While New York City is vast, crowded and always buzzing with activity, it is fairly easy to get around. This is largely due to the diversity of transit options available to city dwellers — whether their preferred mode of travel be navigating the well-connected subway or hailing a yellow cab.
When on-demand car services entered this equation, demand surged, rates were slashed, and city officials went head to head with the almighty Uber. As such, a new company is throwing its hat into the crowded ride-sharing space in New York.
is an on-demand service that provides riders with flat rates that never surge.
We caught up with Gett to discuss their founding story, how the service works and what makes them unique in New York’s overpopulated ride-sharing market.
Built In: How did Gett come to be? How did the founders realize there was a need in the market?
Gett: Gett was founded by Israeli entrepreneurs Shahar Waiser and Roi More. After waiting over 30 minutes for a ride to the airport from Palo Alto in the summer of 2009, Waiser realized there had to be a better alternative — and the idea for Gett was sparked. Two years later, the company launched in Tel Aviv, with several major cities throughout the world following shortly thereafter.
Built In: How does Gett work?
Gett: Gett is the only on-demand black car app that provides New Yorkers with affordable, flat rates that never surge, regardless of weather, traffic, or demand. This includes $10 rides anywhere in Manhattan below 110th Street.
To start [using the app], open the app and input your cell phone number, email address, name and accept the terms of use. You only have to do this the first time you use the app. On the home screen, riders can choose between four car classes: Gett Deal (for $10 rides anywhere in Manhattan below 110th Street), Gett Standard (comparable to Uber X), Gett Premium (comparable to Uber Black) and Gett SUV (comparable to Uber SUV). Select your car class, then simply input your address or move the pin to your current location and tap “set pickup.” You have the option to order a car immediately, or book a future ride.
Once you type in your destination, the app will give you a fixed price, so you know what you’re paying before you even order your car. Select the card you want to pay with, tap “order now,” and your car will be on its way!
Built In: What sort of traction has Gett seen since it launched? And what sort of traction has it seen in NYC?
Gett: Gett is now live in 57 cities and four countries globally, including New York, London, Edinburgh, Manchester, Glasgow, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. The company is already profitable in 24 out of its 57 markets. Additionally, Gett provides a full business suite, with an extensive portfolio of over 2,500 corporate clients, including many Fortune 500 companies.
Gett first came to NYC in 2012 to start building our company here and learning more about the market. What we learned was pretty simple: that people feel ripped off by surge pricing. We have been working on building our service to offer a surge-free alternative ever since. In September 2014 we began experimenting by launching a $10 deal, a move that gained us much attention. Today we offer $10 rides in Manhattan anywhere below 110th Street, and our prices never surge.
Built In: What differentiates Gett from other on-demand ride services such as Uber and Lyft?
Gett: Gett is the only on-demand black car app that provides New Yorkers with affordable, flat rates that never surge, regardless of weather, traffic, or demand.
Unlike Uber and Lyft, Gett is completely transparent about pricing: riders receive a firm quote before they even request a car, so you know exactly what you’ll pay before you ride. No more guessing as you watch the meter climb.
Gett gives customers the option to book rides up to two weeks in advance. If you have an early morning flight, you no longer have to scramble to order an Uber as you head out the door! Gett is a black car service and we pride ourselves in providing a high standard of comfort and service. Our fleet is comprised of a wide range of quality vehicles ranging from sedans to luxury SUVs.
We also pride ourselves in treating our drivers well. Unlike competitors, all drivers are fully licensed and insured, make significantly better minute rates, keep 100% of their tips and don’t pay Gett a commission.
Built In: How many customers/users does Gett currently have? What is the growth rate?
Gett: Gett has been growing at 300% per year and we expect that pace to continue. When you treat drivers well and don’t gouge consumers with surge fees, good things happen.
Built In: What is Gett’s funding status? Future plans?
Gett: Gett is a $207 million funded company and the largest international on-demand player by revenues. We have seen a lot of investor interest and expect to continue growing.
Built In: What is Gett’s team focusing on over the next few months?
Gett: We are focused on continuing to treat drivers fairly, fight surge pricing, and offer New Yorkers a better alternative to services like Uber.
Some responses have been edited for length and clarity.
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