Cargo CEO on Uber Partnership: We Want to Reinvent the Experience
*By Max Godnick*
Uber redefined the ride-hailing industry for driversーnow it's adding another level of convenience to the passenger seat.
Last week, the company launched an exclusive global partnership with Cargo, the in-car commerce platform that allows drivers to sell daily essentials to riders. The service was already live in seven U.S. cities and has expanded to Los Angeles and San Francisco as part of the new deal.
The announcement marks the next phase of growth for Cargo, which has close to 8,000 drivers and has seen its fleet expand by 35 percent month over month since its rollout in 2017.
"The fastest way for us to really scale our platform and get Cargo into the hands of as many drivers as possible is to do it through Uber themselves," said Cargo founder & CEO Jeff Cripe in an interview with Cheddar on Monday. "We were united by wanting to provide the best in-car experience possible."
Uber drivers in Los Angeles and San Francisco can now collect Cargo boxes at driver support locations called Greenlight Centers. The boxes are filled with snacks, electronics, and cosmetics that customers can purchase. Cripe noted that many Uber drivers already offer these products but must pay out of pocket to do so.
Now, they can provide the same serviceーbut make money, instead of losing it.
"What \[drivers\] recognized in us was a partner that could streamline that and put that money back in their pockets as opposed to taking it out," Cripe said.
Cripe says drivers have, combined, made more than $1 million and sold over a million products to date. He added that those behind the wheel also tend to see their passenger ratings rise once they start using Cargo.
But will passengers be willing to spend on food and other items if fares surge?
Last week, Uber sent emails to its New York customer base, notifying them that its services may grow "more expensive and less reliable" if the city approves [new regulations](https://cheddar.com/videos/new-york-could-pump-the-brakes-on-ride-hailing-apps) for ride-sharing companies.
While New York is currently Cargo's largest market, Cripe says he's not concerned.
"I don't necessarily think any fare increases or decreases will have much of an effect on us."
As for the future, Cripe says the company is paying close attention to Uber's plans for self-driving taxis. He explained that autonomous fleets would require a system for unattended merchandisingーbut he revealed it's a reality he's preparing for. He also sees more opportunities for entertainment, gaming, and connectivity.
"We want to establish ourselves as the leading provider of in-car service for ride sharing," Cripe said. "So, when autonomy does roll around, we're the best logistics provider in the market."
For full interview, [click here] (https://cms.cheddar.com/videos/VmlkZW8tMjEzMTg=).
Back in February 2021, Twitter announced its three-year plan to double development velocity, to reach 315 million monetizable users, and double its total annual revenue. Chief Customer Officer Sarah Personette, joined Cheddar to discuss where the social media giant stands now a year after the announcement. "The progress against all three of those pillars has been substantial, and we'll continue to drive that over the course of the next year and beyond," she said. Personette also discussed the leadership of Twitter's CEO Parag Agrawal who took over for founder Jack Dorsey late in 2021.
Daniel Freedman, co-CEO of Burnalong, joins Cheddar News to talk about how Burnalong is helping companies support its staff and prevent workplace burnout.
A record 4.5 million Americans quit their jobs in November as people continue to take advantage of red hot job market. The resignation rate is now the highest in the two decades the government has kept records, with many people voluntarily leaving their current jobs for other opportunities. Harley Lippman, CEO of Genesis 10, discusses how why so many people are quitting their jobs right now, and how the tech sector is being impacted.
It was 'game on' for sports bettors in the state of New York, as mobile betting kicked off on four major betting operating platforms Saturday. This comes at an exciting time for sports fans with some of the biggest NFL games of the season right around the corner. Cam Rogers - Host of Lock It In with Cam Rogers, Betting Analyst at the Bleav Podcast Network joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
Take-Two Interactive is set to buy Zynga for $12.7 billion. The deal marks the latest blockbuster acquisition in the video game industry. The massive deal will bring the maker of popular mobile games like 'Farmville' and 'Words with Friends' under the scope of Take-Two, the company behind 'Grand Theft Auto' and 'NBA 2K.' Kenny Rovello, President & Co-Founder of Arkadium, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
The United States purchased over 600,000 doses of a monoclonal antibody treatment from Glaxosmithkline and Vir Biotechnology, bringing the total worldwide doses purchased to 1.7 million. This comes as the country attempts to ramp up treatment options as cases of the omicron variant continue to surge. Dr. Asha Shah, Director of Infectious Diseases at Stamford Health joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
GameStop is getting into the NFT and crypto space. The video game retailer announced the launch of an entire division aimed at creating a marketplace for NFTs and other crypto partnerships. The move comes as part of a turnaround plan by GameStop which has struggled in recent years as gamers shift away from physical game releases. Patrick McConlogue, CEO, Overline & Former Citadel Investment Group Engineer joined Cheddar's Opening Bell.
Max Bichsel, vice president at Gambling.com Group joins Cheddar News to talk about the growing sports betting industry, New York legalizing mobile betting, and 2022 predictions for the sector.
Meta's request to have a Federal Trade Commission antitrust lawsuit dismissed was rejected by a federal judge. Prosecutors presented enough evidence in their latest filing to go forward with the case accusing the tech giant of operating a social networking monopoly through Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
