Uber. The bully business model.

[thrilling]

Since they have managed to piss off entire countries, and still find loopholes to operate, can they be stopped?

From a passenger standpoint, they offer cheaper more available services.
From every other standpoint, they are one of the most unethical, brutally abusive companies in existence.

Every day something new. More lawsuits, more chaos, more negative news. Yet, they still are rolling along.

What is the end game? I can not see them lasting forever.

 

[TheGardener]

That's the price they pay for being a transformative and disruptive business. Taxis are highly regulated. That combined with their monopoly, taxis prices are way too high.

The development of the personal computer was of the same vain. It killed off the mainframe and minicomputer businesses. At the start of the PC cycle, there was a company that made a personal word processor. Their business crashed as fast as it successfully rose.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Taxis are highly regulated because they killed people.

Too bad it looks like they're going to fight tooth and nail instead of making common sense reforms and embracing change instead. Local governments are certainly on their side.

Uber is a terrible company though, and I'm just hoping they run out of saps willing to be drivers before they ruin public transit too.

 

[NetWareHead]

Uber is a terrible company though, and I'm just hoping they run out of saps willing to be drivers before they ruin public transit too.

Can you please explain this? As someone interested in more mass transit deployment and expansion, wondering how a car based service can disrupt for instance, commuter rail or subway while still subject to traffic and every other disadvanage of automobiles based transit.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

FWIW my fathers health problems and my mothers refusal to drive on highways have forced me to shuttle her around many times in the last couple of months. So I need to occasionally deliver her and her car to the area where he's getting treatment and she stays there. Sometime I can arrange rides back to my car, other times I've had to Uber it and they've been great. They're a godsend for routes not covered by public transit and far faster and cheaper than taxis. I don't know what they're like to work for, but I hope they last. They're great for consumers and if they force other public transport to adapt, improve and lower prices to compete then it's a double win.

 

[Ns1]

Can you please explain this? As someone interested in more mass transit deployment and expansion, wondering how a car based service can disrupt for instance, commuter rail or subway while still subject to traffic and every other disadvanage of automobiles based transit.

Have you taken an uber pool ride lately? It's basically a personalized bus, and is often times cheaper than public transport.

Ex) Uber Pool from my neck of the woods to airport is $10, airport shuttle from transit depot is $15, typical commuter shuttle is $40, and taxi is almost $80.



The real problem here is the race to the bottom - 90 cents/mile less 25% commission isn't a lot of money, and so anyone with half a brain or decent work prospects won't work for those rates. They'll either only work surge (sucks for the passenger), or you're left with the riff raff.

You'll notice that the quality of Uber cars has decreased dramatically over the years - that's because at 90 cents a mile they can't attract quality long term drivers, so they only ask for a 2001+ car with minimal damage.

 

[swanysto]

I hate both Taxis and Uber about the same. I hate Taxis cause they drive like a-holes(at least here in Chicago area). I hate Uber drivers cause they are always looking at their damn phone and not paying attention to what is going on around them.

 

[NetWareHead]

Have you taken an uber pool ride lately? It's basically a personalized bus, and is often times cheaper than public transport.

Ex) Uber Pool from my neck of the woods to airport is $10, airport shuttle from transit depot is $15, typical commuter shuttle is $40, and taxi is almost $80.



The real problem here is the race to the bottom - 90 cents/mile less 25% commission isn't a lot of money, and so anyone with half a brain or decent work prospects won't work for those rates. They'll either only work surge (sucks for the passenger), or you're left with the riff raff.

You'll notice that the quality of Uber cars has decreased dramatically over the years - that's because at 90 cents a mile they can't attract quality long term drivers, so they only ask for a 2001+ car with minimal damage.

OK thanks for explaining. So they sound like a taxi company that interfaces differently with the customer than traditional ride hailing service or limousine car service.

They are able to outprice traditional bus and even taxi companies...so why aren't they regulated like a taxi company and forced to apply for licenses?

I know, that was a rhetorical question but I imagine the answer is because they are so new, they are doing what they wait until the regulations catch up to them and force them in line.

I cant imagine what kind of defense they can come up with as to why they are different than a taxi and dont need to get licensed. They are practically the same thing IMO

 

[Newbian]

Only one way to fix it and that's by shooting the drivers on site until they have been eliminated as a species.

That or fix the broken system that caused uber and such to be such a great success but that's the easy fix so why bother with that?

