Back in the Blacklane – FOUND Miami

GOODS & SERVICES • FOUND Service

A block from the Miami Beach Convention Center, at the end of Art Basel, I was feeling exhausted and somewhat marooned. I needed to get to The Standard for one last party and — dreading long wait times and surge pricing from Uber and Lyft — briefly considered walking the mile and a half there. Instead, I opted to fire up Blacklane, the “global chauffeur service” app that offers on-demand and scheduled car pick-up services in Miami and other cities around the world.

I’d tried the app earlier that weekend during peak Friday night party time, and it timed out without a chauffeur in sight. But now, as the festivities wound down, an Escalade was en route. Before I knew it, the driver hopped out, walked around the car and opened the door for me. Inside, the seats were leather and water bottles were waiting — a far cry from the inconsistent quality you get with Uber and Lyft in Miami.

For the rest of the week, hotel-hopping on assignment between…