# Taxi/Limo companies want rid of uber? Here's a suggestion:



## JaxBeachDriver (Nov 27, 2014)

More and more people are totally over Uber's shit. The ones who aren't either will be soon or are too tragic to worry about.

Here's what I think I see happening: too many ex-cab drivers are joining uber black. In my area, the barriers to entering the vehicle for hire industry are low. These factors are leading to over saturation in the market. So business isn't as good for any of us.

Taxi companies have lost some of their drivers to Uber/Lyft, or just to the loss of business that goes along with so much competition in the marketplace. 

The pendulum swings.

With so many of us inexperienced drivers jumping on board uber/Lyft, the experienced drivers have more competition than ever. So do cab companies. They may be pissed now, but customers are getting sick of uber/Lyft's shit, too. As the pendulum swings, I think you'll see a lot of movement of drivers and passengers going back and forth between uber/Lyft and cabs and limos.

What needs to happen, and what may be happening, is that cab and limo companies should embrace this. Instead of fighting uber drivers, steal them. Promise them better. I'm still seeing ads for local limo companies that say "no uber drivers." Why not? Get with the times! I think that converting a lot of UberX/Lyft drivers who want part-time work (and who can be professional) to licensed drivers for companies that are even just a tiny bit better than uber is how you beat uber. Then you leave the utter bottom feeders to uber on. That will kill rideshare faster than any propaganda or marketing scheme ever could.


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## UberBlackDriverLA (Aug 21, 2014)

I would have no problem hiring the right Uber driver. My drivers make about $60k per year. Not going to get rich, but can pay their bills. And when I say "make" that's what they gross as EMPLOYEES minus taxes of course. I pay 100% of expenses because that's what good employers do.


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## gprimr1 (Mar 7, 2015)

What do you base your theory on? Most people I know love Uber. Cheap rates, easy to use, the app works nationally. I'm not thinking people are over it.

If the taxis really want to compete, I would say they need to band together and create a common platform app that allows users the same features as Uber. One great thing, I can fly from Baltimore to New York to London to Los Angeles, and all I have to do is fire up the Uber app and get a ride. No need to download a separate app for each city, or each cab company.


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## JaxBeachDriver (Nov 27, 2014)

gprimr1 said:


> What do you base your theory on? Most people I know love Uber. Cheap rates, easy to use, the app works nationally. I'm not thinking people are over it.
> 
> If the taxis really want to compete, I would say they need to band together and create a common platform app that allows users the same features as Uber. One great thing, I can fly from Baltimore to New York to London to Los Angeles, and all I have to do is fire up the Uber app and get a rid. No need to download a separate app for each city, or each cab company.


Because of Uber's treatment of its "partners", quality is going down. Don't you think? And from what I see, it's only getting worse.

There are apps already. Curb is out there, and others, I'm sure. They just need a good viral marketing campaign.


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## 20yearsdriving (Dec 14, 2014)

JaxBeachDriver said:


> More and more people are totally over Uber's shit. The ones who aren't either will be soon or are too tragic to worry about.
> 
> Here's what I think I see happening: too many ex-cab drivers are joining uber black. In my area, the barriers to entering the vehicle for hire industry are low. These factors are leading to over saturation in the market. So business isn't as good for any of us.
> 
> ...


Bingo!!!


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## 20yearsdriving (Dec 14, 2014)

gprimr1 said:


> What do you base your theory on? Most people I know love Uber. Cheap rates, easy to use, the app works nationally. I'm not thinking people are over it.
> 
> If the taxis really want to compete, I would say they need to band together and create a common platform app that allows users the same features as Uber. One great thing, I can fly from Baltimore to New York to London to Los Angeles, and all I have to do is fire up the Uber app and get a rid. No need to download a separate app for each city, or each cab company.


As we know uber is dirt cheap
Customer feels stupid paying more or tipping
But it's coming to the point the savings are not worth the hassle
Even the cheap riders pay to get good service sometimes

Uber is a contrast to a traditional good reliable driver
Honestly it's almost night & day

You can book a known driver you'll get a predictable outcome
Since you booked him you have repore

Or you can jump true hoops
Get a unknown driver each & every time
I guess it works for some the cheap riders

The good riders can not have a predictable ride


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## KGB7 (Apr 23, 2015)

JaxBeachDriver said:


> Because of Uber's treatment of its "partners", quality is going down. Don't you think? And from what I see, it's only getting worse.
> 
> There are apps already. Curb is out there, and others, I'm sure. They just need a good viral marketing campaign.


They arent over it. I see new PAX every day.

And many large banks have heavily invested in Uber.
Example "A".
http://venturebeat.com/2015/01/21/goldman-sachs-confirms-1-6b-investment-in-uber/

Uber is not going public.
http://www.businessinsider.com/why-banks-are-excited-to-help-startups-stay-private-2015-6


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## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

JaxBeachDriver said:


> *1. *More and more people are totally over Uber's shit. The ones who aren't either will be soon or are too tragic to worry about.
> 
> *2. *Taxi companies have lost some of their drivers to Uber/Lyft, or just to the loss of business that goes along with so much competition in the marketplace.
> 
> ...


1. and 3.-Yes, many of them are, but I suspect that Uber either anticipated this or fell into it by accident. Alone among the for-hire digital call assignment platforms, Uber is a "One Stop Transpo Shop". Uber approaches the customer with its spiel of seamless transactions, you can see where the cars are and get an idea when and it you will get a ride, you can see when your ride is on the way, we let you know when the ride is there/close. It then adds "......a-a-a-annnnd, IT'S CHEAP!". "Oh, you do not want to deal with a non-professional, non licenced driver?--how about a limousine?" "Oh, you want a professional licenced driver, but do not want to pay for a limousine. How about a taxi? I have those, too". Pick it, select it, go, pay for it all in one easy tap. Thus, if the Uber user is tired of the problems associated with UberX, he does have a choice. To be sure, the taxis are available in only a few markets, but, I suspect as some of these taxi applications approach nationwide status, Uber will go head to head with them in the other markets. It _*ain't*_ that difficult. Go into the market, get out the word, invite the cab drivers to this or that restaurant, give them a meal and a Coca-Cola, make their pitch, sign 'em up! It worked for me.

2. and 4.-You are onto something, here. If events in this area are at all instructive, what you suggest decidedly would be of use to the taxi companies. Here, the suburban taxi companies historically have mistreated their drivers horribly. When Uber showed up, those who could get their hands on something suitable for limousine use went there. The suburban companies noted a few parked rental cabs, but nothing to get alarmed about; someone would show up to drive them. Come UberX. Now, the range of acceptable vehicles is greater. These suburban cab drivers were parking their rental cabs in droves. The suburban cab companies were losing business because they had no one to cover it. You can holler and scream all that you will about Uber and mistreating drivers, but these suburban boys had it much better with UberX than with their former cab companies. I state from experience on this one. UberX is fairly simple and devoid of many of the rules and problems associated with these suburban cab companies. You sign on, run your trips, sign out, go home, no hassles. Now, there is the rating system, which is flawed, but, for the most part, these guys kept up sufficient ratings because at least they do know where they are going. Those that washed out simply went back to their cab companies.

Since the rate cuts, more have gone crawling back to their former companies, but, if rates ever approach what they should be, again, these suburban companies will lose their drivers. The suburban companies must reform their practices. They should pay bonuses to their drivers who can bring them new drivers. The suburban companies will help the driver get his hack face. They do need to sell themselves to the drivers. This means lower the rents and stop the mistreatment of the drivers.