 

[Cerpin Taxt]

I specifically use Lyft because fuck Uber.

 

[Ns1]

OK thanks for explaining. So they sound like a taxi company that interfaces differently with the customer than traditional ride hailing service or limousine car service.

They are able to outprice traditional bus and even taxi companies...so why aren't they regulated like a taxi company and forced to apply for licenses?

They're really neither, all drivers are independent contractors, and then Uber gives each IC a "lead" and they can choose to accept or deny that lead. In an Uber pool ride, that means they're given a "lead", pick up a person. During that trip, Uber may give them another "lead" and they can choose to accept or not.

In my personal opinion, Uber is a taxi dispatch system and are riding in the grey area where the laws have not kept pace with technology.

I will say for sure though, if you talk to an Uber driver who believes they are an employee their responses will be slightly different than mine.

 

[thrilling]

How many folks got sucked into leasing or purchasing vehicles to become Uber drivers due to Uber's mini guarantee that they would net 50 large per year, only to have them default after barely braking even? I am talking about drivers that had to spend 7 days a week driving.

Drivers also have to "play along" with giddy customers that rave how wonderful Uber is when they get in their cars. They know that is what those customers want to hear. I commend those drivers for not unleashing their true feelings. They are trying to make a living.

 

[Ns1]

How many folks got sucked into leasing or purchasing vehicles to become Uber drivers due to Uber's mini guarantee that they would net 50 large per year, only to have them default after barely braking even? I am talking about drivers that had to spend 7 days a week driving.

Drivers also have to "play along" with giddy customers that rave how wonderful Uber is when they get in their cars. They know that is what those customers want to hear. I commend those drivers for not unleashing their true feelings. They are trying to make a living.

1) drivers need to learn2math
2) there's an "I'm deaf" option if they don't want to play along.

 

[NetWareHead]

They're really neither, all drivers are independent contractors, and then Uber gives each IC a "lead" and they can choose to accept or deny that lead. In an Uber pool ride, that means they're given a "lead", pick up a person. During that trip, Uber may give them another "lead" and they can choose to accept or not.

In my personal opinion, Uber is a taxi dispatch system and are riding in the grey area where the laws have not kept pace with technology.

I will say for sure though, if you talk to an Uber driver who believes they are an employee their responses will be slightly different than mine.

Taxi dispatch service where drivers own their own vehicles and can refuse service makes them really independent contractors. Vs a taxi company where the drivers are employees and drive company cars. This is the only difference IMO.

They provide the public a livery service. I cannot understand why they do not need to be licensed...

 

[thrilling]

1) drivers need to learn2math
2) there's an "I'm deaf" option if they don't want to play along.

They play along to get tip!

 

[Midwayman]

The end game is obviously replacing the drivers with self driving cars. As soon as its viable they will dump humans as fast as they can.

I like uber as a consumer though. Rides actually show up in a reasonable time rather than a comcast-esque window. They follow gps guidance so you know you're not being taken on a round the city tour. Usually being cheaper is just a side benefit.

Wish cities would just make their medallion programs for taxis open to anyone who can show the proper insurance and training. The medallion monopoly has created to the worst of the taxi problems.

 

[1sikbITCH]

Hacks are still cheaper.

http://ced.berkeley.edu/bpj/2013/03/hacking-the-informal-transportation-system-in-baltimore/

Hack Price Estimates in the Vernacular of Urban Residents

Type of Hack Hack Price
1. “Round the corner” $2.00-3.00
2. Up the “ave” (along the same street) $3.00-4.00
3. Same side of town, past the “ave” $5.00
4. City to county $6.00-7.00
5. “Over east” to “over west” $8.00
6. Roundtrip $10.00

Can't beat that shit and they usually know where the bombin' dope is at

For the uninitiated:

 

[thrilling]

Tax them and give the money to Taxis and local transportation infrastructure!
Massachusetts - Trend setters!
http://mashable.com/2016/08/23/uber-massachusetts-tax-taxis/#9EekZgDg2iqg

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

1) Taxi's never innovate. They never change with the times. Which is what you get with any unionized industry. No change/adaptation to the industry - so they would rather whither away and die than adapt. Hostess was a great example of that in recent history - and plenty are still on-going and will die as well (Chicago teacher's union for example).

