Uber

[Masterhawk]

Uber is a company in which drivers are paid to take people to where they want to go (basically a taxi service). On the other hand, taxi services are regulated by local governments. To be a certified taxi driver, one must get a taxi medallion and those are in limited number (13,587 in NYC) and often cost a lot of money (up to a million dollars in Chicago and NYC). Uber is also cheaper than taxi services. In San Francisco for example, the fare is $2.20 plus 26 cents per minute and $1.30 per mile. In the same city, the first fifth of a mile costs $3.50 and each fifth of a mile costs an additional 55 cents (which adds to $2.75 per mile). Naturally, this is causing the taxi industry to struggle; there have been protests by taxi drivers, demanding that Uber be regulated or banned by the government. In response, some local governments and even countries have put regulations and even bans on Uber.

 

[X Factor]

Uber is a company in which drivers are paid to take people to where they want to go (basically a taxi service). On the other hand, taxi services are regulated by local governments. To be a certified taxi driver, one must get a taxi medallion and those are in limited number (13,587 in NYC) and often cost a lot of money (up to a million dollars in Chicago and NYC). Uber is also cheaper than taxi services. In San Francisco for example, the fare is $2.20 plus 26 cents per minute and $1.30 per mile. In the same city, the first fifth of a mile costs $3.50 and each fifth of a mile costs an additional 55 cents (which adds to $2.75 per mile). Naturally, this is causing the taxi industry to struggle; there have been protests by taxi drivers, demanding that Uber be regulated or banned by the government. In response, some local governments and even countries have put regulations and even bans on Uber.

If government regulation is hindering ability of taxi drivers and taxi companies to compete with Uber, maybe it's the regs that should go rather than Uber.

 

[Superfly]

I don't use Uber often, but case in point: I took my husband to a Stevie Nicks concert in Tampa. The taxi ride was going to cost $40. Uber cost me $8.

**** taxi companies. They have been ripping people off too long.

I'm thankful for companies like Uber and Lyft. Anything that makes the taxi companies (and those ridiculous fares) sit up and take notice is fine by me.

 

[X Factor]

I don't use Uber often, but case in point: I took my husband to a Stevie Nicks concert in Tampa. The taxi ride was going to cost $40. Uber cost me $8.

**** taxi companies. They have been ripping people off too long.

I'm thankful for companies like Uber and Lyft. Anything that makes the taxi companies (and those ridiculous fares) sit up and take notice is fine by me.

I like that payment and tipping, if you're going to do it, happens outside the presence of the driver. It's all less awkward.

 

[Chomsky]

I love Uber. And it's helping transform many of my city's neighborhoods into places where you can survive very well without a car. Some neighborhoods already were that way, but rideshare is expanding the car-free neighborhoods & accelerating the move to not needing cars.

I no longer live that type of lifestyle, I desired a little land & space. But if you've ever lived in a fully functional walking & public transportation urban neighborhood, it can be a blast! :thumbs:

 

[Brochacholomigo]

I would like nothing more than to see Uber completely eliminate taxis from the economy. That entire industry is an anti-consumer racket that artificially sets the price for individual transportation above what the poor can afford, and Uber is an objectively superior alternative to it.

 

[Cardinal]

I don't use Uber often, but case in point: I took my husband to a Stevie Nicks concert in Tampa. The taxi ride was going to cost $40. Uber cost me $8.

**** taxi companies. They have been ripping people off too long.

I'm thankful for companies like Uber and Lyft. Anything that makes the taxi companies (and those ridiculous fares) sit up and take notice is fine by me.

In Los Angeles, taxi unions prevented the train from going all the way to LAX, forcing train users to take the taxi the final hop to the airport. Here, let's look at a map of the metro and LAX, boys and girls:



The metro looks like it goes pretty close to the airport, right? I mean...just close enough to touch. And yet it doesn't.

**** taxis.

 

[Surrealistik]

There are bad regulations that should go like limited taxi licenses that are essentially designed to create artificial scarcity, gouge customers and preclude competition, and then there are good regulations that should apply to all taxi/transport services such as appropriate insurance, driver vetting and training, and standards enforcement for vehicles, including Uber.

There should absolutely be accreditation, but not arbitrarily limited accreditation; if you meet a set of reasonable standards, you should be eligible for licensing and participation in transport services.

That having been said, it is precisely this sort of vetting that Uber often gets a pass on which it shouldn't.

 

[Psychoclown]

The entire taxi system in most major cities is a text book example of crony capitalism and over regulation that combine to kill competition and thus drive up prices and reduce service. Uber is cheaper, more convenient and usually provides better service. What's not to like? The problem, as X-Factor stated above, isn't a lack of government involvement. Its too much government involvement.

