Uber car service

Clodfobble · 07-19-2014, 11:15 PM

You guys have this in your city? Basically it's a freelance taxi app, with the safeguards that all drivers have to pass a background check and car inspection, no money changes hands except digitally through the app, and drivers must maintain high ratings or they get kicked out of the program. It's apparently revolutionized the industry in the places it's been rolled out. I signed up (as a potential passenger, not a driver) because I was intrigued and it seems like the kind of thing you'd already want installed when you need it. Just playing around with it, there is supposedly a driver within 15 minutes of my house right now, ready to give me a ride at a moment's notice.

Going to the airport next weekend, I just might try it out. If no one is available we can always take the car and park like we planned...

monster · 07-19-2014, 11:28 PM

Just this week we noticed cars with big pink furry mustaches on them. So we Googled it and it seems like the same sort of thing -it's called Lyft

elSicomoro · 07-19-2014, 11:47 PM

I am familiar with Lyft...I was going to work for them at one point. They are currently under a cease-and-desist order here in KC, and I believe there is a temporary restraining order against them in St Louis. I believe Uber is now available here, and is working with the City of St Louis.

I haven't heard of any issues with Lyft, but Uber has been in the news lately, most recently for a ride gone wrong in DC. I am wary of these types of services: http://thebosque.us/?p=151

glatt · 07-20-2014, 07:21 AM

They have been pretty active around here for several months. I've never used them. But the existing cabs absolutely despise them because they are avoiding all the red tape the cabs have to deal with and can undercut the cabs on price, stealing their customers. Virginia just banned them, and other local governments are wringing their hands. They don't have commercial drivers licenses, which cabbies are required to have, and regular insurance policies don't cover commercial drivers, so most of them are operating without insurance coverage, and they don't even know it.

Clodfobble · 07-20-2014, 07:28 AM

Yeah, the taxis fought them here too, but they lost pretty quickly because there was already a precedent where the taxis had lost to the pedicabs downtown a few years back. Frankly, if the taxis didn't suck in this city they might have had a chance, but they take a minimum of an hour to get you when you call, if they agree to come at all, which they generally don't unless you're downtown or near the airport.

Clodfobble · 07-20-2014, 07:30 AM

Just checked again... At 7:30 on a Sunday morning way the hell out in the suburbs, the app claims a car can be here in 19 minutes.

elSicomoro · 07-22-2014, 02:47 AM

Uber Black could be legit soon in St Louis: http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/dai...n_st_louis.php

I think the proposed rules are good.

glatt · 07-22-2014, 07:24 AM

Those proposed rules seem fair, but imho, the big one is that these new car services should be required to have proof of commercial insurance displayed where the passenger can see it.

These new services are great and have a real advantage with the apps and quick response times. They should be required to follow the same safety regulations as the existing taxis though. Inspections, insurance, etc. Not having to shell out for a meter because it's all handled electronically means they shouldn't have to follow the meter regulations. And a bunch of the other regulations are just income generators for the local governments and should be phased out.

It's not fair that the existing taxi drivers, who, let's face it, have a shitty job, also have to pay all these fees and follow all these regulations only to be undercut by the new car services.

elSicomoro · 07-22-2014, 08:12 AM

And you have nailed what I think is the biggest issue with Uber X and Lyft: the insurance.

Commercial vehicle insurance is expensive...I had it for a year, and it is ridiculous. Lyft could do what some courier folks do and get a blanket policy, then charge the drivers a small amount for it per paycheck. These part-timers don't understand that they are technically commercial vehicles, and if they get into an accident, their insurance company might not cover them. Then Lyft's policy would have to kick in...and I don't think Lyft wants to be responsible for accidents due to insurance confusion.

Clodfobble · 07-22-2014, 08:18 AM

I worked at more than one pizza place in high school and early college, and in all those years, I think only one of the delivery drivers actually bothered to carry commercial insurance.

xoxoxoBruce · 07-22-2014, 11:10 AM

Pizzas rarely sue, but passengers do frequently.

elSicomoro · 07-22-2014, 12:06 PM

Yeah...we weren't required to carry it when I delivered pizzas. Many courier companies carry it due to the value of packages, and spread the cost out among the drivers. But some insurance companies are leery of you doing any delivery work in your car...my current insurance company has it set up so that I can do that. My previous company tried to move me over to commercial insurance. And I had to carry commercial insurance on a van I had last year because it was a cargo van.