2) In relation to #1, the concept of making it easy to order a cab is far beyond their mindsets. The thought of making an App that you could pay with, tell them where to go, and call them to a location? Ludicrous! That's witchcraft! Well, at least for cab scum. Last I checked I still had to look up the number for the cab company and give them a voice phone and a time to pick me up. And don't you dare ask the cab driver to pay with your company card They will have a hissy fit if you use a credit card.

3) As they get more and more comfy with their industry of shit, the taxi drivers don't care for things such as looking nice for customers. Not having a vehicle that smells like shit, looks like shit, etc... Also drivers are the scum of the Earth. Next time you get out of a Taxi, get out to get your bags out of the trunk and ask your driver "What is the total?" The real total will be right in your sight through the back windshield - I did this test and 90% of the time they straight up lied. I always liked it because if they did lie (usually by a few dollars) I just pay them the amount they said when I would normally tip more.

4) Yet with Uber - in a competitive, low priced market... I've had numerous drivers that were above and beyond friendly... Hell, I had one in Vegas that offerred to charge my devices, offered me bottles of water, and offered mints as well heh. I've run into tons of interesting people with recent or current careers that are actually intelligent people. Never had that with Taxi drivers.

To put it simply though, adapt or die. Taxi's don't want to adapt, thus they are forced to die. And good riddance.

 

[jman19]

Have you taken an uber pool ride lately? It's basically a personalized bus, and is often times cheaper than public transport.

Ex) Uber Pool from my neck of the woods to airport is $10, airport shuttle from transit depot is $15, typical commuter shuttle is $40, and taxi is almost $80.



The real problem here is the race to the bottom - 90 cents/mile less 25% commission isn't a lot of money, and so anyone with half a brain or decent work prospects won't work for those rates. They'll either only work surge (sucks for the passenger), or you're left with the riff raff.

You'll notice that the quality of Uber cars has decreased dramatically over the years - that's because at 90 cents a mile they can't attract quality long term drivers, so they only ask for a 2001+ car with minimal damage.

If I'm somewhere remote in the city late at night... Uber Pool is the way to go.

 

[ImpulsE69]

open your own Uber company...Or..get a real job. Or...
Hearing an Uber driver complain is like listening to a cam girl complain because no one is tipping her or someone called her a cow.

you're taking the lowest common denominator job that is barely a job. It's called laziness, in hopes of big cash. Difference is, you don't have big boobs and a vagina.

 

[pcslookout]

I specifically use Lyft because fuck Uber.

Same.

 

[pcslookout]

1) Taxi's never innovate. They never change with the times. Which is what you get with any unionized industry. No change/adaptation to the industry - so they would rather whither away and die than adapt. Hostess was a great example of that in recent history - and plenty are still on-going and will die as well (Chicago teacher's union for example).

2) In relation to #1, the concept of making it easy to order a cab is far beyond their mindsets. The thought of making an App that you could pay with, tell them where to go, and call them to a location? Ludicrous! That's witchcraft! Well, at least for cab scum. Last I checked I still had to look up the number for the cab company and give them a voice phone and a time to pick me up. And don't you dare ask the cab driver to pay with your company card They will have a hissy fit if you use a credit card.

3) As they get more and more comfy with their industry of shit, the taxi drivers don't care for things such as looking nice for customers. Not having a vehicle that smells like shit, looks like shit, etc... Also drivers are the scum of the Earth. Next time you get out of a Taxi, get out to get your bags out of the trunk and ask your driver "What is the total?" The real total will be right in your sight through the back windshield - I did this test and 90% of the time they straight up lied. I always liked it because if they did lie (usually by a few dollars) I just pay them the amount they said when I would normally tip more.

4) Yet with Uber - in a competitive, low priced market... I've had numerous drivers that were above and beyond friendly... Hell, I had one in Vegas that offerred to charge my devices, offered me bottles of water, and offered mints as well heh. I've run into tons of interesting people with recent or current careers that are actually intelligent people. Never had that with Taxi drivers.

To put it simply though, adapt or die. Taxi's don't want to adapt, thus they are forced to die. And good riddance.

I had a Lyft/Uber driver who had water, mints, and even free Wifi it was awesome!

 

[thrilling]

If I'm somewhere remote in the city late at night... Uber Pool is the way to go.

Tick tick tick.
http://triblive.com/business/headlines/10999741-74/uber-driving-sharing
Clock ticking on making extra cash as an Uber ride-share service driver

 

[Sonikku]

Capitalism.