In the City, the difference was the response of the Regulators. Much of the problem sprung from the members of our regulatory board. Many of them are members of trade groups that, for years, have been on record as hostile to the interests of cab drivers and companies. The response of these hypocrites has been to cheer the unregulated competition (the TNCs) while imposing more oppressive overregulation on the cab business. Thus, an attraction to the TNCs was created for the City cab drivers. I tried it. I must admit that the peace of mind on the TNC platform has its value. The City Council has specifically prohibited the Taxicab Commmission from doing anything to TNC vehicles unless its Inspectors observe a TNC vehicle's accepting a street hail. I must admit that when I go into the train station, it fgeels good to know that if some Hack Inspector with a fly up his nose approaches me, I can thumb my nose at him and tell him that he must go away as he is bothering me.

Despite the above, I do drive the cab more. There is no money in UberX.

Your suggestions are not much help for the City drivers, but the suburban companies would go far if they gave them more than a little consideration.



gprimr1 said:


> Most people I know love Uber. Cheap rates, easy to use, the app works nationally. I'm not thinking people are over it.
> 
> If the taxis really want to compete, I would say they need to band together and create a common platform app that allows users the same features as Uber. One great thing, I can fly from Baltimore to New York to London to Los Angeles, and all I have to do is fire up the Uber app and get a rid. No need to download a separate app for each city, or each cab company.


What people do not like is the problems inherent to the rideshare business. What people do like is what you posted, especially with Uber. If you do not like the UberX, you can get a limousine in most markets and a taxi in a few. If it is a ride that you need, you need go only to one place. That is one of Uber's advantages over all of the others. Some are willing to suffer a TNC ride if that is all that is available in the market in which they happen to be that week. They know that in most of the markets to which they travel, they can get a higher level of service. Thus, they stick with the one that works.



JaxBeachDriver said:


> There are apps already. Curb is out there, and others, I'm sure. They just need a good viral marketing campaign.


The "viral campaing" is only a part. One of the problems with Curb, and some of the others, is that it works only with fleets. It does not work with individual drivers. From what I am reading about Arro and Way2Ride, it is similar. The last two are rigged into the meter and "taxi technology". Thus, they will work only on those taxis that have a specific "taxi technology". What they need to do is move the application to drivers' smart telephones, so that they can pick up more drivers to service demand. If the demand does not get serviced, the user finds something else. This was part of Hail-O's problem here and major part of My Taxi's problems, here. It was less of a problem for Hail-O in other markets, but failure to service demand was well noted, here. The last two worked with individual drivers, but still had problems. Much of that was due to their attracting drivers who were not used to any form of "dispatch". Uber Taxi fared better because most of the drivers that it attracted, in itially, were used to some form of "dispatch". We knew to go after the job once we accepted it, rather than dump it and take the street hail.

Yes, do the viral campaing, but, also, you must educate the drivers on the importance of covering demand.



20yearsdriving said:


> it's coming to the point the savings are not worth the hassle
> Even the cheap riders pay to get good service sometimes
> 
> Get a unknown driver each & every time
> I guess it works for some the cheap riders


The bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of low price has faded?

Yes, they do get tired of some of the problems inherent to the TNC rides, but, in the case of Uber, it does offer alternatives in most of its markets. These people are used to Uber, so they do stick with it, they simply choose a higher level of service, where it is available. I have run across just what you describe: cheap customers who decide that it is time to pay for better service.



KGB7 said:


> They arent over it. I see new PAX every day.


.......as do I, at both the levels of Uber that I drive. I see new Uber Taxi users who "grajjeeyaytidd" from UberX. When the college students get here, if they have not done so, already, they download the Uber application very quickly to their telephones. Those who can deal with the problems inherent in the TNCs do so. Those who decide that they can not deal with it, choose a different level of service. One thing about Uber is that it becomes habit-forming quickly.


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## KGB7 (Apr 23, 2015)

Everything in this thread is a personal opinion, a very poor opinion.

If any of us could tell or see the future, we would have heavily invested in various stocks and retired on a 50' yachts. But, its all talk for the sake of personal entertainment.

So when you are done pretending being a money manger for Prince of Dubai, spend $2 for $200mill Power Ball.
Capital One Bank has an interest rate of 0.75% for your $120mill.... thats after 40% taxes.


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## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

^^^^^This from a dilettante suddenly turned expert.


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## KGB7 (Apr 23, 2015)

Another Uber Driver said:


> ^^^^^This from a dilettante suddenly turned expert.


Can you tell us how many pounds of shit i will poop next Tuesday? No you cant. Same way you dont know what will happen to Uber or Taxis.


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## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

^^^^^^^^^.....and I have no interest in trying to figure it out, either. Your skatological fascination with yourself you can keep to yourself, I _*ain't innerstidd*_.

I made no attempt to "know what will happen to Uber or Taxis". I did make some comments on how the taxis can make it better for themselves. Any predictions that I made were based on analysis of events and market conditions as well as my experience in this business. I have been around for a while. I know this business. There _*ain't none too many people in this hyar War-shingg-tunn Met-tree-pawlitunn Err-e-uh what kin tell me too much 'bout this hyar biz-ee-niss. 
*_
You have not been around long enough to tell me that any "opinion" that I might have on this business is "poor".


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## KGB7 (Apr 23, 2015)

Another Uber Driver said:


> ^^^^^^^^^.....and I have no interest in trying to figure it out, either. Your skatological fascination with yourself you can keep to yourself, I _*ain't innerstidd*_.
> 
> I made no attempt to "know what will happen to Uber or Taxis". I did make some comments on how the taxis can make it better for themselves. Any predictions that I made were based on analysis of events and market conditions as well as my experience in this business. I have been around for a while. I know this business. There _*ain't none too many people in this hyar War-shingg-tunn Met-tree-pawlitunn Err-e-uh what kin tell me too much 'bout this hyar biz-ee-niss.
> *_
> You have not been around long enough to tell me that any "opinion" that I might have on this business is "poor".


Opinions have no value, cant be sold or bought with money. Thus all opinions are poor.


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## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

KGB7 said:


> Everything in this thread is a personal opinion, a very poor opinion.
> 
> If any of us could tell or see the future, we would have heavily invested in various stocks and retired on a 50' yachts. But, its all talk for the sake of personal entertainment.
> 
> ...


Well you're entitled to your opinion I guess.


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## JaxBeachDriver (Nov 27, 2014)

KGB7 said:


> Everything in this thread is a personal opinion, a very poor opinion.
> 
> If any of us could tell or see the future, we would have heavily invested in various stocks and retired on a 50' yachts. But, its all talk for the sake of personal entertainment.
> 
> ...


Retirement is an outdated concept. Most milennials and even some older folks no longer plan to retire. That being said, I can't see the future, but I can see what looks like personal vehicles in my area with taxi cab stickers on them. I can also see hoards of UberBlack cars sitting and sitting and waiting and waiting. I've seen a young hipster driving a Yellow Cab. Things are definitely changing. I don't pretend to know where it all will end...


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## TwoFiddyMile (Mar 13, 2015)

KGB7 said:


> Opinions have no value, cant be sold or bought with money. Thus all opinions are poor.


I'm sorry you can't tell the future.
I can.
1st wave UberX owner operators are all but finished. 
2nd and 3rd wave owner ops are nearing their tenure as well.
Within 2 years, anyone foolish enough to be full timing every ping in their now destroyed Nissan will be done due to the vehicle giving up the ghost.
Regardless of what people think about an endless supply of personnel that will never dry up, it's complete and utter bullshit.
People will talk to their families, friends and neighbors about Screwber and the beating they gave.
2 years.
It's nothing like day trading, it's simply the writing on the wall.
Travis can only screw so many people before the Uber pool of helpless and hopeless dry up.


