You’ve probably heard – or personally experienced – the convenience and controversy of Uber. Taking on the traditional taxi transportation model, this global ride-sharing company has made a huge splash in changing the way ridesharing works. But Uber isn’t just about using an easy app to find a ride home from a party or the airport. The company is now branching out and setting its sights on the senior demographic cohort, hoping that it can make their lives a little easier – and maybe even help them stay independent longer. Two less well-known Uber services, uberASSIST and uberWAV, are designed specifically with seniors and the disabled in mind. Drivers for these services will operate vehicles that are accessible (such as a van with a ramp able to load a wheelchair), and often will have to take extra time to assist their passengers with boarding and departing the vehicle. uberASSIST, the senior service, hit the news in a big way last week because it was talked about at the White House Conference on Aging, an annual event that focuses on elder issues. Not long ago, Uber and competitor Lyft were hit with criticism, even lawsuits, for not complying with state and federal disability access regulations. Now, it appears that the company is taking steps to address those concerns. Pilot programs of uberASSIST include Ventura, Calif.; two Florida cities (Gainesville and Miami Lakes), Columbus, Ohio; Austin, Texas; and Phoenix and Tucson, Ariz. The intent is to partner with cities and community senior centers to get seniors access to the technology required to request a ride – and even teach them how to use an app or mobile communication device. As the Baby Boomers age into retirement and their senior stage of their lives, services like this...

The NAIOP Commercial Real Estate Development Association recently held its second annual E.Con in Atlanta, a conference dedicated to e-commerce innovation. During the two-day event, last mile delivery stayed at the forefront of conversation. As the nation faces a shortage of 240, 000 truck drivers, e-commerce companies are actively seeking alternatives to traditional delivery methods. Panelists and attendees discussed four current trends: Unmanned vehicles The lack of CDL drivers and the high costs of employing them are leading e-commerce retailers to seek other ways of getting products from distribution centers to the homes of consumers. Removing drivers altogether could be the solution. That’s one approach that has been tried in Europe and Asia. Those programs started 10 years ago. Unmanned vehicles still haven’t caught on because studies (and many companies) suggest that automated trucks are most suitable for interstate conditions. The last mile in urban and suburban areas has risks associated with pedestrians, frequent construction and redirects, varying laws, and erratic behavior from human drivers nearby. More research and innovation will be needed to make companies and consumers comfortable with unmanned delivery vehicles in heavily populated areas. Uber-style delivery systems Independent delivery services are also popping up across the nation. Drivers for hire (those with a standard non-commercial license) can carry out deliveries from urban and suburban distribution centers to doorsteps. They do not require the pay or hours of career truck drivers. Start-ups and smaller e-commerce companies are exploring these options. They may become more prevalent in the future. There is one major problem. Currently, there is no software that coordinates product size, weight, and shipping distance with these drivers for hire. Everett Steele, CEO of Kanga says, “There is this idea, ‘I want to be the Uber for delivery,’ but one of...