Uber and the law of large numbers

An interesting article here in the NYT about the “Uber model.” Uber drivers enjoy flexibility–they can drive whenever they want–partly because the app connects them to customers but mainly because there are so many drivers. People who want rides can get them because of the high probability of a nearby riderless Uber car. The author argues that this model can be applied to many other settings, including legal services and medicine. A doc with a bit of spare time can make himself available via app and you might consult him if you happen to be nearby.

The relevant law here is not the law of taxi or doctor licensing but the law of large numbers. It’s what ensures that someone is nearby when you need him, even though drivers and doctors have all kinds of other unpredictable commitments, given a large enough pool. I tell my students that the most important law in banking regulation is the law of large numbers. It’s what makes it possible for a bank to offer money in a steady way to borrowers when the bank’s own lenders–short-term depositors–might need their money on a moment’s notice. The Uber model is, at bottom, the bank model.