[stuber]

And, there is no central command. That is problematic, especially if you want to grow your corporate base. In a way, it kind of reminds me of open source software development. Cat herding

The Nazis had lots of central command. How'd that work out?

 

[stuber]

Cabs are still here because a LARGE segment of the market STILL doesn't know how Uber/Lyft works or how cheap they are. Particularly the over 30 crowd. Additionally there aren't (in most cities) any Uber/Lyft stands like there are for cabs. Almost ALL airports are a problem for pickups. It's still early in the development of the concept.

While I agree with many of the pro-cab views posted on this thread.....the cab companies still have NOT fixed their problems. The same problems that allowed Uber/Lyft to get such a large foothold. Just adding an app for the cab business isn't going to fix it and trying to hide behind licensing/regulations as you have done for 50 years is not going to allow you to continue with the same advantages you've enjoyed for half a century or longer.

I have been on both sides of the street....as a cab driver and as a Uber/Lyft driver. I have consistently heard the SAME stories regardless of which service I "contracted" with. MOST cab drivers give crap service and have seriously BAD attitudes. I have been told this as a cab driver and as a Uber/Lyft driver. Some of you black car/cab company people should drive for Uber/Lyft for a week and listen to the stories and anger from the passengers. How are you going to fix THAT? Clearly it's NOT a NEW problem. Have you not cared to correct these issues or have you been unable to? Or has it just been greed? What's changed? After all these years of crapping on your drivers, you are finally going to start treating them decently so that you can hire better ones and keep the good ones? I doubt it. Do what you've always done....Lobby. Convince the lawmakers that these start-ups need to be HEAVILY licensed/regulated and you need to hold on to your legal advantages/protections. Protect your jobs and revenue.

I've said repeatedly (in prior posts) that Uber/Lyft isn't any less greedy than the cab companies. They don't treat their drivers any better or with any more respect. What they have managed to do, is give a lot of customers something that the cab companies have not.....a driver that usually shows up on time in a clean car, usually without attitude and a lower price per fare. Have these so called "ride sharing" businesses managed to offer this by circumventing many of the rules/licensing/regulations requirements that the cab companies have had to adhere to (and hide behind) for many years? Absolutely. Can they continue to do this indefinitely? Unlikely....but so far they are making a killing financially and nobody has stopped them yet. How long before these "ride sharing" companies have the same problems with their drivers that the cab companies have with theirs?

The only thing that works is this: owner/drivers with their own clients. Everything else, every scheme involving a broker, every fleet operation with leased drivers or staff drivers, is BS. Has to be. They are taking your profits. UBER is an unnecessary middleman. Fleet operators are the same, but worse. You have to run your own business.

The good news is that nowadays, with the technology, you can.

 

[Swed]

This all boils down to one thing GREED. Guess UBER would definitely help their cause if they didn't announce to everyone that they have 18.2 billion in revenue.. Regulatory agencies hear that and just start drooling...

John once again you are talking out of your ass. 18 billion valuation, not revenue. I can waste my time explaining the difference to you, but why don't you just google it.

 

[UL Driver SF]

The only thing that works is this: owner/drivers with their own clients. Everything else, every scheme involving a broker, every fleet operation with leased drivers or staff drivers, is BS. Has to be. They are taking your profits. UBER is an unnecessary middleman. Fleet operators are the same, but worse. You have to run your own business.

The good news is that nowadays, with the technology, you can.

That middleman isn't needed...well until you need the ap to get customers.

Then again maybe you are that guy who can put together everything Über, Lyft, et all have set up. I'm not that guy.

 

[stuber]

Not ALL customers order cars with an app. Some want to know their driver and schedule trips. These customers like knowing the price isn't subject to surge.

The apps like UBER are good as filler, when you don't have something better to do.

 

[Tx rides]

Please, I'm talking about two specific population segments: business travelers and young people with money of their own to play with, and want the entitlements.

Business travelers who I pick up in UberBlack have the same tale, over and over: they never want to set foot in a taxi again. When you 're in the air two-3 days a week, the odds you'll have a less-than-business class experience in a cab goes up, exponentially. Of the group that says they'll never use a cab again (40-50%), 10% say they'll never use UberX again. If cabs don't step up their game once ride-sharing is regulated, they will never reclaim that base.

We've had three regular biz travelers in recent weeks tell us the had UberX drivers show up to get them in other cities. They have used UberBlack in those cities for a while. All three were surprised at the vehicles which showed up, none were even aware of this "personal car thing" as one called it, one said they just selected from the first option and didn't pay much attention to the rest until they got picked up. How many options are showing up in Chicago and NYC?