 

[Hawkeye10]

The entire taxi system in most major cities is a text book example of crony capitalism and over regulation that combine to kill competition and thus drive up prices and reduce service. Uber is cheaper, more convenient and usually provides better service. What's not to like? The problem, as X-Factor stated above, isn't a lack of government involvement. Its too much government involvement.

You cant let our agents the government let people stake their entire lives on a medallion and then change the rules overnight ruining them.....for life.

It is immoral.



EDIT: Yes folks, "Dont be a jerk" is an actual rule, one that matters.....A LOT!

 

[Psychoclown]

You know what's immoral? Using government force to create an artificial oligarchy so that you can jack up prices, provide substandard service, and deny thousands of willing workers entry into the industry.

I have no problem letting people who recently purchased a medallion get a refund, but I have little sympathy for the tax industry as whole. Since they have petitioned and campaigned and lobbied for almost all of the competition killing regulation in the first place. They've had their foot on consumer's throats for a long time. And now when innovation and technology finally find a way around their all their chicanery, they cry no fair - as if they've ever been interested in fairness. If anyone has been a jerk in this, is the cab companies.

 

[Superfly]

I like that payment and tipping, if you're going to do it, happens outside the presence of the driver. It's all less awkward.

I don't tip from my debit card. Two reasons. First of all, Uber takes a pretty big cut from the drivers already. Don't want them to risk losing part of the tip, too. Secondly, I rarely tip anyway on a card, because it has to be reported that way. If I slip somebody a $5 or $10 tip, it's theirs to do what they want with it. If they want to report it, fine. If not, that's OK too.

 

[Superfly]

In Los Angeles, taxi unions prevented the train from going all the way to LAX, forcing train users to take the taxi the final hop to the airport. Here, let's look at a map of the metro and LAX, boys and girls:

View attachment 67231086

The metro looks like it goes pretty close to the airport, right? I mean...just close enough to touch. And yet it doesn't.

**** taxis.

That's crazy. And it's exactly what I've been talking about. Taxi companies have ruled the roost for years and years. A little competition is good for the soul. Keeps them from doing **** like this.

 

[HonestJoe]

You know what's immoral? Using government force to create an artificial oligarchy so that you can jack up prices, provide substandard service, and deny thousands of willing workers entry into the industry.

Many in the taxi industry have long been guilty of that but what makes you imagine Uber and companies like them won’t do exactly the same thing once they have the power? They’re already pushing to avoid being subject to employee rights, safety and tax responsibilities by classifying their drivers as contractors in various jurisdictions and have been guilty of massively hiking prices in times of high demand. The taxi industry in various places was long overdue reform but painting Uber and the like as shiny heroes riding down to rescue us is only going to get you trampled under their hooves.

 

[Winchester]

I don't use Uber often, but case in point: I took my husband to a Stevie Nicks concert in Tampa. The taxi ride was going to cost $40. Uber cost me $8.

**** taxi companies. They have been ripping people off too long.

I'm thankful for companies like Uber and Lyft. Anything that makes the taxi companies (and those ridiculous fares) sit up and take notice is fine by me.

The ridiculous fares are because of an artificial limit placed on the number of licences available. Cost of entry is really high if you want to buy a license. I understand the taxi drivers freaking out, some of them paid a lot of money for said license that all of a sudden has become all but worthless. I can only imagine the tavern association freaking out if all of a sudden people could legally compete with them w/o out having to pay $100 of thousands of dollars to acquire someone else's license.

 

[Kreton]

Years ago I had a need for a taxi. I looked and the city I was in had 1 cab service. When I called the lady was rude and after about 45 minutes I called to check and was told the driver was dispatched. Another 30 minutes and I called again to be told the driver had a priority fare and I would have to wait. Another 30 minutes later I called back and I was pretty pissed off and was told I was not getting a cab and could walk. When these companies hold absolute control they can charge as much as they want and treat people however they'd like. **** these companies. I am still mad about that experience and have never used any cab service since. I applaud Uber for providing an alternative.

 

[WCH]

I'm a Texan...we like our own trucks.

 

[jamesrage]

Uber is a company in which drivers are paid to take people to where they want to go (basically a taxi service). On the other hand, taxi services are regulated by local governments. To be a certified taxi driver, one must get a taxi medallion and those are in limited number (13,587 in NYC) and often cost a lot of money (up to a million dollars in Chicago and NYC). Uber is also cheaper than taxi services. In San Francisco for example, the fare is $2.20 plus 26 cents per minute and $1.30 per mile. In the same city, the first fifth of a mile costs $3.50 and each fifth of a mile costs an additional 55 cents (which adds to $2.75 per mile). Naturally, this is causing the taxi industry to struggle; there have been protests by taxi drivers, demanding that Uber be regulated or banned by the government. In response, some local governments and even countries have put regulations and even bans on Uber.