07-19-2014, 11:15 PM	#1
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	Uber car service You guys have this in your city? Basically it's a freelance taxi app, with the safeguards that all drivers have to pass a background check and car inspection, no money changes hands except digitally through the app, and drivers must maintain high ratings or they get kicked out of the program. It's apparently revolutionized the industry in the places it's been rolled out. I signed up (as a potential passenger, not a driver) because I was intrigued and it seems like the kind of thing you'd already want installed when you need it. Just playing around with it, there is supposedly a driver within 15 minutes of my house right now, ready to give me a ride at a moment's notice. Going to the airport next weekend, I just might try it out. If no one is available we can always take the car and park like we planned... __________________ My book My other book My spirit animal

07-19-2014, 11:28 PM	#2
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	Just this week we noticed cars with big pink furry mustaches on them. So we Googled it and it seems like the same sort of thing -it's called Lyft __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

07-20-2014, 07:28 AM	#5
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	Yeah, the taxis fought them here too, but they lost pretty quickly because there was already a precedent where the taxis had lost to the pedicabs downtown a few years back. Frankly, if the taxis didn't suck in this city they might have had a chance, but they take a minimum of an hour to get you when you call, if they agree to come at all, which they generally don't unless you're downtown or near the airport. __________________ My book My other book My spirit animal

07-20-2014, 07:30 AM	#6
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	Just checked again... At 7:30 on a Sunday morning way the hell out in the suburbs, the app claims a car can be here in 19 minutes. __________________ My book My other book My spirit animal

07-22-2014, 08:18 AM	#10
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	I worked at more than one pizza place in high school and early college, and in all those years, I think only one of the delivery drivers actually bothered to carry commercial insurance. __________________ My book My other book My spirit animal

07-19-2014, 11:47 PM	#3
elSicomoro Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 12,486	I am familiar with Lyft...I was going to work for them at one point. They are currently under a cease-and-desist order here in KC, and I believe there is a temporary restraining order against them in St Louis. I believe Uber is now available here, and is working with the City of St Louis. I haven't heard of any issues with Lyft, but Uber has been in the news lately, most recently for a ride gone wrong in DC. I am wary of these types of services: http://thebosque.us/?p=151

07-20-2014, 07:21 AM	#4
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	They have been pretty active around here for several months. I've never used them. But the existing cabs absolutely despise them because they are avoiding all the red tape the cabs have to deal with and can undercut the cabs on price, stealing their customers. Virginia just banned them, and other local governments are wringing their hands. They don't have commercial drivers licenses, which cabbies are required to have, and regular insurance policies don't cover commercial drivers, so most of them are operating without insurance coverage, and they don't even know it.

07-22-2014, 02:47 AM	#7
elSicomoro Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 12,486	Uber Black could be legit soon in St Louis: http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/dai...n_st_louis.php I think the proposed rules are good.

07-22-2014, 07:24 AM	#8
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	Those proposed rules seem fair, but imho, the big one is that these new car services should be required to have proof of commercial insurance displayed where the passenger can see it. These new services are great and have a real advantage with the apps and quick response times. They should be required to follow the same safety regulations as the existing taxis though. Inspections, insurance, etc. Not having to shell out for a meter because it's all handled electronically means they shouldn't have to follow the meter regulations. And a bunch of the other regulations are just income generators for the local governments and should be phased out. It's not fair that the existing taxi drivers, who, let's face it, have a shitty job, also have to pay all these fees and follow all these regulations only to be undercut by the new car services.

07-22-2014, 08:12 AM	#9
elSicomoro Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 12,486	And you have nailed what I think is the biggest issue with Uber X and Lyft: the insurance. Commercial vehicle insurance is expensive...I had it for a year, and it is ridiculous. Lyft could do what some courier folks do and get a blanket policy, then charge the drivers a small amount for it per paycheck. These part-timers don't understand that they are technically commercial vehicles, and if they get into an accident, their insurance company might not cover them. Then Lyft's policy would have to kick in...and I don't think Lyft wants to be responsible for accidents due to insurance confusion.

07-22-2014, 11:10 AM	#11
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Pizzas rarely sue, but passengers do frequently. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

07-22-2014, 12:06 PM	#12
elSicomoro Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 12,486	Yeah...we weren't required to carry it when I delivered pizzas. Many courier companies carry it due to the value of packages, and spread the cost out among the drivers. But some insurance companies are leery of you doing any delivery work in your car...my current insurance company has it set up so that I can do that. My previous company tried to move me over to commercial insurance. And I had to carry commercial insurance on a van I had last year because it was a cargo van.

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