Have you ever used UBER?

[Beedok]

Originally Posted by middeljohn

There used to be people who's job it was to light candles in streetlights every night. I'm sure these people weren't happy when electric lights came to existence, despite electric lights being better and safer in every measurable manner.

Taxis are no different. They're upset because their relatively easy source of income now has competition for the first time. We live in a free market society where competition is the driving force that advances our society. The reality is that Uber provides a service that is for the most part more reliable, easier to use, more comfortable, has better customer service and they manage to do this for a better price (most of the time). For those reasons Uber is winning the competition battle.

Yes, it's probably a good idea to have some regulation, with the main concern being safety. But for local governments to flat-out ban Uber is undemocratic and goes against the way society advances. When a better option comes along you fine-tune it and make it the new normal.

The difference is that electric lights were still going to see all the regulations that gas lights had, and were a new technology that was cheaper. Uber is the same thing as taxis, except it's using new technology to skirt around regulations and use that to keep prices down. You're still hiring someone to drive you somewhere, it's just a slightly different way of calling a cab with differing management techniques. It's still a type of taxi service.

[speedog]

Originally Posted by kel

I now take Uber all the time. Here in Edmonton it is about 33% cheaper and you usually get a nicer vehicle without a wait. I will support what ever is cheapest.

And race to the bottom continues, Uber now until something cheaper comes along.

[matt602]

Nope. I don't approve of their business model and I'd rather pay for my cab in person to the driver than have it go through the internet.

[Pinion]

Yes, a nice young man called us an Uber when no taxi company would come to pick us up at the surprisingly desolate Golden Gate bridge area (south east side after walking around the coast from the Bay bridge). Service was great, even if we shared it with a dude who put too much cologne on.

I'm very concerned about the monopoly aspect of it, and don't like how little the drivers are paid, but the taxi cartel in Vancouver is awful so anything to shake up the market would help.

[kel]

Originally Posted by speedog

And race to the bottom continues, Uber now until something cheaper comes along.

The free market will sort it out. Atleast we have another option over the monopoly cab companies that have been taking advantage of consumers for years.

[middeljohn]

Originally Posted by Beedok

The difference is that electric lights were still going to see all the regulations that gas lights had, and were a new technology that was cheaper. Uber is the same thing as taxis, except it's using new technology to skirt around regulations and use that to keep prices down. You're still hiring someone to drive you somewhere, it's just a slightly different way of calling a cab with differing management techniques. It's still a type of taxi service.

The only regulation I could see being required would be to limit price hikes. Safety of both the driver and passenger isn't guaranteed, but that's the case with taxis as well. That said, a lot of taxi drivers pull 12+ hour shifts whereas with Uber it's mostly something people do on the side...a couple hours here and there. Who do you think is going to be more alert? And should there be an accident..that's what insurance is for, to which my understanding Uber provides for its drivers.

I think a big reason why municipalities don't like Uber is because they didn't sell the $500K+ licenses to them.

I only use Uber now. I'd much rather pay money to ride in a clean car with a polite driver. On top of that you know exactly when the car is going to arrive and you can reject a driver based off their reviews. With taxis you don't know when someone will get there or how good their service is.

[Beedok]

Originally Posted by middeljohn

The only regulation I could see being required would be to limit price hikes. Safety of both the driver and passenger isn't guaranteed, but that's the case with taxis as well. That said, a lot of taxi drivers pull 12+ hour shifts whereas with Uber it's mostly something people do on the side...a couple hours here and there. Who do you think is going to be more alert? And should there be an accident..that's what insurance is for, to which my understanding Uber provides for its drivers.

I think a big reason why municipalities don't like Uber is because they didn't sell the $500K+ licenses to them.

I only use Uber now. I'd much rather pay money to ride in a clean car with a polite driver. On top of that you know exactly when the car is going to arrive and you can reject a driver based off their reviews. With taxis you don't know when someone will get there or how good their service is.

It's not just about rider comfort. There's labour relations with the company, tax payments, etc. Those $500K+ taxi licences go towards things the city needs.

Plus I've never had any real problems with taxis (apart from a few TBay drivers taking an inefficient route to the airport from my place, but I'm not actually sure if that's on purpose or just misjudging a few things).

[SHOFEAR]

Cab drivers at Edmonton City hall when the city pretty much allowed UBER to operate. Seriously....these cab drivers can fuck right off.



Edmonton Sun

• Video Link

http://edmontonjournal.com/news/loca...ncil-to-a-halt

[RueBulmer]

From the little that I know, my reservations about the service stem from its immediacy to exploit supply and demand. Spiking user fees due to increased demand might send people back to cabs, especially when rates can change from one hour to the next.

Selecting a ride shouldn't be as complicated as deciding on mutual funds.

[casper]

Originally Posted by Beedok

The difference is that electric lights were still going to see all the regulations that gas lights had, and were a new technology that was cheaper. Uber is the same thing as taxis, except it's using new technology to skirt around regulations and use that to keep prices down. You're still hiring someone to drive you somewhere, it's just a slightly different way of calling a cab with differing management techniques. It's still a type of taxi service.

There are other differences. The taxi licenses are artificially controlled to limit supply and keep prices up. If you decided in Vancouver you wanted to operate a taxi you could not go down to city hall show you had all the safety conditions satisfied and be given a license. What you would have to do is go to someone who already had a licence and buy it off of them. But people who own licenses in Vancouver don't drive taxi or sell the licenses instead they rent them out to actual taxi drives. It is a completely artificial and broken system.

