New York City Blacklane chauffeur Daniel shares his insights on chauffeur hailing in his hometown.
Earlier this month we introduced chauffeur hailing to select cities around the world, including New York City. We expanded our services from pre-booked to include on-demand chauffeured rides, which can be booked instantly via our app.
We wanted to do this without compromising on what our guests have come to love about Blacklane – distance-based rates, rigorous health and safety standards, and carbon offset rides.
As more and more cities begin to welcome chauffeur hailing, we chatted with New York City Blacklane chauffeur Daniel to get his insights.
A safer way to travel
While pre-booked Blacklane rides continue to offer safe travel options throughout the city, Blacklane chauffeur Daniel said chauffeur hailing would now help fill some existing travel gaps for guests.
“In general, Blacklane already has a lot of clients that maybe when they really need chauffeur hailing at short notice, they haven’t been able to use it,” he said.
“Now, with chauffeur hailing becoming available, they’re going to continue to use us in their pre-bookings in advance or when they need a chauffeur on the fly in a short time frame.”
Flexible, instant rides with the same safe standards as pre-booked rides
The ability to hail a chauffeured ride within minutes gives Blacklane guests flexibility with their time, Daniel said.
“You can see in certain bookings that they really want to use Blacklane but they’re not sure what time it is they’re leaving and they keep moving the time frame,” he said.
“I think chauffeur hailing would give them an easier way to not have to worry about doing all of that, just say ‘I am ready to go, boom’.”
A more efficient day for chauffeurs
It’s not just the guests who’ll benefit from chauffeur hailing. Daniel said a combination of pre-booked and on-demand rides would help make his day as efficient as possible.
“When we go out (to work), we’re already in a suit, we are in the appropriate attire…we could be just hanging out in the city between rides and chauffeur hailing would be able to field those gaps,” he said.
“In between rides you could see someone needs a Manhattan to Manhattan ride and if I am nearby, let me go and do this.”
Private travel could be here to stay
New York local Daniel said the pandemic has changed everyone’s behaviors in some way or another. For him, mask-wearing has become an ingrained habit.
“You get up from a chair and your hand is already in your pocket bringing out your mask,” he said.
“I feel like we are going to experience some symptoms or withdrawals when we don’t have to wear the mask anymore.”
In terms of his community, he said he’s heard some people who had avoided the city trains might never return to using public transport.
“That is something that did change and could possibly not go fully back for some people, especially people who are more vulnerable and don’t want to take the risk in the trains,” he said.
“It’s all depending on every person and their health and how their pocket allows it.”