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## 20yearsdriving (Dec 14, 2014)

TwoFiddyMile said:


> I'm sorry you can't tell the future.
> I can.
> 1st wave UberX owner operators are all but finished.
> 2nd and 3rd wave owner ops are nearing their tenure as well.
> ...


That sounds correct , I'll say 5 % of the first drivers are still driving
Shows the reality


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## 20yearsdriving (Dec 14, 2014)

JaxBeachDriver said:


> Retirement is an outdated concept. Most milennials and even some older folks no longer plan to retire. That being said, I can't see the future, but I can see what looks like personal vehicles in my area with taxi cab stickers on them. I can also see hoards of UberBlack cars sitting and sitting and waiting and waiting. I've seen a young hipster driving a Yellow Cab. Things are definitely changing. I don't pretend to know where it all will end...


Absolutely correct


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## Just_in (Jun 29, 2014)

TwoFiddyMile said:


> I'm sorry you can't tell the future.
> I can.
> 1st wave UberX owner operators are all but finished.
> 2nd and 3rd wave owner ops are nearing their tenure as well.
> ...


Interesting. The other day I was in the operations managers office at the Cab Company. I looked on the chalk board and noticed the next lease number. So I have been there nine or ten years. I took the lease number and subtracted my lease number then divided by the number of years and it came out to almost the exact amount of the Taxi fleet in Cabs. That means or what I think it means is that it is near a 100% turnover rate.

Don't really know if this formula can be applied to the turnover rate of ride share drivers.

But IMO I would imagine it's pretty much the same thing everywhere as a driver for hire. Turnover rate. It's a very high stress business no matter how much or little money one can make.


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## phillipzx3 (May 26, 2015)

gprimr1 said:


> What do you base your theory on? Most people I know love Uber. Cheap rates, easy to use, the app works nationally. I'm not thinking people are over it.
> 
> If the taxis really want to compete, I would say they need to band together and create a common platform app that allows users the same features as Uber. One great thing, I can fly from Baltimore to New York to London to Los Angeles, and all I have to do is fire up the Uber app and get a rid. No need to download a separate app for each city, or each cab company.


In order for the taxi industry to "compete," they need to be allowed to drive around uninsured/under insured, like Uber drivers do. They also need to be allowed to operate without city permits and/or licensing...like Uber drivers do.

This hogwash of Taxi vs. Uber competing against one another is comparing apples to orange.

BTW....There have been apps for taxi's for years. And it would help if the Uber drivers weren't subsidized by Uber. Without Uber subsidizing the unemployed, underemployed and unemployable Uber drivers, most would quit in the first month.


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## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

KGB7 said:


> Opinions have no value, cant be sold or bought with money. Thus all opinions are poor.


Your conclusion has nothing to do with your premise. I will leave out the flaws in the premise.


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## JaxBeachDriver (Nov 27, 2014)

driverco said:


> Ha-ha drivers are over it most quit & high churn but riders love it with all their hearts its cheaper faster then a bus 2-4 riders splitting a $4 fare, cheaper than owning a car no insurance, no payment no upkeep face it Uber in its actions show they hate humans drivers are nothing but loss leaders till self driving cars come along 10+ years from now their goal is nobody owning a car its been published many places they have lines of drivers waiting to replace the ones that quit every 90 days, they're taking bigger cuts & increasing fees and getting away with paying less than min wage why stop?


Not sustainable.


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## SECOTIME (Sep 18, 2015)

For every 1 rider that hates Uber there are 1000 that love it.

For every 10 people that use Uber 1000 don't even know what it is yet.

For every driver that leaves Uber there are probably 5 to replace him by weeks end.

I've been Uber driving for about 2 months. The week before my first trip I had no clue what it was.

Uber is a train moving at 100 mph 

They are going to continue doing what they're doing until the government does something big enough to change them.. Yea right... Maybe in a few larger cities.. But Uber keeps breaking down barriers one way or another.


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## SECOTIME (Sep 18, 2015)

And Uber drivers to Uber are just a short term problem to a much larger solution\idea

Once they get millions and millions of people taking rides in Uber they will have the customer base built up so large that when they start deploying autonomous fleets then they can take 100% of the fare, charge even more for it and tell all the drivers to piss off. 

A lot can happen between now and 5-10 years but they have the ball rolling and it will inevitably happen.


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## North End Eric (Sep 12, 2015)

Burned out Uber drivers are applying to the cab company I work at. It is like a breath of fresh air for them finally get paid what they're worth after being Screwbered. They are a joy to dispatch to because the short hops and grocery runs ($6-10 fares) the old cabbies whine and moan about are no problem for someone that has done the same shit for $2.40 in their personal vehicle.


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## 20yearsdriving (Dec 14, 2014)

SECOTIME said:


> For every 1 rider that hates Uber there are 1000 that love it.
> 
> For every 10 people that use Uber 1000 don't even know what it is yet.
> 
> ...


in UBER world :yes
in real world :no

Uber only has effect on those that allow them self to be ruled
Or the ones that don't mind exploiting others

To prove my point what is your cut of the action


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## UberTaxPro (Oct 3, 2014)

TwoFiddyMile said:


> I'm sorry you can't tell the future.
> I can.
> 1st wave UberX owner operators are all but finished.
> 2nd and 3rd wave owner ops are nearing their tenure as well.
> ...


people still day trade where I live: www.daytradingradio.com


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## AceManShow (Sep 24, 2015)

North End Eric said:


> Burned out Uber drivers are applying to the cab company I work at. It is like a breath of fresh air for them finally get paid what they're worth after being Screwbered. They are a joy to dispatch to because the short hops and grocery runs ($6-10 fares) the old cabbies whine and moan about are no problem for someone that has done the same shit for $2.40 in their personal vehicle.


The word "Dispatch" is like saying "8-Track".

If taxi's updated their technology, I'd say they have a shot at competing with the ride-share guys.

1) Recruit high rated UBER drivers.
2) Create a unified app that "All taxi companies can use anywhere in the country". Much like the UBER app.
3) Don't say the word "Dispatch"...


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## RamzFanz (Jan 31, 2015)

JaxBeachDriver said:


> That will kill rideshare faster than any propaganda or marketing scheme ever could.


Why would we want to kill rideshare, cabbie?



gprimr1 said:


> What do you base your theory on? Most people I know love Uber. Cheap rates, easy to use, the app works nationally. I'm not thinking people are over it.


They base it on their cabbie hate of a better service and delusion.



20yearsdriving said:


> Uber is a contrast to a traditional good reliable driver
> Honestly it's almost night & day


Said no Uber pax ever.


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## RamzFanz (Jan 31, 2015)

This thread is nothing but a cabbie vent thread.

I have never once had a passenger that has stated they will even use a cab again unless forced to. Not one.

How a class of people, cabbies, can think they are the "professionals" when just about everyone hates their service is beyond me. Cabs suck. They are terrible in so many ways, I won't even bother listing them, we all know the reasons.


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## 20yearsdriving (Dec 14, 2014)

RamzFanz said:


> Why would we want to kill rideshare, cabbie?
> 
> They base it on their cabbie hate of a better service and delusion.
> 
> Said no Uber pax ever.


