RSG 265 - Jeremy Bird On Lyft's International Expansion
Release Date: 07/31/2025
The Driverless Digest: The Humans Powering Autonomous Vehicle Operations (Omar Zoubi, TaskUs)
The Rideshare Guy Podcast
In today’s episode, I’m speaking with , VP of Autonomous Mobility & Rideshare Network Strategy at . Omar breaks down how TaskUs supports autonomous vehicle operators behind the scenes, from remote assistance to handling edge cases that today’s AI systems still struggle to navigate. We get into TaskUs’ role across the AV ecosystem, including who they partner with and how their human-in-the-loop model helps fleets operate safely and scale more efficiently. Omar explains the types of real-world scenarios where AVs need intervention, how those interventions feed back into...
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The Driverless Digest: DoorDash’s Autonomous Delivery Strategy with Ashu Rege
The Rideshare Guy Podcast
In today’s episode, I’m speaking with , Vice President of DoorDash Labs at DoorDash. Ashu shares his journey through the autonomous vehicle industry, including roles at NVIDIA and Zoox, before leading autonomy efforts within one of the largest delivery platforms in the world. We dive into what drew him to DoorDash Labs and how the team is thinking about autonomy differently from robotaxi companies. Ashu explains the origins of DoorDash’s delivery robot DOT, the goals of the DoorDash Labs, and how their Autonomous Delivery Platform (ADP) is designed to support a wide range of delivery...
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The Driverless Digest: How the CPUC Handles AV Permits, Data, and Enforcement (Pat Tsen)
The Rideshare Guy Podcast
In today’s episode, I’m speaking with , Deputy Executive Director for Consumer Policy, Transportation, and Enforcement at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). We start with an overview of the CPUC and Pat’s role in it. We also break down the split between the CPUC and DMV, clarifying who regulates what, and what companies actually need to do to launch an autonomous vehicle service in California, including the different permit types required along the way. Pat explains the CPUC’s technology-agnostic approach to AV regulation, and why Tesla’s current robotaxi...
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RSG268: Uber’s NEXT Big Move? Taxis!
The Rideshare Guy Podcast
In this episode, Hansu Kim, CEO of Flywheel Technologies, shares insights on the evolving taxi industry, Flywheel's innovative partnerships, and the impact of autonomous vehicles (AVs). With over 20 years of experience in transportation policy, Kim discusses Flywheel's rebranding, its strategic Uber partnership to integrate taxi services, and the regulatory changes required. He highlights the mutual benefits of the Uber-taxi collaboration, including increased ride efficiency and higher driver incomes. Kim also explores the future interplay between traditional taxis, AVs, and the rideshare...
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RSG267: Waymo’s Next Big Move: Cracking the NYC Taxi Market
The Rideshare Guy Podcast
In this episode, Dawood Milan, founder of Auto Marketplace, discusses the intricacies and the significance of New York City's Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) market. He provides insights into his career transition from finance to managing a successful Uber Black fleet and eventually founding Auto Marketplace. Dawood explains the unique regulations and economic value of the NYC TLC market, the challenges and opportunities it presents, particularly with regard to vehicle caps, insurance, and driver pay. He explores the future of autonomous vehicles (AV) in this competitive and complex...
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RSG266: Tower Mobility: The Uber Partner Paying Drivers $25/Hour + Benefits (Base & Tips)
The Rideshare Guy Podcast
In this episode, Harry interviews Daniel and Andres Munoz, co-founders of Tower Mobility. They discuss their extensive backgrounds in global strategy, operations, and last-mile logistics, as well as how they launched Tower Mobility during the pandemic with a focus on wheelchair accessible vehicles. The conversation delves into Tower Mobility's operational model, including its fleet of over 600 vehicles, primarily electric, and workforce of 2,000 W2 employees. Key topics include their partnerships with Uber and Waymo, the advantages and challenges of managing a large EV fleet, and how they are...
