There could be problems for a bunch of companies trying to be the 'Uber for gas'
Filld
The companies Bloomberg focuses on are Booster Fuels, Filld, Purple, WeFuel, and Yoshi. Most are California-based, though some operate out of Georgia or Tennessee.
The systems are app-based. A user requests a fuel delivery through their smartphone and designates the location where the car will be, and a car or truck carrying fuel will come by, while the car is parked, and deliver fuel. Think of it as Uber for gas. It doesn't sound like an awful idea, but many fire departments seem to think otherwise.
"It is not permitted," Lt. Jonathan Baxter, a spokesman for the San Francisco fire department said to Bloomberg.
Yoshi, which is one of the start-ups currently offering its services in San Francisco and Nashville, begs to differ.
"Yoshi is safer than a gas station and has a perfect safety record. Our truck and operations are 100% compliant with all laws and regulations and have been approved by both California and Tennessee Weights and Measures agencies, the Department of Transportation, the highway patrol, and multiple fire marshals and departments after thorough review and inspection," David Goboud, the company's co-founder, told Tech Insider.
Booster, which is a similar startup that operates throughout California and Texas, shut down its services in Santa Clara, California in February to better adhere to fire department restrictions, a company spokesperson told Tech Insider. However, the spokesperson said that it's "working with fire marshall to make sure its code compliant."
The company spokesperson also pointed out that it uses a "substantially different model" from the companies it was paired with in the Bloomberg story.
The spokesperson explained that instead of allowing anyone with a smartphone and its app to request fuel delivery, Booster only delivers to "Private commercial locations where the property owner carries the insurance" needed for this kind of operation. The spokesperson also said that Booster "primarily works in business parks" and that it's "not driving in underground parking garages that are too small for its trucks."
Booster
Booster said that unlike Filld, Purple, WeFuel, and Yoshi, it uses "airport-like tanker trucks" that have all the safety equipment that "you'd expect" from fuel-delivery service trucks and that its "team of employees are trained in hazmat and have the right tank endorsements" to be operating fuel-delivery vehicles.
According to the Bloomberg report, the Los Angeles Fire Department also said that this kind of fuel-delivery is currently illegal, but that the department is looking into how it could potentially be legalized with some restricting factors.
Tech Insider reached out to Purple, which is one of the start-ups offering fuel delivery in Los Angeles, but did not receive a response. However, Bruno Uzzan, the CEO of Purple told Bloomberg that "The way we currently operate is permitted by the code."
When Tech Insider asked Filld about its stance on the legality of the industry, a spokesperson quoted its CEO Dr. Chris Aubuchon saying "Filld operates with the utmost attention to safety at all times. We serve our customers in full compliance with all applicable laws and regulations."
Tech Insider also contacted WeFuel for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
It's unclear whether any of the other companies will change their operations or strategies to adhere to these laws. We'll have to wait and see.
- I spent $2,000 for 7 nights in a 179-square-foot room on one of the world's largest cruise ships. Take a look inside my cabin.
- One of the world's only 5-star airlines seems to be considering asking business-class passengers to bring their own cutlery
- Vodafone Idea FPO allotment – How to check allotment, GMP and more
- From terrace to table: 8 Edible plants you can grow in your home
- India fourth largest military spender globally in 2023: SIPRI report
- New study forecasts high chance of record-breaking heat and humidity in India in the coming months
- Gold plunges ₹1,450 to ₹72,200, silver prices dive by ₹2,300
- Strong domestic demand supporting India's growth: Morgan Stanley