I think Uber should be treated just like any other business that transports people by car to destination specified by the customer for a fee IE a taxi service. If that means being required to have Taxi permits/medallions in order to operate their business then that is what should be required. Uber is a taxi.Calling it by another name doesn't make it different.

 

[Mr Person]

Tricky one.


Taxis are typically overpriced because of restrictive medallion regulations (put in place by people sympathetic to and/or in the pocket of Guess Who). On the other hand, Uber drivers often make less than even minimum wage when you account for all the wear & tear, etc. But they're independent contractors.

The "fair" result is probably somewhere between the two...

 

[Mason66]

In Los Angeles, taxi unions prevented the train from going all the way to LAX, forcing train users to take the taxi the final hop to the airport. Here, let's look at a map of the metro and LAX, boys and girls:

View attachment 67231086

The metro looks like it goes pretty close to the airport, right? I mean...just close enough to touch. And yet it doesn't.

**** taxis.

Uber is present in Mexico but it is not allowed into the airports or the bus terminals.

When I fly in to Culiacan, I have to take a taxi to where I need to go and it costs around $350.00 pesos for that ride.

An Uber would have been around $50.00 for that same ride.

 

[Mason66]

There are bad regulations that should go like limited taxi licenses that are essentially designed to create artificial scarcity, gouge customers and preclude competition, and then there are good regulations that should apply to all taxi/transport services such as appropriate insurance, driver vetting and training, and standards enforcement for vehicles, including Uber.

There should absolutely be accreditation, but not arbitrarily limited accreditation; if you meet a set of reasonable standards, you should be eligible for licensing and participation in transport services.

That having been said, it is precisely this sort of vetting that Uber often gets a pass on which it shouldn't.

What regulation is Uber not living up to?

Where I am Uber has a list of vehicles that are not allowed to be used because of their crash test ratings.

 

[Mason66]

That's crazy. And it's exactly what I've been talking about. Taxi companies have ruled the roost for years and years. A little competition is good for the soul. Keeps them from doing **** like this.

Where I am the taxi companies tried to stop Uber.

They even went so far, in one case, as to block in an Uber driver front and back, called out a police car, and had the car impounded.

Of course I would have had the taxi drivers arrested for kidnapping, but that is just me.

Since that didn't work, the taxi companies have come up with a challenge to Uber in that they have designated some of the cars Executive Taxis that work like the Uber in that you call them and they show up. I have not used one so I don't know all the details, but I did see a change in their service since Uber has come along. They really had no choice.

 

[Mason66]

Many in the taxi industry have long been guilty of that but what makes you imagine Uber and companies like them won’t do exactly the same thing once they have the power? They’re already pushing to avoid being subject to employee rights, safety and tax responsibilities by classifying their drivers as contractors in various jurisdictions and have been guilty of massively hiking prices in times of high demand. The taxi industry in various places was long overdue reform but painting Uber and the like as shiny heroes riding down to rescue us is only going to get you trampled under their hooves.

If something happens in the future, you deal with it then.

You don't stop what they are doing because you think they might do something in the future.

 

[molten_dragon]

Uber is a company in which drivers are paid to take people to where they want to go (basically a taxi service). On the other hand, taxi services are regulated by local governments. To be a certified taxi driver, one must get a taxi medallion and those are in limited number (13,587 in NYC) and often cost a lot of money (up to a million dollars in Chicago and NYC). Uber is also cheaper than taxi services. In San Francisco for example, the fare is $2.20 plus 26 cents per minute and $1.30 per mile. In the same city, the first fifth of a mile costs $3.50 and each fifth of a mile costs an additional 55 cents (which adds to $2.75 per mile). Naturally, this is causing the taxi industry to struggle; there have been protests by taxi drivers, demanding that Uber be regulated or banned by the government. In response, some local governments and even countries have put regulations and even bans on Uber.

In 15-20 years the Uber and taxi drivers will all be out of a job, so it's a short term problem.

 

[Surrealistik]

What regulation is Uber not living up to?

Where I am Uber has a list of vehicles that are not allowed to be used because of their crash test ratings.

Before Toronto introduced new regulations/licensing for example, Uber could operate without meeting any of the regulatory requirements of other transport services such as insurance, driving record and background checks, and limits on the age of cars used (which by itself resulted in 30% of Uber's fleet leaving service).