yellow cab new yorkThe controversy Uber is causing right now prompted me to delve into the archives. Way back. Back to March 2000 when I was pitching a proposition called Peoplestaxi to the likes of 3i and Avis. It got selected for First Tuesday’s “Wireless Matchmaking” events too. Here’s a quick extract:

Peoplestaxi leverages the latest technologies and customer-centric e-business philosophy to deliver the ubiquitous, convenient and intelligent taxi management service for business and consumers.

… Bookings are accurate and quality is assured. Punctuality, customer relationship management, personal safety, event critical booking, full account management, multi-payment methods and community grouping are all delivered automatically, seamlessly and brilliantly.

… As Peoplestaxi restructures the taxi market, existing taxi firms will have to affiliate, find some niche or eventually die.

I’m chuffed that I managed to reference the future collaborative / sharing economy in there – “community grouping” – but perhaps that last sentence was the choicest bit of crystal ball gazing.

So how come this didn’t become Uber? In short order:

  1. Smartphones hadn’t been invented
  2. GPS units still cost a thousand US
  3. Oh, and the dotcom bubble burst just then, spectacularly.

I learned that the first aren’t always first. The timing of disruption is a function of the disruption.