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RSG 265 - Jeremy Bird On Lyft's International Expansion
The Rideshare Guy Podcast
In this episode, Harry interviews Jeremy Bird, Executive Vice President of Driver Experience at Lyft, about Lyft's recent global expansion and the strategic acquisition of Free Now. Bird discusses Lyft's growth into international markets, beginning with Canada and Puerto Rico, and highlights the benefits of partnering with Free Now, a prominent taxi app operating in nine European countries. They delve into the regulatory differences between the US and European markets, the similarities in driver ethos between Lyft and Free Now, and the potential synergies from combining their technologies and...
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The Driverless Digest: Inside Alto’s Fleet Partnership with Uber
The Rideshare Guy Podcast
In this episode, Harry speaks with Will Coleman, CEO and Co-Founder of Alto, an innovative rideshare and delivery service emphasizing safety, hospitality, and consistency. Will discusses Alto’s operations in multiple U.S. cities, their unique business model involving employed drivers and owned vehicles, and their strategic focus on fleet management as a foundation for electric and autonomous mobility. Most importantly, the conversation delves into Alto’s newest partnership with Uber, the complexities of fleet management, and the differentiation factors contributing to their success, such...
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RSG264: Should Lyft drivers be worried about Autonomous Vehicles?
The Rideshare Guy Podcast
In this episode, Harry speaks with Jeremy Bird, the Executive Vice President of Driver Experience at Lyft. They discuss Jeremy's role and responsibilities, including his focus on autonomous vehicles (AV) and their integration into Lyft’s services. Jeremy emphasizes the importance of having an open and honest conversation about the impact of AVs on human drivers, highlighting the potential for a hybrid future where both AVs and human-driven cars coexist. He mentions Lyft's upcoming partnership with May Mobility to introduce AVs on the platform and stresses the need for economic mobility and...
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RSG 263: Justin Pappan on Renting a Fleet of Teslas! (EV Access)
The Rideshare Guy Podcast
In this episode, Harry speaks with Justin Pappan, founder of EV Access, who discusses the inception and growth of his electric vehicle rental service based in Phoenix, Arizona. Three years since its founding, EV Access caters to both visitors and Uber drivers, offering flexible rental options and a focus on customer service. The conversation covers Justin's experiences as a Tesla owner, the operational challenges and strategies of managing an EV fleet, and the company’s future plans, including preparation for autonomous vehicle integration. Justin also delves into the insurance and financial...
info_outlineIn this episode, Harry interviews Jeremy Bird, Executive Vice President of Driver Experience at Lyft, about Lyft's recent global expansion and the strategic acquisition of Free Now. Bird discusses Lyft's growth into international markets, beginning with Canada and Puerto Rico, and highlights the benefits of partnering with Free Now, a prominent taxi app operating in nine European countries. They delve into the regulatory differences between the US and European markets, the similarities in driver ethos between Lyft and Free Now, and the potential synergies from combining their technologies and experiences. The conversation also covers the significance of Lyft's operations in Canada and its micro-mobility solutions, such as bike and scooter sharing, and how these ventures align with Lyft's overall strategy, including the future integration of autonomous vehicles.
- 00:00 Introduction to Jeremy Bird and Lyft's expansion
- 01:05 How has Lyft's expansion into Canada and Puerto Rico been?
- 02:33 What is Lyft’s strategic shift to global markets?
- 05:19 What is Free Now and what are its operations?
- 07:34 How do Europe and US taxi industries compare?
- 10:34 What are the synergies and future plans for Lyft and Free Now?
- 14:33 What is Lyft's global expansion strategy?
- 15:38 How is Lyft's market penetration in Europe?
- 15:52 What are the regulatory challenges and labor relations?
- 17:17 What are the opportunities in the European market?
- 21:15 How is Lyft's growth in Canada?
- 23:50 How has Lyft been integrating micro-mobility solutions?
- 27:32 What are Lyft’s plans for autonomous vehicles?
- 29:20 Conclusion and Future Prospects
Jeremy’s LinkedIn: