This Israeli Ride-Sharing App Is the Utopian, Hippie Uber

Uber, in many ways, embodies hyper-capitalism. The app’s “surge pricing” algorithm, which automatically raises fees when the weather is bad or demand is high, is a constant source of sticker shock and an occasional source of outrage. Some critics say the company is squeezing driver pay, others that it’s running roughshod over government regulators. Travis Kalanick, Uber’s confrontational chief executive officer, compares his job with running for public office, and it hasn’t been a smooth campaign. Protesters have disrupted corporate events, marched outside the San Francisco company’s headquarters, and interrupted an interview with Kalanick during the Sept. 10 taping of Stephen Colbert’s new late-night talk show.

Halfway across the globe, Shay Zluf says he’s hoping to create the anti-Uber. In Israel, the former yoga instructor co-founded La’Zooz, a sort of cooperative ride-hailing service. Through the organization’s app, volunteers give people lifts in exchange for tokens they can later trade for rides. The group behind La’Zooz talks a lot about “community responsibility,” alleviating city congestion, saving the environment, and the “fair share of wealth.” “Just doing another application was not enough for me,” Zluf said. “What is important for me is to start a movement.”