True 
Didn't tip either


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## North End Eric (Sep 12, 2015)

RamzFanz said:


> This thread is nothing but a cabbie vent thread.
> 
> I have never once had a passenger that has stated they will even use a cab again unless forced to. Not one.
> 
> How a class of people, cabbies, can think they are the "professionals" when just about everyone hates their service is beyond me. Cabs suck. They are terrible in so many ways, I won't even bother listing them, we all know the reasons.


You mean people pat you on the head and tell you how wonderful you are for doing the same thing a cab does at one third the price? Gee, what a surprise!


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## TwoFiddyMile (Mar 13, 2015)

RamzFanz said:


> This thread is nothing but a cabbie vent thread.
> 
> I have never once had a passenger that has stated they will even use a cab again unless forced to. Not one.
> 
> How a class of people, cabbies, can think they are the "professionals" when just about everyone hates their service is beyond me. Cabs suck. They are terrible in so many ways, I won't even bother listing them, we all know the reasons.


Whatever you say, cabbie.


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## North End Eric (Sep 12, 2015)

AceManShow said:


> The word "Dispatch" is like saying "8-Track".
> 
> If taxi's updated their technology, I'd say they have a shot at competing with the ride-share guys.
> 
> ...


1) Good idea. Already being done. Disillusioned Uber drivers are applying every week.
2) Another good idea. Many taxis are installing smart phone apps.
3) This is where you drop the ball. People love talking to a real person. Drivers like knowing their calls are being vetted and routed properly. Not all taxi riders are cool kid millennials that are impressed by technology. A lot are senior citizens that are intimidated by it.


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## TwoFiddyMile (Mar 13, 2015)

North End Eric said:


> 1) Good idea. Already being done. Disillusioned Uber drivers are applying every week.
> 2) Another good idea. Many taxis are installing smart phone apps.
> 3) This is where you drop the ball. People love talking to a real person. Drivers like knowing there calls are being vetted and routed properly. Not all taxi riders are cool kid millennials that are impressed by technology. A lot are senior citizens that are intimidated by it.


All true.
My cab company has human reservationists, and GPS/computer dispatch. 
Most of our cash and credit card customers are over 30.
You can HAVE the millennials. Never saw such a cheap, vapid ethics free generation in my life.


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## AceManShow (Sep 24, 2015)

North End Eric said:


> 1) Good idea. Already being done. Disillusioned Uber drivers are applying every week.
> 2) Another good idea. Many taxis are installing smart phone apps.
> 3) This is where you drop the ball. People love talking to a real person. Drivers like knowing their calls are being vetted and routed properly. Not all taxi riders are cool kid millennials that are impressed by technology. A lot are senior citizens that are intimidated by it.


I'm not a millennial (for the record). However, that's where the future market will be..

I also don't see this economy improving any time soon, so I'm thinking people with money to spend on daily rides won't care if it's a human they book the run from of an app.

We can't focus our audience marketing on only the senior citizen segment since they don't take "multiple rides" on a daily basis, maybe once a day to their doctors appointment.

As cheap as millennials are, they use ride share more than once daily. Tip or no tip, they will become the majority of our riders in the near future.. I see this now in SF. It's a hard pill to swallow.


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## JaxBeachDriver (Nov 27, 2014)

AceManShow said:


> I'm not a millennial (for the record). However, that's where the future market will be..
> 
> I also don't see this economy improving any time soon, so I'm thinking people with money to spend on daily rides won't care if it's a human they book the run from of an app.
> 
> ...


It really doesn't matter how many rides they take if the rides cause the driver to lose money. The more rides, the more money lost. There's a price point that could make it profitable. You better believe that when uber fields the cost of the maintenance of those autonomous vehicles, the price will reflect that. Or they'll find someone else to pay for it, probably through advertising or something like that.


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## AceManShow (Sep 24, 2015)

JaxBeachDriver said:


> It really doesn't matter how many rides they take if the rides cause the driver to lose money. The more rides, the more money lost. There's a price point that could make it profitable. You better believe that when uber fields the cost of the maintenance of those autonomous vehicles, the price will reflect that. Or they'll find someone else to pay for it, probably through advertising or something like that.


I understand and completely agree.

However it's the new "price point" that Screwber has created. There's no going back unless they fail and disappear.

If you go to any 3rd world country, public transport is so cheap it's nearly free.. We're heading down that road as we speak.

As for self driving cars, I don't see that happening for at least a decade. Uber has to first eliminate the competition (by using us slaves) then raise prices to cover the cost of their autonomous vehicles.

These guys didn't raise venture capital by having low IQs. They have a plan and an exit strategy.


----------



## 20yearsdriving (Dec 14, 2014)

AceManShow said:


> I'm not a millennial (for the record). However, that's where the future market will be..
> 
> I also don't see this economy improving any time soon, so I'm thinking people with money to spend on daily rides won't care if it's a human they book the run from of an app.
> 
> ...


You can keep the millennial , the future third world economy


----------



## AceManShow (Sep 24, 2015)

20yearsdriving said:


> You can keep the millennial , the future third world economy


No choice ..


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## limepro (Mar 7, 2015)

JaxBeachDriver said:


> Not sustainable.


I disagree, as long as there is unemployment there will be Uber drivers, as long as Uber supplements full time work there will be drivers, etc. If the economy suddenly surged and unemployment went to a surplus there would still be Uber drivers but it would be more of a night weekend service, except the retired folk would be doing it during the day to fill in.


----------



## UberBlackDriverLA (Aug 21, 2014)

RamzFanz said:


> This thread is nothing but a cabbie vent thread.
> 
> I have never once had a passenger that has stated they will even use a cab again unless forced to. Not one.
> 
> How a class of people, cabbies, can think they are the "professionals" when just about everyone hates their service is beyond me. Cabs suck. They are terrible in so many ways, I won't even bother listing them, we all know the reasons.


First of all, you are a essentially a Cabbie so tone it down.
Second, you are operating illegally so get off your high horse.


----------



## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

AceManShow said:


> The word "Dispatch" is like saying "8-Track".
> 
> If taxi's updated their technology, I'd say they have a shot at competing with the ride-share guys.
> 
> ...


Sadly, real dispatch is a thing of the past.

Taxis are updating their technology and have been for some time.

"High rated UBER drivers" might have a little knowledge of customer service, but, aside from that, they would not necessarily be better than anyone else who might come through the door.

There is a "unified app" that taxi drivers nationwide could use, if Uber would offer Uber Taxi in more markets than it does. What is stopping that is the UberX/Uber Pool corporate myopia.

No, it *ain't dispatch no more. *Marry, it is electronic call assignment. Dispatch requires a human being who knows what he is doing. In reality, dispatch is better for the drivers. As one quoted poster indicates below, a human being can vet and route calls and can see to it that the driver receives the call that is most advantageous to him. To be sure, sometimes this works only in Pangloss' Best of All Possible Worlds. The one thing that a computer can not do is discriminate. It can not route deliberately all of the best calls to a given driver (or group thereof), it can not be bribed and it can not discriminate against certain riders or neighbourhoods. Yes, it can be programmed to discriminate, but that is human intervention. My statement apply to a computer left to its "own devices", if, indeed a computer has any devices that it either can "own" or to which it can be "left".



RamzFanz said:


> This thread is nothing but a cabbie vent thread.
> 
> I have never once had a passenger that has stated they will even use a cab again unless forced to. Not one.
> 
> How a class of people, cabbies, can think they are the "professionals" when just about everyone hates their service is beyond me. Cabs suck. They are terrible in so many ways, I won't even bother listing them, we all know the reasons.


