HyreCar’s “platform agnostic” approach to ridesharing is a key driver of the startup’s surplus of users, according to Brian Allan, senior vice president of strategic partnerships. “Most every other rent-for-rideshare platform ties [consumers] down to specific platforms, [such as Uber or Lyft],” he said, adding that HyreCar users can drive for services such as Lyft, Uber, Postmates, GrubHub or other food delivery services.
The freedom to drive for different platforms prevents users from being pigeonholed, Allan noted. “In rush hours, sure, drive for a ride-share [service],” he said, “But what happens around lunch — there could be great food delivery options. We want to give a person that option.”
In addition to HyreCar’s platform agnostic value proposition, the decline of consumer stigma against ride-share and package-delivery services is a driving factor in the platform’s increased popularity, Allan said. HyreCar had more than 30,000 driver leads in July, according to CEO Joe Funari.
Still, one of the main hurdles the ridesharing platform is facing is a lack of vehicle inventory to put drivers in, Allan confirmed. To that end, HyreCar is actively engaged in investing resources to bring on more dealer partners.
Looking forward, consumers can expect to see the name HyreCar pop up “a lot” in the next year, especially “when it comes to people who aren’t looking to be tied to a specific service,” said Nate Ryan, vice president of marketing. “That’s our value driver right now.”
HyreCar also is focused on social media marketing, such as its recently launched podcast called “Mobility Revolution,” and sponsoring industry events, Allan noted.
