In the wake of Uber’s blundering PR gaffe, in which Senior VP of Business Emil Michael suggested digging up dirt on journalists who give the service bad press, a new rideshare is setting its sights on Boston. Flywheel, a real-time mobile taxi hailing service, raised $12 million in Series C funding and is looking to expand eastward.
Flywheel’s public relations team confirmed to BostInno that “there is a plan to expand into major metropolitan cities across the U.S.,” and that Boston could very well be on the short list. “The $12M in funding will help with that initiative,” they said.
Flywheel works similarly to the now-defunct Hailo in that it’s drivers are “commercially insured, criminal background checked, professional” cab drivers, according to the website, but does not, under any circumstances, enact surge pricing the way Uber and Lyft do. Using GPS technology, a user can summon a cab in real-time and track it’s arrival. Payment is also made through the mobile app.
The company noted in a recent press release that some 80 percent of cab drivers in San Francisco also use Flywheel.
The $12 million comes from TCW/Craton, Rockport Capital and Shasta Ventures and with that, Flywheel will look to expand out of San Francisco, Seattle, Los Angeles, Orange County, Oklahoma City and San Diego into the likes of Boston, where Uber dominates the rideshare market over competitors Lyft, Sidecar, and to many is preferable to public and private transportation.
Flywheel previously raised $14.8 million in a Series B round and, prior to that, $8 million in Series A.
“I look forward to bringing Flywheel to consumers across the country, connecting anyone who needs a ride with a high-quality taxi driver who shares our uncompromising standard for customer delight,” said Flywheel CEO Rakesh Mathur. He added:
The speed, safety and reliability of the taxi community combined with Flywheel’s ability to provide rides quickly has created a compelling alternative to Uber in San Francisco. We look forward to sharing this offering with taxi fleets across the nation while promoting an equal opportunity culture that rewards the honest, hard working drivers that Uber has vilified.
So compelling, in fact, does Mathur consider Uber that his pr team has styled Flywheel as the “non-asshole alternative to Uber and Lyft.” Though perhaps confident, even borderline cocky, this type of demeanor actually feels less abrasive and overbearing than that of the domineering Uber. BostInno’s own Galen Moore contends that Uber’s most striking problem is an utter lack of empathy.
Recently, Flywheel also brought on CFO Oneal Bhambani and CTO Percy Rajani, each of whom bring a wealth of entrepreneurial and technological experience to the table.
Though it’s unclear at this time when Flywheel will touch base in Boston, users can download the app for free on iOS and Android devices.
Featured image via Shutterstock/Ivakoleva