Make broad, baseless generalisations, much? I have passengers every day that have gone back to cabs because they have tried the TNCs and have been somewhat less than delighted with them. The TNC vehicles are starting to draw the same types of complaints that the cabs used to draw---and doing it faster than I predicted. Add to that the customers' frequent and rampant complaints that TNC drivers know neither what they are doing nor where they are going (with the emphasis on the latter). Again, your 'dilettantiness" is showing.



North End Eric said:


> 2) Another good idea. Many taxis are installing smart phone apps.
> 3) This is where you drop the ball. People love talking to a real person. Drivers like knowing their calls are being vetted and routed properly.


Precisely on number three. The one drawback, cited above, is that dispatchers can, do and have discriminated in favour or/against certain drivers or groups thereof. If there is any reason that drivers like computer/satellite/GPS call assignment systems, it is that the computer can not discriminate. Despite that, they can, are and always will be corrupted. A human being can, has and does go into them and can still direct better calls to certain drivers or groups thereof.

While call assignment systems may be a boon to ownership in that it eliminates the expensive dispatcher who can be unmanageable, they do require vigilance by management. One thing about computers is that they leave tracks. To ensure integrity, management must monitor these systems.



TwoFiddyMile said:


> All true.
> My cab company has human reservationists, and GPS/computer dispatch.
> Most of our cash and credit card customers are over 30.
> You can HAVE the millennials. Never saw such a cheap, vapid ethics free generation in my life.


Agreed, escept on GPS/computer "dispatch". Dispatch requires a human being. Anything electronic is call assignment.



JaxBeachDriver said:


> You better believe that when uber fields the cost of the maintenance of those autonomous vehicles, the price will reflect that. Or they'll find someone else to pay for it, probably through advertising or something like that.


Given its current business model, I would find it surprising that Uber would want to own any vehicles, driverless or otherwise. If nothing else, the liability exposure would be too great for Uber's purposes. To be sure, there are ways around that. Still, someone, including Uber's users will find out the reason that taxi rates are what they are.



AceManShow said:


> However it's the new "price point" that Screwber has created. There's no going back unless they fail and disappear.
> 
> Uber has to raise prices to cover the cost of their autonomous vehicles.
> 
> These guys didn't raise venture capital by having low IQs. They have a plan and an exit strategy.


There are ways to go back. It has been done in other enterprises. They need not necessarily fail.

As I informed the Lady from Florida, above, I can not imagine that Uber would want to own any vehicles. Still, if it is a conglomerate that is fielding the vehicles and doing so under contract with Uber, it would have more influence over pricing due to its ability to pull the vehicles from service. At that point, the TNCs' management would get a lesson in why cab prices are what they are.

This is something that I have suspected for some time. I am glad that I am not the only one. Build it up on someone else's money, take your profits, watch as your successors are left standing in front of the courthouse in their underwear.


----------



## AceManShow (Sep 24, 2015)

UberBlackDriverLA said:


> First of all, you are a essentially a Cabbie so tone it down.
> Second, you are operating illegally so get off your high horse.


Let's get real guys. We are basically all cabbies, some are official, some are wanna be's (like myself).

IF Uber drivers & official cabbies "unite", we can come up with a way for everyone to make more money. If they put a man on the moon, anything is possible.

Working together is more beneficial than working against each other.


----------



## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

AceManShow said:


> IF Uber drivers & official cabbies "unite", we can come up with a way for everyone to make more money. Working together is more beneficial than working against each other.


The above observations and statements are not without base. TNCs have their place, if for no other reason than what most of my UberX passengers tell me. They tell me that they never would use a cab anyhow, whether or not they could get one. They hate the subway and the Metrobus, but are unwilling to pay for a cab to get off of either. They will pay for UberX or Uber Pool.

Be that as it may, the cab business is my primary business, thus I will defend it against all who make verbal or written attacks against it, especially when the person who criticises it is unqualified to judge it.


----------



## 20yearsdriving (Dec 14, 2014)

AceManShow said:


> Let's get real guys. We are basically all cabbies, some are official, some are wanna be's (like myself).
> 
> IF Uber drivers & official cabbies "unite", we can come up with a way for everyone to make more money. If they put a man on the moon, anything is possible.
> 
> Working together is more beneficial than working against each other.


Bingo !!!!!!!! Thank God !!!!


----------



## SECOTIME (Sep 18, 2015)

RamzFanz said:


> This thread is nothing but a cabbie vent thread.
> 
> I have never once had a passenger that has stated they will even use a cab again unless forced to. Not one.
> 
> How a class of people, cabbies, can think they are the "professionals" when just about everyone hates their service is beyond me. Cabs suck. They are terrible in so many ways, I won't even bother listing them, we all know the reasons.


I had to take "cab" once here and it was just some old cantankerous prick. 2004 chevy cav.. Dirty.. When I got out of the car I felt so depressed.


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## North End Eric (Sep 12, 2015)

Got another application from an Uber driver today. Just sayin'.


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## AceManShow (Sep 24, 2015)

North End Eric said:


> Got another application from an Uber driver today. Just sayin'.


To be honest, I'd be an "official cabbie" if I could make more. I also like the set your own schedule that UBER offers.


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## TwoFiddyMile (Mar 13, 2015)

AceManShow said:


> To be honest, I'd be an "official cabbie" if I could make more. I also like the set your own schedule that UBER offers.


Rent an iron cab 24/7.
WE make our own hours.


----------



## RamzFanz (Jan 31, 2015)

North End Eric said:


> You mean people pat you on the head and tell you how wonderful you are for doing the same thing a cab does at one third the price? Gee, what a surprise!


Not 1/3. More than half, and it's cheaper because Uber takes less, not because I make less.


----------



## RamzFanz (Jan 31, 2015)

UberBlackDriverLA said:


> First of all, you are a essentially a Cabbie so tone it down.
> Second, you are operating illegally so get off your high horse.


Uh, no. I'm nothing like a cabbie. Do cabbies work whenever they want? Do they drive their own cars? Do I have to bow down to the taxi cab owners and their political cronies and/or unions? Nope.

I am my own boss who can use Uber's service or not.

Cabbies are the minions of the people who monopolised their industry and the political puppets who do their bidding.


----------



## RamzFanz (Jan 31, 2015)

Another Uber Driver said:


> Make broad, baseless generalisations, much? I have passengers every day that have gone back to cabs because they have tried the TNCs and have been somewhat less than delighted with them. The TNC vehicles are starting to draw the same types of complaints that the cabs used to draw---and doing it faster than I predicted. Add to that the customers' frequent and rampant complaints that TNC drivers know neither what they are doing nor where they are going (with the emphasis on the latter). Again, your 'dilettantiness" is showing.


Cabbies are not "professionals". Most are terrible. They are the minions fully controlled by the scum who hold the monopoly.

I watched one driving the wrong way on a one way 4 lane road last week. Fortunately for him, I took pity and waved him down. I think he could understand me, but I can't swear by it.

You don't use Uber if you want a tour guide. Most Uber drivers drive 6 hours a week. It's a ride, not a tour.


----------



## RamzFanz (Jan 31, 2015)

SECOTIME said:


> I had to take "cab" once here and it was just some old cantankerous prick. 2004 chevy cav.. Dirty.. When I got out of the car I felt so depressed.


I took a cab to the airport once. Three calls and 1 1/2 hours. The car was warm with a pleasant stench of smoke.

I jumped in one to come home. The cabbie didn't even know the general direction to my town, a large suburb 5 miles away, and had no GPS. I had to explain to him how to get back out to the thruway.


