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Shame. I don't use taxis much but have used Uber a few times and it's always been really good, and generally a deal cheaper than the old fashioned equivalent. It seems to have not hit the spot around the world though, as this isn't the first place to change it's laws about taxis so that they are excluded.
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I use taxis a lot. I am no particular fan of Uber, I rarely use them, and I do think they dodge various laws and regulations.
But I think most major cities in the world need more taxi competition, not less. Uber bring that, I don't see anybody else filling that role.
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One could develop a similar app offering ride share for free to reduce environmental footprint. As long as fare is not charged (officially), rules and regulations won't apply.
How the app owner will make money that's a different question though.
In fact, there are already several carpooling apps available. Somehow Uber got the momentum (which is very important in social media based app as often one app is not really any better than other apps) which pushed it into a market leader.
In some countries, local clones of Uber are more popular.
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Didn't I hear that Uber have teamed up with Amazon to deliver food?? Uber Eat or something?
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I wonder how other Uber drivers are feeling in other countries if they can just shutdown like this. But hey they're not employees so Uber does not have any obligations.
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Mark>>I am no fan of Uber
I'm quite surprised. I'm quite a fan of Uber. I do have some caveats, but for the sake of convenience they far outweigh black cabs. You're never more than 6 feet from a free Uber in London, and you can summon it in seconds. They can be barely more expensive than the tube, too.
Therein lies the rub. Uber have burned their way through tens of billions of pounds (dollars, mostly) in reaching this position. Clearly their fares are far too low. I'm going to make some guesses:
They take 25% of each fare.
That they need to take another 25% to be at break-even.
And another 10% to make reasonable money.
To reach that, the fare charged to the consumer will have to rise by 35%. And once they've driven all the competition off the streets then the sky is their limit. Maybe they've underestimated how long that will take. Particularly once they have self-driving vehicles - at which point the hundreds of thousands of drivers who have been ruthlessly exploited lose their jobs.
I can see the point where nobody will own cars and everything will be done by Uber. Drunk driving? Driving licences? Under-age driving? Sending the children to school? Sleeping and driving? Working and driving? All will be possible.
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>>Mark>>I am no fan of Uber
>>
>>I'm quite surprised
Its the company and its business practices I object to, not its service.
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Article in The Telegraph Business section Re Uber and black cabs:-
tinyurl.com/n3p6jpa
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I think its behind a paywall.
However, it mentions the attacking of Uber drivers by local taxi drivers; that is happening in Chile also. And quite nastily.
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"I understand why licensed taxi drivers are upset. Their industry has been overtaken by technology. Going past Paddington Station the other day, the extent of the devastation to the old-fashioned taxi was clear: the queue of black cabs waiting to pick up customers stretched back for miles. But new taxi apps are providing a great service for much less money. Travellers shouldn’t be forced to buy something that’s needlessly more expensive just because it has some old-school charm about it."
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... and there are plenty of industries whlch change thanks to (due to?) technology. People have to move with the times these days.
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The licensed taxi trade in london have refused to move with the times or technology. Whilst its good they have to meet and pass some stringent checks, the requirement do do the knowledge for example is now dead. And how anyone willingly pays way way over the odds for that antiquated heap of carp that is the London Taxi cab is beyond me. (over £40k for a TX4)
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And how anyone willingly pays way way
>> over the odds for that antiquated heap of carp that is the London Taxi cab
>> is beyond me. (over £40k for a TX4)
>>
Don't they have to buy that make of taxi to operate?
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>> Don't they have to buy that make of taxi to operate?
Strictly speaking, no. They do however have to conform to this
content.tfl.gov.uk/taxi-conditions-of-fitness.pdf
The turning circle is the kicker, tho some Eurocabs now conform.
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I'm sure all new London taxis have to be electric from next year, many drivers who are on the verge of changing are in bit of a quandary.
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>> I'm sure all new London taxis have to be electric from next year, many drivers
>> who are on the verge of changing are in bit of a quandary.
Not strictly true, 2017 taxis must be euro VI compliant, and there is a strategy, not yet a regulation, that new taxis should be zero emissions by 2020.
content.tfl.gov.uk/mayors-air-quality-strategy.pdf
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The cockney slang is worth paying extra for.
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>> Its the company and its business practices I object to, not its service.
Dubious practices in order to attempt to monopolise an industry; agree. But to replace another monopoly industry which is the black cab which certainly could do with some competition.
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Apparently UBER are also short changing drivers.
www.theregister.co.uk/2017/04/07/uber_sued_for_underpaying_drivers/
Seems that they are quoting a more expensive ride to the passenger and a cheaper route to the driver and are pocketing the difference!
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If Uber and their drivers were really able to deliver such a service both better and cheaper, then current taxi / private hire drivers would have been getting rich for years previously.
And that's not my experience.
Last edited by: No FM2R on Mon 17 Apr 17 at 17:13
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Uber shutting down in Denmark - smokie
