements on the Turo platform really consist of at least two experiences - one for the renter and one for the owner. I decided to take advantage of the opportunity and interview Jessica for insights into her perspectives on the P2P experience through Turo.


During my interview, Jessica stated that she initially found Turo through Facebook and has listed her vehicle there for the past 14 months. She typically accepts about 2-3 rentals per month but has learned that demand can be very seasonal in nature in San Francisco. Jessica's feels that the uniqueness of her vehicle combined with her proximity to the airport (which enables her to offer free airport delivery) have greatly contributed to her success on the Turo platform.
Jessica also expressed some frustrations that she has experienced including a negative rating she once received when she had to cancel just prior to a rental exchange because her check engine light came on. She felt it was in the renter's best interest not to take the car if there was a potential problem but her rating took a hit still the same. Another frustration Jessica voiced was focused on the exchange headaches that are caused by flight delays and the impact those delays can have on other aspects of her personal life. Equally disruptive, last minute cancellations by renters can also leave one with a sense of wasted time when other plans are cancelled or deferred in anticipation of an exchange that never happens.
Jessica stated that she typically uses past ratings of renters to determine whether or not she will accept a rental request which mitigates some but not all of these risks. In my case, I had no past ratings so she based her decision purely on the friendliness and tone of the rental request. Finally, Jessica said that overall, her experience with Turo has been really positive and that the platform has taught her that there are "more good people in the world than not."

Turo Rental Counter: Jessica's Range Rover at her House

About 2 hours prior to our agreed upon return time for Jessica's Range Rover, I received a gentle reminder in the form of a text message from Turo. I refueled the vehicle and cleaned out any trash prior to returning the vehicle to Jessica's driveway. As I handed her the keys, Jessica offered me coffee, bottled water, and a ride to the airport which I politely declined. We stood outside in her driveway talking about life and her uncle while I waited for my Uber to arrive and take me to my next adventure. In thinking back, I realize that Turo not only allowed me to create experiences through using a vehicle but also through the process of exchanging that vehicle within a community of friends that are "more good...than not."