Taos might see its own rideshare service in the future
Taxis in Taos: Local drivers share their experiences
Taos is a notoriously bad spot to find yourself without a form of transportation, but those accustomed to relying upon rideshare services like Lyft and Uber might soon seen some more options in the area.
Trip Carma founders Neha and Nishant Pant, for example, have been working toward resurrecting their old rideshare business, now with the privilege of experience.
When it began in 2018, Trip Carma was a nonprofit ride-share service, which was specifically designed for Taos and acted as the middleman between passengers and drivers. Before the pandemic left the business dormant, Nishant Pant considered it to be a community service, allowing travelers to find local drivers under one website. Now, the husband-and-wife duo are seeking to establish a more sustainable business model.
The business began from a “personal experience,” when Pant, 47, was trying to catch a flight out of Albuquerque and found it difficult to find an Uber. Using his extensive tech and software engineering background, he eventually decided to create his own rideshare program. Neha Pant, 44, was in charge of recruiting drivers, hunting them down on-foot and tracking them via word of mouth.
Identifying an opportunity
Trip Carma’s goal has never been to compete with Uber or Lyft but to make the rideshare gig more accessible to Taoseños. According to Nishant Pant, there are several reasons why popular rideshare services don’t have a large presence in Taos.
“I started researching why Uber and Lyft are not here,” Pant said. “What I realized was that there were two or three factors. Number one was that Uber and Lyft take huge cuts out of their drivers’ commission. They publish that they take 25 percent, but based on my research — and from hearing from other drivers — it could be up to 70-85 percent.”
He added that Uber also has strict vehicle limitations. According to Uber’s website, prospective Uber drivers in Taos must have a vehicle no more than 15 years old, and it cannot have cosmetic damage. Additionally, vehicles must pass an inspection from a certified mechan
ic. Many Taos locals drive older vehicles, many of which are damaged due to the prevalence of rough roads in the area, meaning a large percentage of Taoseños wouldn’t even be able to participate in popular rideshare services to begin with.
“Uber and Lyft work very well in places that are densely populated,” Nishant continued. “If you are just driving Uber, and that is your only job, then you could be getting one after another call. Here, you might get, like, one call a day, so that means you have to have a second job. For companies like Uber and Lyft who are making money from the volume, it makes zero sense for them to be here.”
According to Pew Research Center, 19 percent of Americans living in rural communities have used popular rideshare services, compared to 40 percent of suburban Americans and 45 percent of urban Americans. Only five percent of rural Americans use rideshare services weekly.
In an article published by Verge in 2015, Uber is aiming to cover 100 percent of the nation, a goal the company has yet to achieve. According to the article, barriers in rural communities include sparse populations and low pay incentives that make it nearly impossible to buy gas and maintain a vehicle while turning a profit. An article published by Techcrunch in 2017 stated that Lyft covers 94 percent of the country.
Empowering the drivers
Nishant’s market research allowed the couple to formulate their first conception of Trip Carma, which enabled drivers to set their own prices and keep every penny. In other words, Trip Carma made zero profit.
“The platform wasn’t designed to make money for us,” Nishant said. “My goal was that I help people who want to get around, then that can generate business for people who want to drive a taxi. One-hundred percent of the payment would go to the driver. All that the platform did was connect a driver to a rider, and from that point on, the money transaction was between them. I wasn’t even aware of how much the driver was charging.”
However, Nishant and Neha quickly ran into problems.
While the platform sought to be the middleman, the servers on which it ran cost money, which conflicted with the business’s lack of revenue. Additionally, the service took up the couple’s spare time as phone calls came in asking for drivers, and they didn’t have employees to take them. Another issue the couple ran into was liability insurance, as questions arose regarding the possibility of their drivers getting into accidents.
“This time around,” Neha said, “my goal is to create a local Lyft/ Uber for Taos primarily run by the two of us and the drivers, but have all the checks in place, just like a proper rideshare company.”
Testing out a new model
Neha and Nishant are determined to address these problems before they officially relaunch Trip Carma by becoming for-profit.
According to Neha, they are reaching out to local organizations in search of funding to make sure the business covers its legal bases and can function more efficiently, but they’re also considering funding it out-of-pocket. They’ve also been toying with different business models, such as a monthly subscription and taking a 25-percent cut from their drivers.
One challenge for Trip Carma has been community engagement. According to Neha, while locals used the service, it was very popular with tourists and other outsiders, which she attributes to the easy accessibility of rideshare services elsewhere and the website’s strong Google presence. According to Neha, most locals weren’t using Google to discover businesses within their community compared to those who came in from out of town.
“Living here, I forget that Uber and Lyft even exist, even when I go to other cities,” Neha said. “Because I have been here for so long, I don’t expect that I can pick up the phone and call and book a ride. But for outsiders, it’s the other way around because when they come here, they expect [it]. They cannot imagine that in 2023 they can’t pick up the phone and look for a ride.”
Where are the Uber and Lyft drivers?
Although Uber and Lyft don’t have a large presence here, that doesn’t mean opening one of their apps and requesting a ride will never result in one. In fact, Taos has a handful of Uber drivers that sparsely tune in and out of the program.
One driver, Ramona Montoya, 64, brought up many of the same topics as Nishant regarding why Uber isn’t very common in Taos.
Being an Uber driver is Montoya’s second job — she acknowledged that the money she gets from Uber would not be close to a dependable income. When the Taos News rode with Montoya, it cost $9.96 to drive from the newsroom on Albright Street to Taos Plaza. Montoya saw $4.78 of it. In order to make a decent living — especially for drivers in rural areas like Taos — tips are essential.
Because of Uber’s low base pay and drivers’ reliance on tips, most taxi drivers in Taos work independently. Rianna Herrera, 30, began her business of driving tourists and locals alike around the county in 2015, and most of her customers heard about her services through word of mouth. Like Montoya, offering a rideshare service is not her only source of income.
To Herrera, offering a taxi service fulfills a community need. As people come into town using Uber or Lyft, they can oftentimes find themselves stranded here. She remembered several occasions where she had to transport people back to Santa Fe or Albuquerque, a tedious task, but one she’s more than willing to tackle.
“I love it,” Herrera said. “I love being able to just drive, and I love meeting new people, listening to their stories, their adventures. Sometimes if it’s [a far drive], I get a room and stay the night and just enjoy myself that way. It gives me a nice little break.”
Being a taxi driver is no easy task, however, as Herrera has to clean her car every day, taking it to a detailer twice a week. The interior of the vehicle has to be clean, all of which is difficult for New Mexican commuters in general, as dust and mud quickly build up outside and inside of vehicles.
In addition to upkeep, Herrera has to be on top of her conversation skills.
“Knowing what’s going on with current events is helpful,” Herrera said. “Knowing Taos, Santa Fe and Albuquerque is helpful as well. A lot of the time they ask about my childhood, where I grew up, sometimes they ask about my family. I’m easy to talk to. Everything that we talk about is confidential, and I let them know that.”
Herrera is also well-equipped for the gig, having a vehicle with built-in wifi for customers who need to work during the ride. Having not only the time but also the resources is vital for her line of work.
Sometimes, especially on holidays and busy nights in town, Herrera can be found on Uber, but she does not prefer it. Although she’s Uber-certified, Herrera isn’t active on the platform because of the pay. She recalled one snowy evening when she activated her Uber account so customers could use her services. She received one call and rushed to fulfill it, but after driving in harsh conditions from one end of town to the next, she only received $4.
However, there are still benefits to driving for a larger company like Uber, such as insurance. Herrera noted that with Uber, drivers have the option to charge customers for vomiting or making other messes, whereas independent drivers would not have the legal backing to do that. Still, she acknowledged that driving for Uber is much less profitable than
‘Uber and Lyft work very well in places that are densely populated. If you are just driving Uber, and that is your only job, then you could be getting one after another call. Here, you might get, like, one call a day, so that means you have to have a second job. For companies like Uber and Lyft who are making money from the volume, it makes zero sense for them to be here.’
NISHANT PANT, CO-FOUNDER
Trip Carma
driving independently.
Taos is not a town without public transportation. But despite the presence of the NCRTD Blue Bus — a fare-free bus service for Taos County
residents — Herrera, Montoya and the Pants believe there is a market out here interested in the ondemand accessibility and security only rideshare businesses can offer.