California just killed Uber/Lyft

Companies can be held responsible for the condition of their cars and the drivers. Uber can't. I'm sure there are plenty of anecdotes both ways, esp depending on the cab company. But uber is a virtually unregulated public transportation service. That is just dangerous fundamentally. As competition sets in, watch the quality of Uber and all similar companies plummet. Until now they have been on a joy ride. But it won't be long until the wheels hit the road. When faced with a competitive market, they will succumb to the same problems taxi companies have.

As it was where I live, the cab was fine and CHEAPER than Uber. That really surprised me. I thought the whole point of uber was that it would be less expensive.

And I don't have to give the cab company complete access to my phone, camera, and personal information. The Uber app is highly invasive and it is foolish to install it.

 

Not only cheaper, but you also don't have to worry about your car getting broken into.

Which can be a real worry in many parts of that city.

A thief prying the lock open alone can do $300 worth of damage.

 

If that’s what they want then they probably won’t ask for something else in the contract.
Why do you keep saying they’ll be full time workers?

 

Peak hours can raise prices a lot.

 

I don't use Ubers or taxis, but from what I've seen, Uber is more available in remote areas and the cars and people look nicer. I have friends who drive for Uber in their spare time. They are all pleasant people to be around and drive nice cars.

One thing I like about Uber(and you may hate) is that Uber drivers can carry a gun where I live. I don't know gun policy for cab companies. Because of this, I suspect they are targeted less by criminals. Also, the app identifies all parties involved and is more transparent for driver and passenger. My neighbor drives for Uber in his spare time. He hasn't had any problems driving, but he is a nice guy and responsible gun owner with an LTC and I would have no problem letting my mom or my wife ride with him anywhere. (My wife is also armed.) I figure that if the passengers can be legally armed, why not the driver?

 

I'd rather walk than ever get in a Uber or Lyft vehicle. Licensed taxis and limo's are the only thing I'll use -- period!

 

"AB5 might benefit drivers from other markets by keeping fares higher, but if you drive in Cali you are screwed. No more not accepting trips, no more driving in rural/suburbs or slower markets, no more logging on and off when you want to. Earnings will be capped at an hourly rate at all times and not much you can do about it, your tips (if they still exist) most likely will go towards this hourly rate not being paid to you unless they exceed it. You now pay taxes at all levels of income including fica, regardless of expense. Tens of thousands of drivers could be eliminated. It will be much more difficult to be hired. This is a supply and demand business and if fares go higher there will be an adjustment. They will negotiate a deal but with the lack in flexibility and cap in pay coming it will be a lower paying crap job."

Correct.
There are already plenty of corporations that throttle hours so they can get away with not paying benifits ect...

The best thing about these services, is the almost unlimited freedom. Kid gets sick at school? Not a problem. Log off the app and go pick up your kid. how many jobs out there are going to let you come and go as you please, choose what areas you work in, turn down jobs that don't make financial sense, have total control over how many or few hours or days you work and on and on...

The reason people support AB15, they just hate Uber and will support anything that hurts the company without even thinking there are better ways to fix the problem. The hate comes first, and that mob mentality without thinking of the ways this actually hurts drivers by losing IC status.

Many drivers don't want to be forced into an unwanted job. Don't create another Wal-Mart.
My car, my time and my freedom to choose my schedule,was the biggest appeal for drivers.

 

You're far safer and far less likely to be riding in unsafe conditions, taken advantage of financially and or otherwise, and far more likely to experience a clean, pleasant trip with Uber or Lyft.
But suit yourself.

 

Once again, that's not true. Uber has strict rating policies. You simply will not be driving for them if you dont meet the standards and they are FAR higher than any taxi co.

 

Any app you put on your phone asks for those very same permissions. By now you should be used to it.

 

I will suit myself, yes. Riding with Uber or Lyft is just about the same as standing by the side of the road with your thumb sticking out, except that you have to PAY for the ride. And, how do you know WHO you're getting in the car with? I'm not willing to risk my life to find out.

At least with licensed taxicab and limo companies, a fairly rigorous process is used to screen the drivers to make sure they won't ROB and MURDER you!

 

You're not even going to spend 30 secs googling to keep from spouting ridiculously wrong information . Each and every driver, is known, has had a far more extensive backround check than Hack licenses require, and I see exactly who is available to me, the car they are in, license number, and the cell number should I need to clarify any info. I also have instant access to previous rider reviews and a chit ton of other info that you will never get on a cabby.

You are not even barely educated about the subject quite obviously.

 

So here is one redditors experience that perfectly explains why I LOVE Uber and Lyft and will never take a cab again:

"My wife and I visited New York City for a week last year to see some friends. We were using Uber and the subway up until we wanted to get somewhere quickly so we just hailed a cab. The ride was fine, but the ******* never turned on the meter so he said, "Uhh, that will be $12." Smallest bill any of us had was a $20 bill, so I hand him one and he says, "Sorry, I don't have any change." I just said **** it and we got out. Never using a taxi in New York again if I can help it.

Edit: Clarified that we did use the subway as well while in New York."

This happens all the freaken time. I had to take so many cabs when my kids were small, (pre-cell phone days), I can't even tell ya how many dishonest jerks, smelly cabs, late af, (if the came at all!), high or smelling like booze, ect...

