StopClub: The app that is shaking up Uber and could revolutionize carpooling in France

Why it's important: In the world of VTC, knowing what each minute and each kilometer of your journey is worth can be a game-changer for drivers...and customers

Today, I'm going to tell you about an application that is creating a buzz in Brazil and which is giving Uber a cold sweat. Hang in there, here we go!

In March 2023, a driver named Luisa Pereira made a small change in the way she accepted rides in São Paulo.

Result? A significant increase in his weekly income. And all this thanks to a free application called StopClub. This app gives drivers a clearer view of the prices offered by ride-sharing apps like Uber. It breaks down the total rate and quickly estimates the rate per kilometer or per hour. If the fare seems too low, the driver may refuse the ride. Simple, right?

But wait, that's not all! StopClub is not just a fare calculator. Founded in 2017, it originally offered a map that allowed drivers to track the locations of others and a secret camera to discreetly record audio and video during journeys. But the real game-changer was the introduction of the income calculator in February.

Since this update, StopClub has grown from 87,000 active users to 250,000 across Brazil. But like any good story, there were twists and turns. Uber Brazil took StopClub to court in July, but in August Uber lost its injunction to block the app. Oops!

And guess what? This affair made StopClub a real star. Pereira, who runs WhatsApp groups with nearly 2,700 drivers, believes Uber's lawsuit has had the opposite effect. StopClub gained even more fans thanks to the publicity generated by the media coverage of the injunction (the famous Streisand effect).

So, what can we take from all this? Imagine for a moment that StopClub arrives in France. The next time you get into an Uber, it could well be that your driver, thanks to this application, refuses certain trips deemed unprofitable for him. Indeed, with StopClub, he would be able to evaluate the profitability of each journey before accepting it. And you, dear reader, would you be ready to welcome this application with us? Do you think this would be a revolution for our drivers or just another gadget?