----------



## SECOTIME (Sep 18, 2015)

Yea that guy was blowing straight fan no Ac in 100 degree Florida heat. It was hell. Lol windows up smelled like someone poured cigerette juice all over me


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## RamzFanz (Jan 31, 2015)

SECOTIME said:


> Yea that guy was blowing straight fan no Ac in 100 degree Florida heat. It was hell. Lol windows up smelled like someone poured cigerette juice all over me


The good news for cabs are now that they don't have a captive passenger base, maybe they'll start to improve and repair their reputation.


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## 20yearsdriving (Dec 14, 2014)

RamzFanz said:


> The good news for cabs are now that they don't have a captive passenger base, maybe they'll start to improve and repair their reputation.


Most probably Uber will catch up at the bottom


----------



## Einstein (Oct 10, 2015)

AceManShow said:


> If you go to any 3rd world country, public transport is so cheap it's nearly free.. We're heading down that road as we speak.
> 
> As for self driving cars, I don't see that happening for at least a decade. Uber has to first eliminate the competition (by using us slaves) then raise prices to cover the cost of their autonomous vehicles.
> 
> These guys didn't raise venture capital by having low IQs. They have a plan and an exit strategy.


I completely disagree. Uber executive management are morons and dimwits.
Their payday is way out in the future as the IPO will not happen any time soon. Most of them will have been tossed to the curb by uncle TK before they ever get close to the IPO.


----------



## AceManShow (Sep 24, 2015)

Einstein said:


> I completely disagree. Uber executive management are morons and dimwits.
> Their payday is way out in the future as the IPO will not happen any time soon. Most of them will have been tossed to the curb by uncle TK before they ever get close to the IPO.


So why are investors throwing capital their way? The investors are morons as well?


----------



## Einstein (Oct 10, 2015)

AceManShow said:


> So why are investors throwing capital their way? The investors are morons as well?


Yep.


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## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

RamzFanz said:


> Uh, no. I'm nothing like a cabbie. Do cabbies work whenever they want? Do they drive their own cars? Do I have to bow down to the taxi cab owners and their political cronies and/or unions? Nope.
> 
> I am my own boss who can use Uber's service or not. Cabbies are the minions of the people who monopolised their industry and the political puppets who do their bidding.


...............again, a know-it-all dilettante with his pretensions.......

I work when or if I want to. No one tells me when to work, where to work or if I must work. I can use my company's call assignment service, or not. I can use Uber Taxi (we have that, here) or not. I have used other e-Hail applications in the past. No one told me to use them or not to use them. Crash goes that chariot.

I drive my own car. Most hackers in the District of Columbia drive their own car. Crash goes that chariot.

No driver in the District of Columbia need "bow" down to any "cab owner" or company owner, for that matter. The shortage of rental cabs has eased. If a driver does not like his rental cab, he can go somewhere else to rent. Those who own their own cabs can affiliate with another company if they do not like the way that a given company treats them. Any urban myth or legend about cab companies' having any political clout is just that: urban myth/urban legend: literally and figureatively. As for unions, no union ever has succeeded in organising cab drivers, here, although several have tried. Crash goes that chariot.

You know it all, do you not, amateur?



RamzFanz said:


> Cabbies are not "professionals". Most are terrible. They are the minions fully controlled by the scum who hold the monopoly.


Another know-it-all statement from an amateur who works extra hard to earn that name in his avatar. (HINT: the name to which I refer *ain't got nothin' t' do with no football team what started out in Akron, Ohio.*)

More generalisations--typical schoolyard debate tactics.


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## UberBlackDriverLA (Aug 21, 2014)

RamzFanz said:


> Uh, no. I'm nothing like a cabbie. Do cabbies work whenever they want? Do they drive their own cars? Do I have to bow down to the taxi cab owners and their political cronies and/or unions? Nope.
> 
> I am my own boss who can use Uber's service or not.
> 
> Cabbies are the minions of the people who monopolised their industry and the political puppets who do their bidding.


You forgot one thing... you are a criminal and Taxi cab drivers operate legally.

But I suppose I should answer your questions...
Do cabbies work whenever they want? Some do, some don't.
Do they drive their own cars? Some do, some don't.
Do you have to bow down to taxi cab owners...? No, you have to bow down to your owner, the Messiah Travis. If you do not follow his wishes, he will fire your ass.

Now go out and take your electronically dispatched for hire rides and drive the passengers from point A to point B or, in other words, go be a cabbie.


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## UberBlackDriverLA (Aug 21, 2014)

UberBlackDriverLA said:


> I would have no problem hiring the right Uber driver. My drivers make about $60k per year. Not going to get rich, but can pay their bills. And when I say "make" that's what they gross as EMPLOYEES minus taxes of course. I pay 100% of expenses because that's what good employers do.


I would like to elaborate on what I consider the "right" Uber driver...
one who passed a previous employer check
one who passed a drug test
one who I have interviewed in person
one who I have taken on a road test to evaluate driving skills
one who I have trained

These are all the proper vetting steps that Uber has skipped, but still claims their drivers are "safe". How do they know?


----------



## TwoFiddyMile (Mar 13, 2015)

I own my own car.
I work the hours I choose.
Yesterday, I grossed about $171 and put in about 7 actual hours of cab driving.
A little slow.
I spent an additional 3 hours logged into the system from home.
Fruitless, but painless.
I bow to no one but my god and the almighty dollar.
Today I'd like to be less lazy and put in at least 12 hours of street time.
I am cabbie, hear me roar.


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## Sydney Uber (Apr 15, 2014)

KGB7 said:


> They arent over it. I see new PAX every day.
> 
> And many large banks have heavily invested in Uber.
> Example "A".
> ...


Looks like Uber will only go public if their institutional investors get spooked but some heavy clampdown. Uber is still pulling in easy wholesale funding from these sources. If an IPO is announced now, its because growth may be running out of steam coupled with a tightening of funds.

But an IPO would be an incredible challenge to get past the regulator. Uber is such a secretive organisation based on illegal market practices. Maybe it would forgo the traditional Equities Market and launch the greatest private/public crowd-sourcing event ever.


----------



## RamzFanz (Jan 31, 2015)

UberBlackDriverLA said:


> You forgot one thing... you are a criminal and Taxi cab drivers operate legally.
> 
> But I suppose I should answer your questions...
> Do cabbies work whenever they want? Some do, some don't.
> ...


No, taxicab companies are illegal monopolies and we are taking them down. Go do as you're told.


----------



## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

RamzFanz said:


> No, taxicab companies are illegal monopolies and we are taking them down. Go do as you're told.


.............more ignorance from an ignorant dilettante..........keep it up, amateur. The more that you post, the more that you prove that you deserve the name in your avatar that has nothing to do with a football team that began its life in Akron, Ohio.


----------



## RamzFanz (Jan 31, 2015)

Another Uber Driver said:


> .............more ignorance from an ignorant dilettante..........keep it up, amateur. The more that you post, the more that you prove that you deserve the name in your avatar that has nothing to do with a football team that began its life in Akron, Ohio.


Still no example of your extensive experience somehow delivering great things unachievable by the common man. Just one will do.


----------



## North End Eric (Sep 12, 2015)

RamzFanz said:


> No, taxicab companies are illegal monopolies and we are taking them down. Go do as you're told.


How are taxi companies "illegal monopolies"? How are "we" taking them down? And who exactly is "we"?


----------



## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

RamzFanz said:


> Still no example of your extensive experience somehow delivering great things unachievable by the common man. Just one will do.