 

[stuber]

Hell, once ride sharing is regulated.. Game over..
You're missing the whole point, The huge mess that is called the taxi cab industry was CREATED by these regulatory bodies, CREATED by the cities who simply treated them like their *****, CREATED them to the point where they had to work ever increasing hours, just to pay for the massive Fees, licenses, fines, inspections, the list goes on and on.

The problem is not going to be.. If you have a business traveler who has sworn never to use a cab again. They will just call a limo and get picked up... The bigger question will be if UBER will even continue to operate at all..... Once they are bent over a table and shafted with endless regulations... Like the taxi industry has.

For cabs they are use to getting shafted... And they still work under those conditions.... UBER drivers won't. They have a thing ... What they call it?
Pride, dignity self respect... Cab drivers lost that a long time ago.. If they had any to start with.

Recently reported that UBER is now demanding the upperend vehicles to provide service to the lower end customers.. So, as an Uberblack driver sure you're very excited about ushering some UberX frat boys around, of course at the UBERX price....
I would think your answer to that would be... HELL NO. not in my car.
That is an example of that pride, dignity and respect thing.. When you lose that. Than you'll have nothing at all.

The regulations and fees are not really the biggest hurdle for taxis. The bigger problem is the racket called commercial insurance. That and the excessive weekly lease and brokerage commissions drivers are forced to pay.

Regulations, I get that. We don't want unsafe drivers and uninspected vehicles. But the legalized extortion from insurers and fleet owners is what irks me.

 

[stuber]

A lot of excellent chatter on this thread by the way. Thanks all.

 

[Tx rides]

The regulations and fees are not really the biggest hurdle for taxis. The bigger problem is the racket called commercial insurance. That and the excessive weekly lease and brokerage commissions drivers are forced to pay.

Regulations, I get that. We don't want unsafe drivers and uninspected vehicles. But the legalized extortion from insurers and fleet owners is what irks me.

It's all about risks. Payouts are a lot higher for businesses, that's why commercial coverage is needed. Injured people, their survivors, and lawyers go after a lot more $$$ from businesses. They also expect the rides to be safer than what they would receive from any old JoeBlow.
We had to sell two kids to get our minibus insured

we transport many people everyday, from cars to bus, zipping in and out of traffic during crazy hours...having enough coverage to take care of them, and our drivers, is just the obvious choice for us.

 

[Former Yellow Driver]

We had to sell two kids to get our minibus insured

You can do this? What if they're grown....is there still a market for them?

 

[Tx rides]

You can do this? What if they're grown....is there still a market for them?

Sure! They are just a little harder to hand off , if you don't sedate them first!!! Lol

 

[stuber]

Excessive lease amount... I drove a cab for ten years... My lease never exceeded 22% of my income. With that 22% they provided a vehicle completely covered with maintenance and insurance.. And provided a new car every few years..
In comparison, a fare for UBER that is $20 dollars, which most of them will be.. With the "safety fee" and the commission now at 25%... The total percentage for that trip is 30%.
As far as insurance... At least here in California... So enters AB 2393.. Which will become the insurance norm for all drivers everywhere. The bad news there is, for a taxi the insurance is paid by the owner of the car which is the taxi company...
That won't happen with UBER/Lyft that will be paid by the driver..

Good response. You sound better informed than me with your experience. I just see these guys here with $2000-3000/mo leases and another $1000/mo for fuel, and wonder. How is this possible?

It's possible only by working 12 hours/day, 7 days a week, I guess. That's what they do.

 

[Sydney Uber]

Taxi- 5$ base fare, 3dollars a mile, plus cash tips

Uber- .80 cents base fare, 1.20$ a mile, tips not necessary

Thanks for pointing out why the on road operators simply cant survive as UBER taxis at those rates Jakob.

There are 5 or 6 Stakeholders in Every taxi shift that need to be adequately compensated for all to survive.

And Jakob, lets not argue that UBERx is simply a booked taxi service without the advantage of being able to supplement turnover with street-hails.

So lets pay the folk who provide the work first.

Uber X. Taxis

20% to Uber. $500-$700 p/m radio fee
$0.00 licence. $big license fees
Sales/ incomeTax. Sales & income tax
Capital Cost & depreciation
car running and maintenance cost
Vehicle owner & Driver

What would you pay Jakob for the peace-of-mind to a controlling authority to almost triple your milage rate, increase your waiting time and minimum fare - whilst being assured that the number of other UBERX Taxis would not be increased in a manner that quickly and severely cut your takings in half?

Jakob, what would you pay to know that your rates would not be cut but increased regularly to keep up with cost of living and business cost increases?

