#28: On The New York Streets With A Ride-Share Vehicle Supplier

This week’s The Razor’s Edge goes back out to the streets. We speak with Ali Naqvi, owner of a ride-share car supplier in New York, about his experience with the COVID lockdown, what he’s hearing from his customers – rideshare drivers – and the state of New York. While a few work from home comments pop up hear and there, this is more focused on the state of Uber and Lyft’s end markets and what that might mean for a broader economy. Ali is a lifelong New Yorker and has a rolodex of celebrity encounters and Al Pacino quotes to pull from, and this is a fun conversation.

  Topics Covered

• 2:15 minute mark - Background on the business
• 6:00 - Recounting the COVID story from March onward, dealing with vehicle returns
• 12:40 - Drivers still on the road throughout - the adjustments needed
• 22:00 -The hit to rider demand
• 27:30 - Uber's support (or lack thereof)
• 36:00 - The scene in New York now for rideshare demand - why it was worse than it seemed, why there are reasons for optimism now
• 54:00 - The outlook for New York City, the effect of the social unrest, any crime knock-ons, and where does the city go from here?