Are Byrider franchisees required to adopt Infrastructure Standards without exception?
Byrider Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Infrastructure Standards are designed to include hardware, software, or networking changes that create major benefits for the franchise. In some instances, these changes from the existing standards may be considerable, and therefore, possibly costly in monetary and/or other resources for the franchise system. Infrastructure Standards require that the standard be adopted by everyone within the franchise system without exception.
Some past examples of major Infrastructure Standard changes include the centralization of servers to the corporate facility and the change from frame-relay networking to Internet based connections. No current changes to Infrastructure Standards are being considered or anticipated, but a few theoretical examples can be discussed for illustrative purposes. The wide range of reasons and needs that would involve a change to Infrastructure Standards precludes any chance to define a range of costs that may be involved.
Example 1: If the Internet were to become unstable or insecure for business processes in some way, it would be necessary to consider a different network topology. This drastic change would require franchisees and corporate to acquire new network services, and probably invest in new networking technology. Requiring this change would be an Infrastructure Standard.
Example 2: If a fundamental software component from a vendor had a significant cost increase and no reasonable alternative existed to avoid the cost, this would be considered a change to an Infrastructure Standard.
Example 3: A legal requirement develops where compliance requires new software or hardware expense. The implementation costs may be considered changes to Infrastructure Standards.
Example 4: The danger of viruses and other malware reaches a point where the current suggestion that all PC's have active antivirus software installed, needs to become an absolute requirement. This change would be an Infrastructure Standard change.
Source: Item 23 — Receipts (FDD pages 88–335)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Byrider Franchise Disclosure Document, Infrastructure Standards are changes to hardware, software, or networking that provide major benefits to the franchise. These changes may be costly for the franchisee. Byrider requires that these standards be adopted by everyone in the franchise system without any exceptions.
Examples of past Infrastructure Standard changes include centralizing servers to the corporate facility and changing from frame-relay networking to Internet-based connections. As of the FDD's publication, there were no current or anticipated changes to Infrastructure Standards. However, the document provides theoretical examples such as changes needed if the Internet becomes unstable, a fundamental software component has a significant cost increase, a legal requirement necessitates new software or hardware, or antivirus software becomes an absolute requirement due to virus threats.
Because the reasons and needs for Infrastructure Standard changes can vary widely, the FDD states that it is not possible to define a range of potential costs. This means a prospective Byrider franchisee should be prepared for potentially significant, but undefined, expenses related to technology and system-wide upgrades during the term of their franchise agreement.