[FunemployedDriver]

If you like watching The Agenda, this will give you a good idea about the problems with Uber compared to the Taxi industry. It's unfortunate that Uber does not participate in any debates to get their ideas across.

http://tvo.org/video/programs/the-agenda-with-steve-paikin/uber-everywhere

Air Date:
Sep 21, 2015
Length:
20:38

About this Video
Ottawa. Waterloo. Hamilton. Cities across the province have been grappling with what to do about the private vehicle service Uber X. Ontario's capital city saw hundreds of taxi drivers flood City Hall this week to voice their belief that not only is Uber breaking the law, but it's also putting passengers and other drivers at risk. Will Uber ever replace taxis?

 

[Drivebynight]

Thanks for that.

 

[TomP]

It was an interesting episode of The Agenda. I watched part of it. Steve Paikin's panel participants were Sam Moini of the Toronto Taxi Alliance and Jonathan Kay who wrote the article Uber v. Taxi One must die for the other to live in the September issue of The Walrus. I too was disappointed that Uber declined to participate. A lot of the content of the discussion was about what Jonathan Kay presented in his Walrus article.

 

[keeper1]

Good discussion. Thanks for the link. I don't understand why Uber declined to participate. They are so much need public support now and they're missing this opportunity.

 

[kwzombie]

I wonder if Uber thinks they will lose and they'll have to start their pull out strategy. Then just watch the drivers get stiffed with all those bylaw/etc tickets. I somehow doubt this, but Jonathan raises a lot of good points (I had read the article previously) about Uber's cherry picking business model. He insists that the government will then be left to pick up the tab for accessible rides; I don't think that's going to happen. I think Uber will offer something in each community to cover that off even if it means paying a guarantee to a few drivers. As it is right now though, all taxi users are subsidizing accessible rides, not just taxpayers, as Jonathan suggests would be the outcome of a full Uber victory. I think he also leaves out the idea that areas where Uber has existing for a long time, and now operate legally, that it hasn't killed the taxi industry. Shrunk it? Certainly. Killed it, no.