I will pass over a direct reply to this as you have called for a truce on another topic and I will assume that said call applies to this one, as well. 
Kindly correct me if my assumption is incorrect.


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## 20yearsdriving (Dec 14, 2014)

This tread needs a reality check 20 rides in last 30days 40% of gross receipts
Got a long way to go , my guess is RamzFanz will never catch up


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## TwoFiddyMile (Mar 13, 2015)

RamzFanz said:


> No, taxicab companies are illegal monopolies and we are taking them down. Go do as you're told.


Taxi cab companies. 
You make this statement as if all taxi companies are equal and identical. This proves your ignorance. 
I've driven in companies with two medallions, 600 medallions, and 5 medallions. None were a "monopoly" in any of the cities they operated in.
Typical remittance to the garage was something approaching $80 per 12 hour shift.
Uber charges 20%-25% to its owner operators. Uber does not allow UberX owner ops to license properly so defacto becomes the overlord for all job leads.

THIS is a monopoly. 
If I don't like a cab company I'm driving for, I either:
1) quit
2) paint my cab and move to a different association
3) go completely independent if my municipalities allow for it.

I owned a cab company. 
If I was dumb enough to try it again, all it would take would be a Prius and 5 other owner ops with Priuses. City statute here requires a minimum of 6 hybrids to start a cab company. 
Hardly a monopoly LMAO.
Uber doesn't let you become independent of Uber.
Uber, the new robber baron.
You are a tool to bring on the age of the new robber baron.
By buying the bullsh! T TK spoon fed you, you have become what the Marxists deemed a "Useful Idiot".
Makes me sad to see otherwise intelligent people buying into disruptive technology and propaganda designed to get THEM rich and the rest of US poor.


----------



## jrboy (Sep 14, 2015)

JaxBeachDriver said:


> Because of Uber's treatment of its "partners", quality is going down. Don't you think? And from what I see, it's only getting worse.
> 
> There are apps already. Curb is out there, and others, I'm sure. They just need a good viral marketing campaign.


you're absolutely right about this. i used to bring more than transportation to pax. i used to bring service. but i don't offer water, open doors, or help with luggage anymore since i realized that uber tells pax that this is not a service. ( no tipping ). also the standard is very low for uber. old ass cars.


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## JaxBeachDriver (Nov 27, 2014)

This week has been great for me.

Run to the airport Sunday; back Wednesday evening: $150 credit card
Airport to Jax Beach Wednesday morning: $100 cash
Beach to stadium: $70 cash
Ponte Vedra to stadium: $70 cash 
=$390

-$10 car wash
-$5 airport fees
-$87.50 in estimated expenses (~250 miles @ $0.35/mile)
=$287.50 for maybe 10 hours of my time

Not wasting my life waiting for the uber app to ping: priceless
Not wasting my time on $11.25 minimum fares: priceless 
Realizing I'm not a taxi service: priceless


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## 20yearsdriving (Dec 14, 2014)

JaxBeachDriver said:


> This week has been great for me.
> 
> Run to the airport Sunday; back Wednesday evening: $150 credit card
> Airport to Jax Beach Wednesday morning: $100 cash
> ...


Cha-Ching !!!!


----------



## RamzFanz (Jan 31, 2015)

North End Eric said:


> How are taxi companies "illegal monopolies"? How are "we" taking them down? And who exactly is "we"?


They disallow open competition. Monopolies.

We the people are taking them down by forcing OUR representatives to allow competition.


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## TwoFiddyMile (Mar 13, 2015)

Karl Marx and the Useful Idiots...
Band name.


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## 20yearsdriving (Dec 14, 2014)

TwoFiddyMile said:


> Karl Marx and the Useful Idiots...
> Band name.


LMAO !!


----------



## RamzFanz (Jan 31, 2015)

TwoFiddyMile said:


> Taxi cab companies.
> You make this statement as if all taxi companies are equal and identical. This proves your ignorance.
> I've driven in companies with two medallions, 600 medallions, and 5 medallions. None were a "monopoly" in any of the cities they operated in.
> Typical remittance to the garage was something approaching $80 per 12 hour shift.
> ...


This is all false. The fact that you have medallions means it's a monopoly. Monopolies do not have to be controlled by a single company, but by a single entity such as the Taxi Commission here.

Here in Saint Louis when you say "go completely independent if my *municipalities* allow for it." you are refering to the taxi cab company owners as they control the Taxi Commission. The foxes in the hen house. Decades of protecting their profits and neglecting fair rates or good service.

"City statute here requires a minimum of 6 hybrids to start a cab company." and medallions? And how do you get those? And who decided you can't have a company without Hybrids?

"Uber doesn't let you become independent of Uber." Of course they do. It's specified in the contract that you can work for anyone even at the same time as Uber.


----------



## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

I do not know what goes on in St. Louis. I do know what goes on here. Start with this: anything dreamed up by the Fourth Estate about "taxi lobbies", company owners who control the regulators, taxi monopolies or anything like it is urban myth, literally and figuratively. If half of what the Fourth Estate printed or said about the cab business had even a shred of truth to it; there would be no meters in cabs; there would no stupid looking eight hundred dollar paint jobs; there would be no stupid, unnecessary and overpriced top lights, there would be no age limitations on the vehicles; there would be no limitations on the service life of vehicles; there would be no restrictions on what credit card processor you could use; there would be no minimum per-centage of accessible vehicles. I could continue, but let us leave it at that, for now, at least.

No one here has a monopoly on anything. The government issues the licences for the vehicles. The licences have no value, as they can not be transferred. The government commissions studies to determine if and how many vehicle licences it should issue. The only ones who benefit from the issuance of any licences are corrupt government officials. Several of them have been caught and packed off to the hoosegow. In fact, we have had five City Council members and more than a few staffers thrown into jail over the past few years.

The thing that these local officials never will learn is that Washington is full of Feds who have nothing better to do than to stick their noses into the business of local government officials, from the top to the lower level bureaucrats. It is likely that only Boston, New York, Chicago and Providence have had more petty bureaucrats in dollar-seventy-five government agencies shipped off to the slammer than has Washington.

I am sure that this is how some of this unregulated competition has made its way into the marketplace.

.................oh, and I *DO* apologise for being redundant: I typed "corrupt" government official.............................


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## Desert Driver (Nov 9, 2014)

UberBlackDriverLA said:


> I would have no problem hiring the right Uber driver. My drivers make about $60k per year. Not going to get rich, but can pay their bills. And when I say "make" that's what they gross as EMPLOYEES minus taxes of course. I pay 100% of expenses because that's what good employers do.


Kudos to ya, man. Seriously.


----------



## Desert Driver (Nov 9, 2014)

phillipzx3 said:


> In order for the taxi industry to "compete," they need to be allowed to drive around uninsured/under insured, like Uber drivers do. They also need to be allowed to operate without city permits and/or licensing...like Uber drivers do.
> 
> This hogwash of Taxi vs. Uber competing against one another is comparing apples to orange.
> 
> BTW....There have been apps for taxi's for years. And it would help if the Uber drivers weren't subsidized by Uber. Without Uber subsidizing the unemployed, underemployed and unemployable Uber drivers, most would quit in the first month.


How does Uber subsidize drivers? I don't recall having ever received a subsidy. Is this something new in the last couple of years?


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## 20yearsdriving (Dec 14, 2014)

Desert Driver said:


> How does Uber subsidize drivers? I don't recall having ever received a subsidy. Is this something new in the last couple of years?


