Ride Surfing

RIDE-SHARING services such as Uber, SideCar and Zimride are incredibly popular in the US for those needing a ride or willing to offer one. But following a long campaign by the taxi industry, there are moves afoot to close them down. The firms already have been fined $US20,000 each in San Francisco. In Australia the picture is rosier for now with Uber rolling out Uber Business, which allows companies to be billed to a single card. The Australian start-up RideSurfing, meanwhile, is expanding its recently launched Sydney ride-sharing service, with Perth coming aboard. Riders give the driver a donation they feel appropriate for the trip, rather than a formal fare. CHRIS GRIFFITH

Posted on October 8, 2014