Introducing UberTAXI(blog.uber.com) |
Introducing UberTAXI(blog.uber.com) |
Article from the Beeb: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-27783218
edit: DST is hard
> as if there were such a thing as British Summer
Have you not looked outside lately? We're having it right now!
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/07/business/pinched-by-ride-s...
If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.
I haven't seen taxis done on uber anywhere other than Chicago though.
You might want to translate this somehow but here: http://blog.uber.com/UberBAT
When I use black cabs here in London, I'd much rather use an established and local product from a company with less questionable ethics. That's Hailo.
> There will be no booking fees or additional charges to clients
versus
> We’ll charge a flat commission of just 5%
Looks fishy.
TBH, my least favorite part about scheduling cabs is dealing with the dispatchers. I've had them frequently hang up on me just because I am scheduling a pick-up for somewhere on Sixth Street in Austin, despite my not being intoxicated in the least. Not to mention, the times when my reservation seems to just get lost or left with a massive window for wait times. If it can give better service and feedback than the current Hail a Cab app thats pretty big in Austin, the extra commission would be completely worth it. Hopefully, it expands beyond London.
Fare info: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/modes/taxis-and-minicabs/taxi-fares?ci...
Seems like they're just trying to mitigate the protests happening today.
So, yes. Existing taxi drivers can.
With legal threats to their attempts to make an end-run around taxi regulation, it makes sense they are trying to diversify and have an income stream via regulated taxis as well.
Ok, I'll bite. What is questionable about Uber's ethics?
They didn't even apologize for that one, only stating that the marketing team was "overzealous". As far as anyone is aware nobody was reprimanded in any way over this debacle, which is par for the course as far as Uber goes.
Uber the product is great, Uber the company is shady as all get out. This is why I don't trust them to shape regulation any more than I trust the existing taxi lobby. They're all purely self-serving and anti-consumer when they think they can get away with it.
http://money.cnn.com/2014/01/24/technology/social/uber-gett/
http://valleywag.gawker.com/uber-used-the-boston-bombing-ann...
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/03/28/uber-s-bigg...
http://pando.com/2012/10/24/travis-shrugged/
http://www.nbcchicago.com/investigations/Ride-Service-May-Po...
http://pando.com/2014/04/24/uberx-allegedly-hired-a-convicte...
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Uber-sued-over-girl-s-...
Additionally many car sharing services are operating without regard to the law. In some states the cars are getting seized. So far Uber has been covering the legal case, but they have no obligation to continue to do so.
And questionable promotions: http://valleywag.gawker.com/uber-used-the-boston-bombing-ann...
And [allegedly] intentionally triggering surge pricing: http://www.thewire.com/technology/2014/02/uber-busted-intent...
And otherwise just acting as if the rules just don't apply to them: http://www.straight.com/news/uber-town-car-service-shut-down...
On the business side I think Halio is an actual cab dispatcher company, whereas Uber is just an app service that any cabbie can use..... Anyways, yeah, have nothing but good things to say about Uber and kind of laugh at the mess going on in London right now
I imagine it will also have different drivers, so it may be worthwhile having both apps. I often find myself with a 10 minute wait for Uber when a Hailo taxi is 2 minutes away, and vice-versa.
What!? Hailo now does private cab hire firm booking, which led to lots of Black cab drivers removing support for it
I don't see a problem with surge pricing. If people aren't willing to pay then it won't last long. I'd like to see them have a bidding system to make it purely market driven.
I also don't see anything unethical with fighting unethical laws. Here in Austin we're in a very similar situation. The existing transportation companies have passed laws to entrench their positions and eliminate competition (eg min "black car" fares). Those laws are unethical. They do not protect us, they are anti-consumer.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxicabs_of_the_United_Kingdom#...
There was a shortcut on a route that I used to regularly take in London, so i'd tell them "Don't go to the lights, just turn down here". I think I had fare meters stopped out of appreciation on 3 occasions after sharing that tip. Showing a London cabbie a new shortcut totally blows their minds.
The car seizure you reference was in Belgium for a service that technically complies with local laws according to Uber and they are providing legal assistance to the two owners of the seized cars. http://tech.eu/news/screw-innovation-uber-already-deemed-ill...
You mention that so far Uber is covering the legal costs without an obligation to do so. So that makes them bad?
There have been many car seizures in the US and abroad. Many of these independent contractors do not have the resources to fight a legal battle without the help of Uber.