1 example : operate under a civilian risk pool aka comercional insurance


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## 20yearsdriving (Dec 14, 2014)

2 pay no taxes to operate
It's money that does not leave your pocket
Don't worry the rest of transportation will pay your share

I'm in no way crying about it
Since you are limited on bussiness scope in comparison

But yes there is a subsidy


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## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

20yearsdriving said:


> 2 pay no taxes to operate


The District of Columbia considers it that a limousine or taxicab, driven by an owner-operator is a business. Therefore, it must pay taxes. If the owner-operator chooses not to incorporate (which most do, there are legal and regulatory obstacles should an owner-operator decide to incorporate), he pays a Tax on Unincorporated Business, commonly called the Franchise Tax. The driver must pay this tax even if he lives in the suburbs. There was a squabble over it a few years back, as the suburban residents tried to argue that it was a Commuter Tax, something which Congress specifically prohibits the District Government from levying. D.C.'s being what it is might make it difficult for it to impose any sort of fee on a vehicle licenced in another jurisdiction from coming into the District, picking up a passenger and taking that passenger out of the District. To be sure, it is against WMATC rules for a Maryland licenced limousine to take someone from D.C. to Virginia, but WMATC has little enforcement power. D.C. does, however, have control over, and, can tax vehicles that pick up and drop a trip that is wholly within the District of Columbia.

This is another complaint from the cab drivers. They must pay a tax on their operations in the District of Columbia. There is nothing that requires the limousines working with an application or the TNC vehicles to pay any tax on any trips that are wholly within the District of Columbia. That is not fair. If one entity is doing business in the District of Columbia and must pay, why are not all entities required to pay?

There is a one per cent tax to the TNC on all trips that start in the District of Columbia which goes to pay for accessible taxis and METROAccess (accessible vans), but that one per cent does not equal the amount that could be paid in Franchise Taxes by the TNC drivers on trips that are wholly within the District of Columbia.

There is just one illustration in one market that comes close to the complaint of the quoted poster.


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## 20yearsdriving (Dec 14, 2014)

Another Uber Driver said:


> The District of Columbia considers it that a limousine or taxicab, driven by an owner-operator is a business. Therefore, it must pay taxes. If the owner-operator chooses not to incorporate (which most do, there are legal and regulatory obstacles should an owner-operator decide to incorporate), he pays a Tax on Unincorporated Business, commonly called the Franchise Tax. The driver must pay this tax even if he lives in the suburbs. There was a squabble over it a few years back, as the suburban residents tried to argue that it was a Commuter Tax, something which Congress specifically prohibits the District Government from levying. D.C.'s being what it is might make it difficult for it to impose any sort of fee on a vehicle licenced in another jurisdiction from coming into the District, picking up a passenger and taking that passenger out of the District. To be sure, it is against WMATC rules for a Maryland licenced limousine to take someone from D.C. to Virginia, but WMATC has little enforcement power. D.C. does, however, have control over, and, can tax vehicles that pick up and drop a trip that is wholly within the District of Columbia.
> 
> This is another complaint from the cab drivers. They must pay a tax on their operations in the District of Columbia. There is nothing that requires the limousines working with an application or the TNC vehicles to pay any tax on any trips that are wholly within the District of Columbia. That is not fair. If one entity is doing business in the District of Columbia and must pay, why are not all entities required to pay?
> 
> ...


Damn my head is spinning

How about subsidy 1

And should we talk workers comp 
In Cali it's a condition for operation


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## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

20yearsdriving said:


> Damn my head is spinning


That is the District of Columbia for you: rules-upon-rules-upon-rules-except this-do not forget that-see note to the other thing....................................

Historically, D.C. has had the most complicated formulae for calculating public transit fares. ......Ever hear of a "composite mile"?

Funny thing, our local METRO website, metroopensdoorsdotcom is well designed and easy to use.


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## 20yearsdriving (Dec 14, 2014)

Another Uber Driver said:


> That is the District of Columbia for you: rules-upon-rules-upon-rules-except this-do not forget that-see note to the other thing....................................
> 
> Historically, D.C. has had the most complicated formulae for calculating public transit fares. ......Ever hear of a "composite mile"?
> 
> Funny thing, our local METRO website, metroopensdoorsdotcom is well designed and easy to use.


Tell me is there a subsidy yes on no


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## stuber (Jun 30, 2014)

Rates x volume of trips=Gross.
Subtract expense=Net.
Divide by hours + hassle=Worth it or not.

There's a lot of factors within each of these calculations that can come into play to determine the "worth or not". And for each driver, there's a different definition of "worth it or not." Lots of different situations and very little consensus.

I compete everyday with retired guys running unregulated gypsy cars. I can't win the price war with these drivers because they're not trying to make a living and because they're rolling around in old fully deprecated cars without commercial insurance.

So what? I don't really care, because I don't want their customers. Nor do I want UberX or Lyft customers. These customers would love to have my service, but they don't have the money. So I don't worry about them.

My customers want familiarity and privacy. They want reliability. They want safety and comfort. Delivering this costs more. My customers understand that. They care about price too, but not to the exclusion of other things. They like the convenience the technology offers, but not at the exclusion of other factors important to them.

If you like the Uber/Lyft/Curb/Flywheel/Gett/and the hundreds of other apps, well great. Drive for those. You'll have plenty of customers and competition. Maybe you can do okay.

But I'll pass. I'll avoid these apps until they start offering the kind of functionality I need to include them as a part of my business. 

If Uber or something else gives me control over price and gives me complete information regarding each job, then I'll gladly use them. Until then, I'll avoid these apps.

Instead I'll continue to focus on finding my customers and helping them.


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## 20yearsdriving (Dec 14, 2014)

stuber said:


> Rates x volume of trips=Gross.
> Subtract expense=Net.
> Divide by hours + hassle=Worth it or not.
> 
> ...


Bingo !!


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## 20yearsdriving (Dec 14, 2014)

stuber said:


> Rates x volume of trips=Gross.
> Subtract expense=Net.
> Divide by hours + hassle=Worth it or not.
> 
> ...


Uber kills

Last night 4 bar requests from people I've not heard from in years

Me : sorry I don't do bars anymore , just uber it 
Customer : there is none tonight 
Me sorry to hear that good night .


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## stuber (Jun 30, 2014)

But these same old customers may call you for special event they have. The demand apps like Uber are not a great solution for going to and from a big game or concert. Let Uber have the last-minute stuff. It's a hassle servicing that.


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## 20yearsdriving (Dec 14, 2014)

stuber said:


> But these same old customers may call you for special event they have. The demand apps like Uber are not a great solution for going to and from a big game or concert. Let Uber have the last-minute stuff. It's a hassle servicing that.


True 
Those reserve well in advance 
You kind of know who is who


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## phillipzx3 (May 26, 2015)

gprimr1 said:


> What do you base your theory on? Most people I know love Uber. Cheap rates, easy to use, the app works nationally. I'm not thinking people are over it.
> 
> If the taxis really want to compete, I would say they need to band together and create a common platform app that allows users the same features as Uber. One great thing, I can fly from Baltimore to New York to London to Los Angeles, and all I have to do is fire up the Uber app and get a ride. No need to download a separate app for each city, or each cab company.


Ever heard of Curb or CMT? Two apps that can be used across the country.....like Uber or Lyft.

Course , your local 10 car cab company might not support it, but without millions of venture capital dollars,Uber and Lyft's app wouldn't survive either.

It's easy to say what needs to be done, especially when it costs you nothing. It cost Uber drivers nothing but a car. It cost cab drivers hundreds of thousands ( we have over 1 million invested in our dispatch system) to accomplish your simple suggestion.


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