After getting my car towed by AAA (dead alternator) I’ve been thinking about productivity enhancers likes Uber.
It turns out that each tow truck has a tablet issued by AAA to service their customers (issued about 1.5 years ago). But each towing company has a certain service area A. So if they tow you outside service area A to area B, they cannot pickup a tow back to their home area A. Another local company would pickup in B and tow to A.
Seems highly inefficient. But that’s due to contracts AAA has with each towing company.
I wonder if tow trucks could operate on an uber model where AAA dispatches them directly without the local company dispatch.
I think UBi or BIg are interesting concepts that will need to be explored as the tech revolution obsoletes people. Giving the compromise me on universal healthcare to push ACA through, a bit scary though.
Nor do I see government simplifying it and eliminating their bereaucracy. With ow changes, we could do something like Alaska’s dividend to residents.
And perhaps Bernie will win Iowa and accelerate the discussion..
Tow trucks have private owners with rules — what’s the big deal? Talk to the owners.
Unlike Goober cars, tow trucks are more expensive than cars and need Federal DOT registration, etc, so the peer-to-peer model becomes less likely.
Only some % of users use AAA — even I have a 30-year-old car without it. If you need a free tow, you can literally sign up online/by phone the same day, so what’s the point in paying some parasites on a per-month/per-year basis?
Spd, the point is not AAA but efficiency, saving time and energy which I’m sure you would want.
For example, if you car is towed from NY to NJ, the driver will have to drive back empty because only a certain company is allowed to pick up in NJ (by contract or by law).
Also sometimes, a tow company may have to drop you off at a town near the border because they are not licensed to cross state lines.
So many trips and wasted fuel and pollution! Seems like a lot of red tape could be done away with.
BTW, the driver told me the tablets with GPS is new. They used to dispatch using phones/radio.
Also how much would tip the driver for a tow? I gave him $80 from Barstow to San Diego. He was super nice and saved me a lot of inconvenience. Good thing I had cash on me (he told me he prefers the long drive over installing spare tires, gas runs, jump starts, and car unlock; so we both benefited).
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