A former engineering professor (i.e., not a planning professor) says he invented the transportation network company first, and that he has the patent to prove it.
"A 79-year-old Atlantan claims he out-whizzed the West Coast whiz kids by about a decade in developing the concepts Uber and Lyft are built on, and he’s suing the ride-hailing companies for patent infringement in federal court," according to an article by Christopher Quinn.
"Stephen Dickerson, a retired Georgia Tech engineering professor, developed in 1999 the idea of bringing cell phones, the global positioning system and digital payments together to get people around congested Atlanta, his civil suit says. His company, RideApp, filed the suit in the Northern District of Georgia last Friday against Uber and a subsidiary," adds Quinn.
"He filed a similar suit against Lyft and its subsidiaries last July. That suit is in the Northern District of California."
Quinn doesn't offer much insight into the likelihood of the patent winning in court, but Dickerson and his lawyers clearly believe they have a case. For the record, Dickerson serves on the Atlanta Transit Link board.
Ride-Hailing Prices Skyrocket as the U.S. Emerges From the Pandemic
A shortage of drivers and spiking demand are driving Uber and Lyft prices higher than ever as the companies struggle to achieve profitability.
Report: Ride-Hailing Drastically Increases Vehicle Miles Traveled
New research published in Transport Policy finds that ride-hailing companies increase vehicle miles traveled of users by 97 percent in Chicago, 114 percent in New York City, and 118 percent in San Francisco.
Ride-Hailing Industry Induces Car Ownership, Research Says
New research from researchers at Carnegie Mellon University finds that instead of setting people free from cars, more people are buying and using cars than ever before.
Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.
National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.
Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.
Test News Post 1
This is a summary
Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.
Test News Headline 46
Test for the image on the front page.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service