Mayor John Tory's Toronto

[justindw]

Is that their way returning their licenses? *snicker* Not a fan of Uber and its' practices, but I do think that it points to the way of how taxi service should be provided in the future. In any case, the whole industry is ripe for disruption, and the worst for the drivers is yet to come (i.e. driverless vehicles).

AoD

Right now, Uber has pretty significant strategic advantages (lower overhead from not getting a license, surge pricing, not actually paying their taxes) that normal taxi companies don't have. As soon as those disappear, Uber will, too.

 

[ChesterCopperpot]

On Uber and taxes

http://www.thestar.com/business/2015/05/14/uber-offices-in-montreal-raided-over-tax-documents.html

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Right now, Uber has pretty significant strategic advantages (lower overhead from not getting a license, surge pricing, not actually paying their taxes) that normal taxi companies don't have. As soon as those disappear, Uber will, too.

Oh no doubt part of their success if due to their dubious practices - but what I am getting at is that the the flexibility it offers is something worth looking into. Is some amount of flexibility in pricing, depending on the time of travel, a "bad" thing? Should the city be in the business of issuing licenses, ostensibly as a method of ensuring quality, really about controlling who benefits from the supply and demand levers? Let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater.

AoD

 

[junior43]

There is a huge taxi protest at city hall right now. Cabs are parked on Bay and Queens and abandoned. Big traffic jam, sea of honking.

Tow all of them. And have the province inspect them for road worthiness back at the impound lot too.

The taxis in this city are horrid.

 

[PinkLucy]

The taxis in this city are horrid.

And this is another reason for Uber's success. Because too many taxi cabs and taxi drivers suck. People like to talk about the safety factor with Uber -- I feel a lot safer with someone driving their own vehicle than in Toronto cabs.

 

[justindw]

Oh no doubt part of their success if due to their dubious practices - but what I am getting at is that the the flexibility it offers is something worth looking into. Is some amount of flexibility in pricing, depending on the time of travel, a "bad" thing?

AoD

It may well not be (although, to be honest, it might be). Do you mind if we let our elected representatives change the law, rather than just having a private company ignore it?

 

[CDL.TO]

Someone on Twitter posted a screenshot illustrating that many of the protesting cabbies were actually on Uber.

 

[justindw]

Someone on Twitter posted a screenshot illustrating that many of the protesting cabbies were actually on Uber.

So they have good reason to protest?

 

[salsa]

Tow all of them. And have the province inspect them for road worthiness back at the impound lot too.

Paging mayor Tory...

 

[PinkLucy]

It may well not be (although, to be honest, it might be). Do you mind if we let our elected representatives change the law, rather than just having a private company ignore it?

But since our elected representatives tend to have little if no vision, what's wrong with someone coming along and shaking up the status quo? It got their attention, didn't it?

 

[justindw]

But since our elected representatives tend to have little if no vision, what's wrong with someone coming along and shaking up the status quo? It got their attention, didn't it?

The bit where it's against the law, and Uber could easily have sent someone to the city first to change the rules? But they decided not to? To what degree are you comfortable allowing people to break the law to make money?

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

It may well not be (although, to be honest, it might be). Do you mind if we let our elected representatives change the law, rather than just having a private company ignore it?

I don't agree with a private company ignoring laws (especially one that is somewhat exploitative and engaging in predatory practices elsewhere), but at the same time, I will gladly acknowledge the utility of having such a disruptive presence with respect to reforming the utterly dysfunctional system.

And the cynic in me can't help but notice certain elected proponents of the status quo also happen to have a rather interesting donor-recipent relationship with taxi companies either.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...donations-from-taxi-industry/article23964271/

AoD

 

[PinkLucy]

To me, it's likeNapster. It wasn't the answer, but it shook things up

 

[junior43]

To me, it's likeNapster. It wasn't the answer, but it shook things up

What's that saying - Sometimes it's better to ask forgiveness than to ask for permission

How much motivation would a municipal government have to change the law if it isn't already a popular service? Glacial.......

 

[Palma]

Right now, Uber has pretty significant strategic advantages (lower overhead from not getting a license, surge pricing, not actually paying their taxes) that normal taxi companies don't have. As soon as those disappear, Uber will, too.

So why can't all those taxi drivers that are complaining that they barely make any money since they are not the ones that own the taxi, just join uber. That way they get to keep most of the money since Uber just keeps a small portion (which is the opposite of the way the taxis work).