Jakob are you so happy that the Taxi industry is finally being "threatened" by UBER that you have offered your health, wealth and vehicle assets to UBER to throw in its war against LYFT and the Taxi industry?

Jakob, you clearly point out in your post the value that UBER places on you, we know Travis K's motives, I just dont get yours.

 

[cybertec69]

Recently I was called by two people, who were going from a hotel here in Nashville, to Hattie B's, one of the hottest restaurants in town right now.

As I was on 10th Avenue, crossing Broadway from the West with the green light, a taxi was about to blow through the red light (right on red, but not yielding) on the Broadway northbound side and cut me off, until I beeped at him and he braked. I pulled up to the valet stand and he got right behind me.

Two women jumped into the back and told me where they were going. Next thing, the cab driver gets out, comes to my window, and tells me I should be more careful. I looked straight at him and said, "You should stop at red lights." It was a short exchange, less than 10 seconds in which it was made clear I wasn't going to take any shit from him, and then he went back to the cab.

That was when the ladies in my back seat informed me the party he was picking up was actually with them, and we were all going to the same place. As a result, I was prepared that he was probably going to try to race me to the destination. I warned the ladies and told them I wasn't going to play, anyway.

So, sure enough, he zooms past me on Broadway and heads up West End, and gets there first. But I chose to stay on Broad, and drop my passengers off on the right side of the street, while his had to cross in noontime traffic.

The takeaway: the two people who rode with me were given another reason they never want to ride in a taxi again. And it's a safe bet they told their friends.

At least that cab driver is making better $ than you.

 

[jakob]

@Sydney Uber I definitely get what you are saying but my point was to compare uberX to a taxi not uber taxi, I just think people are so cheap that they will always pick lower rates over good service and Etc. and I'll go as far as to so called "dirty cabs and rude drivers" adopt uberX rates and uberX taxis rates, I bet taxis will be back in the game with at least 65% business growth. In conclusion I believe whoever offers cheap service is ultimately going to win, and uberX is winning.

Sorry if I'm off topic I just replied to the thread headline

 

[Sydney Uber]

@Sydney Uber I definitely get what you are saying but my point was to compare uberX to a taxi not uber taxi, I just think people are so cheap that they will always pick lower rates over good service and Etc. and I'll go as far as to so called "dirty cabs and rude drivers" adopt uberX rates and uberX taxis rates, I bet taxis will be back in the game with at least 65% business growth. In conclusion I believe whoever offers cheap service is ultimately going to win, and uberX is winning.

Sorry if I'm off topic I just replied to the thread headline

Thanks for your comments - but you are selecting what you want everyone to believe. And that is that UBERX is Not a Taxi service.

It is NOT Rideshare!!! You the owner and driver of the car does not choose the destination, you are PAID to take folk to their destination.

You do not get paid what you want, a 3rd party sets your rate without any factoring of your vehicle's running costs.

You, Jakob are driving for a Taxi service, a very restricted, harrased, randomly managed one that needs to evolve to be sustainable.

 

[stuber]

@Sydney Uber I definitely get what you are saying but my point was to compare uberX to a taxi not uber taxi, I just think people are so cheap that they will always pick lower rates over good service and Etc. and I'll go as far as to so called "dirty cabs and rude drivers" adopt uberX rates and uberX taxis rates, I bet taxis will be back in the game with at least 65% business growth. In conclusion I believe whoever offers cheap service is ultimately going to win, and uberX is winning.

Sorry if I'm off topic I just replied to the thread headline

Whether you're talking taxis, UBER Taxi, UBERX, limo, or UBER BLACK, I agree that people mostly choose price over quality. Even with limo, people are cheap. Maybe 5-10% place quality ahead in their decision.

So the name of the game is to find and serve those customers. Find the customers who want to pay for quality. Be that a quality cab or a quality limo. Otherwise it's a low margin numbers game. With very long hours.

 

[josolo]

I can only speak of the taxi business in San Diego. Other cities may and probably do different things.

I'd say that's an understatement.

Lyft driver Daryl Rodgers answered an app request for pickup at the International Plaza in Tampa. When he got there, it wasn't a customer waiting, but a secret shopper hired by the Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission. PTC inspectors handed him $700 in citations and a misdemeanor charge for operating without a proper permit.

PTC Director Kyle Cockream says while Uber and Lyft can cover fines, they can't cover up a driver's criminal record.

"No company is going to be able to do away with that. No company is going to be able to erase the marks that are going to live with the rest of their lives," says Cockream.

http://www.wtsp.com/story/news/local/2014/10/09/uber-lyft-drivers-face-criminal-charges/16985139/

I *really* need and want this job, but dang it man, I'm really concerned about all these grey areas.