Both Uber and Lyft have become more prevalent in Wyoming. These ride-sharing companies give people the option to use their smart phones to dial up a ride whenever they need it. If you’ve had too much to drink at the bar, call an Uber. If you’re away from home on business and need to get to your meeting, call up Lyft.
And the companies also give regular folks a chance to earn a little extra money. Both companies use normal people to drive, and those drivers make themselves available through the companies’ mobile apps. Drivers have to pass background checks, of course, and the types of vehicles they drive have to be approved before they’re put into service. Both companies require newer vehicles, for instance, so the passengers don’t find themselves paying to help push a broken-down jalopy the final four miles of the trip.
Out of curiosity a few years ago, I checked to see if I could sign up as a driver with my 2015 Ram 2500. I was more than a little surprised when it was approved. And that got me thinking, maybe there should be a special category for people who are willing to give riders a lift out to their hunting area. They could add it to their current options, like Lyft Plus for bigger vehicles, or Uber Black for luxury vehicles. They could call it Uber Camo.
I explained that idea to representatives from both Uber and Lyft, but my suggestion was met with silence at both companies. When they started talking again, they said they don’t offer rides for hunters. I think they’re missing a fantastic niche market. I’d love to take hunters to the field, and I’d even wait around to take them home, as long as the meter were still running. Oh, well, maybe I’ll have to start my own ride-sharing service.
