BlaBlaCar, a French rideshare rival to Uber and Lyft, became a volunteer network during COVID-19, and drivers delivered essentials to those in need. It highlights the cultural chasm between it and its gig-economy competitors.

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• French rideshare app BlaBlaCar, like its rivals Uber and Lyft, saw its business plummet during the coronavirus lockdown.
• A group of drivers, with the company's support, created BlaBlaHelp, a volunteer mutual-aid network that dropped off essential items to people in need. 20,000 people registered within 72 hours.
• The move highlights the cultural chasm that has emerged between BlaBlaCar and its gig economy rivals.
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A month into the coronavirus quarantine, French rideshare company BlaBlaCar turned its users into a makeshift volunteer network. Instead of being paid for rides, drivers offered to deliver essential items to people who needed them by downloading BlaBlaHelp. This tech shortcut to mutual aid clearly struck a chord — 20,000 people registered within 72 hours and thousands have followed since. 

The move highlighted the cultural chasm that has opened up, and is still widening, between the startup and its rivals, such as Uber and Lyft.

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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