And they know you the need the ride, need to get the littles home with the groceries or what have you, so they can be rude and obnoxious all they want.

Lots of smaller cab co's hire drivers (friends of theirs), without hacks, or expired ones, knowing they drunk or use, or have criminal history ect...

Come on people! Is this really not common knowledge about cabbies?! Ive been a lot of places and I've never seen cabs that compare to the convenience, courtesy, cleanliness and hassle free payment method of ride services we have today.

The fear surrounding new tech is unbelievable sometimes.

eta:And enough with the Stranger Danger!
You have the drivers face, license, vehicle and unfo right on your phone! If that doesn't match the ride that arrives, don't get in.

Plus you can read reviews and reject or except any Uber in your vicinity that takes the call. Sheese. It just doesn't even compare!

 

Like a virgin lecturing me on the evil and pitfalls of fornication.

Thanks for the advice, but I figured it out for myself.

 

Uber/Lyft GPS track all of their rides, archive all of the info, and they cooperate with law enforcement if any incident occurs involving their drivers.



I myself have taken hundreds of Uber rides, and I have the exacting info of every single one of them available in my hand right now.

Do licensed taxi and limo services do that? Can you show me the info on all the taxi/limo trips you've taken? Any of them? Any info at all?

 

It’s not the same. Uber and Lyft drivers provide their identity info that includes DL and social security info. If that driver commits a crime all that info will become available to cops.
Also, these apps/companies are a bit safer to drivers too - in order to get into Uber/Lyft, one must install their app and hook it to their credit card. So, if something happens to a driver than police will at least have the phone number, credit card and billing address. This is much safer for the driver than picking up someone random on the street in the middle of a night.

 

From Yahoo comments

katy8 hours ago
I'm one of the"gig" (not Lyft or Uber) workers and love not being an employee. It will definitely be an end to my extra income. But look at all of the extra income in employer taxes for the state of California

JJ11 hours ago
I am a W-2 contractor I do not want a full-time job.

 

It's the exact sort of confident ignorance that is in the process of getting vaping banned.

Clueless, scaremongering clownshoes.

 

Good valid points! I'm glad to hear that the business has gotten some sense of procedural validity in its business operations. I think I would be more likely to use Uber and/or Lyft if a person could preview the driver and the vehicle that would be sent to pick him up before making the committment.

Honestly, though, this is starting to remind me of the old Depression-era paradigm of Americans "taking in each other's laundry".... What I really look forward to is the coming time when all public conveyances will be more like "Johnny Cab" in the old Schwartzenegger movie, "Total Recall".... As you point out, your credit card would already be on file, so, no more tipping -- always an annoyance when you're trying to get out of a cab, pick up all your crap, and be on your way....

. "No money for a tip, sir...? No problem!"

 

OK, I stand corrected, OK? Please see post above. I haven't really used public transportation since the last time I was in Germany, so, I have to admit my ignorance... OK?

 

That's been the procedure from the very beginning.

You get a driver mugshot, and the Make/Model of the car coming to get you.

But then this happens.

Works in reverse too- riders cancelling when they see black drivers.

Uber/Lyft are counting on self-driving cars to save them, and finally make them profitable.

 

This one cracked me up.

 

That's your right, please don't get in the way of me making my choices, which are different than yours. My observation is that the Uber cars I've ridden in have been cleaner and better maintained than the cabs I've ridden in. I'll choose a clean Uber over a filthy cab any day of the week.

 

This is not my experience, knowing several drivers, (my dad and personal friends), Strongly suspect this is being exaggerated, (shock & awe! /s).

There are any number of reasons people cancel. And that includes personal bias. That will never change, however there is far more evidence of racial discrimination in the Taxi industry.
https://www.wired.com/story/race-good-and-bad-ride-share/

"Brown also found that, while Lyft adoption is greater in high-income neighborhoods, users in low-income neighborhoods accounted for more Lyft trips. In fact, high ride-hail use was more closely associated with access to a car than with income—if you don’t have a car, you’re more likely to use Lyft. Which is to say: Lyft appears to be a great option for Angelenos who need occasional access to a car, but either can’t afford one or don’t want the hassle of owning one. In a place like LA, where a car is essential to reaching jobs, schools, and all sorts of opportunities, ride-hail services have been useful.

Brown also found that Lyft served most of LA county’s population, no matter the neighborhood. Riders in black-majority neighborhoods took more trips than those living elsewhere—about 3.4 per month during the September-to-November period studied, compared to three trips for those traveling to or from majority-white neighborhoods, about three from Hispanic neighborhoods, and about 2.5 from Asian neighborhoods. (Hispanic neighborhoods had lower ride-hail use overall, which Brown theorizes may have something to do with lower rates of smartphone and formal banking in those communities.)

The researcher also created a natural experiment, a ride-hail “audit”. She modeled this part of the study off of earlier research from the National Bureau of Economic Research, which found that ride-hail drivers in Seattle took longer to pick up black passengers. Brown determined that, yes, there are still small disparities in pick-up times and cancellations for ride-hail riders of color. But the platforms are doing much, much better than the taxis that preceded them."

 

What a steaming turd.