The other silly thing is if you have a license in Vancouver and take a passenger to Burnaby you then have to drive back to Vancouver empty because you don't have a Burnaby taxi license. Completely unacceptable from an environmental perspective and again it drives up the cost.

The taxi system is broken. We should either get rid of it completely or reinvent around free market constraints. Issue licenses to anyone that meets the requirements and have license be valid province wide.

I have used Uber is the US. Wonderful service we need it in more Canadian cities.

[le calmar]

I use Uber and love it. I happen to also be registered as a driver, but didn't use the service much. It was nice chatting with random people though, you see a lot of tourists using Uber here in Ottawa and it was interesting. Except that one Calgarian who was going to miss his flight at the airport hehe (still managed to get him there on time, but he was unpleasant)

[Beedok]

Originally Posted by casper

There are other differences. The taxi licenses are artificially controlled to limit supply and keep prices up. If you decided in Vancouver you wanted to operate a taxi you could not go down to city hall show you had all the safety conditions satisfied and be given a license. What you would have to do is go to someone who already had a licence and buy it off of them. But people who own licenses in Vancouver don't drive taxi or sell the licenses instead they rent them out to actual taxi drives. It is a completely artificial and broken system.

The other silly thing is if you have a license in Vancouver and take a passenger to Burnaby you then have to drive back to Vancouver empty because you don't have a Burnaby taxi license. Completely unacceptable from an environmental perspective and again it drives up the cost.

The taxi system is broken. We should either get rid of it completely or reinvent around free market constraints. Issue licenses to anyone that meets the requirements and have license be valid province wide.

I have used Uber is the US. Wonderful service we need it in more Canadian cities.

That's not really a flaw in taxis, that's a flaw in regional bureaucracy.

[rbt]

There are now some cities (Los Angeles suburbs like Ontario or San Bernadino) where Uber/Lyft are the only way to get around other than renting a car.

Regular taxis simply don't seem to exist there anymore. You can call for one (they don't wait at hotels anymore) but it'll be 30+ minutes versus Uber's 5 minutes.

So, I've started using them out of necessity but the bonus Starwood points don't hurt. Can't wait for the driving to be automated. Started seeing too many elderly driving as a hobby and some of them shouldn't have their license any more; for fun, if you "end" your trip before your destination and request a new trip, you almost always get the same driver because they're closest.

And yet every once in a while you get a driver that's spectacular and there's no real way to tell the system (5 stars for minimally acceptable trips due to Uber's termination process). I want a "I would wait 10 more minutes to get this driver again" option; if the rider would make a time sacrifice then that driver actually did a great job.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by le calmar

Except that one Calgarian who was going to miss his flight at the airport hehe (still managed to get him there on time, but he was unpleasant)

Perhaps he would be more pleasant if he lived in Okotoks.

Used Uber last night when Ottawa was -42. Survived. All of these cab drivers picketing and making a scene are just proving their own public perception. They're nothing more than thugs when grouped together.

[lrt's friend]

Funny, we don't hear about assaults and robberies on Uber drivers. These things do happen with taxi drivers. I guess if something bad happens, you just quit as a Uber driver.

[biguc]

Yes and it's great. Can't wait for government to get out of the way and let the corrupt, rapey, and racist cab industry fail.

[hipster duck]

From a user standpoint, Uber is almost perfect. As the guy sitting in the backseat, I am treated to courteous service at half the cost of a taxi. Most importantly, it's cashless and the fare is unambiguous. I know roughly what price I'm going to pay; the driver won't "forget" to turn on the meter or make a detour to run up the cost or make a "deal" with me beforehand that's not really a deal at all.

From a provider standpoint, Uber has some flaws. I worry about it becoming a bit of a monopoly, as someone already said. I think that the 30% it takes is pretty steep, considering that all that all of the costs and risks are externalized onto the driver and all Uber is really providing is a networking platform.

But, still, people sign up to drive with Uber all the time. They know the risks. They've made informed decisions about the costs and the benefits. And, most importantly, many of the drivers don't do it as their sole form of employment, unlike cab drivers. It's something you do in your spare time to pick up some extra bucks. If my city had Uber, I'd do it too - especially since I don't need to work on Friday and Saturday nights, but there's a lot of demand for cabs at those times.

[casper]

Originally Posted by Beedok

That's not really a flaw in taxis, that's a flaw in regional bureaucracy.

They are universal flows that exist in most cities around how taxis are licensed. The specifics may be different from city to city however the basic premise of taxi services in Canada is the local governments sets the meter rate, hands out licenses but only a certain number so as to control capacity.

Airports are no different. They issue RFP for taxi service. Usually it is one company that wins the right to do pickups at a given airport. Again its interference in the free market.

[Innsertnamehere]

I take a taxi / uber 1-2 times a month, and 75% of those are probably uber. Took one friday night.. clean car, safe driver (compare to taxis..), chatty, great. And something like $9.22 for what would probably be a $15-$20 trip for a taxi.

Only time I take a taxi is when there is surge pricing.

[giallo]

I use UBER from time to time in Shanghai, and it's a good service. They are way friendlier than the regular taxi drivers, and the cars (Audis, BMWs) are way nicer. It's not cheaper to take UBER in Shanghai though. Taxis are still dirt cheap here.