Posted on 01/14/2014 7:34:01 PM PST by grundle
The attacks by striking cab drivers on Uber cars in Paris on Monday — with protesters shattering windows, smashing mirrors and slashing tires — appear to be the first violent clashes in the ongoing battle between local cabbies and app-based car services.
But tensions, in Paris and elsewhere, have been brewing for months. Cab drivers say Uber and apps like it, which allow customers to hitch rides nearly instantly from their smartphones, create unfair competition and undermine the traditional cab-hailing business.
When Uber launched in New York, the city’s Taxi and Limousine Commission reportedly pressured the drivers of licensed “yellow” taxis not to join Uber’s fleet.
According to its website, Uber operates in 26 countries and more than 50 cities and has ambitious plans to expand.
But the San Francisco-based startup has faced stiff legal hurdles at nearly every turn. Last month, Toronto officials charged Uber with operating without proper licenses. The company ran into similar regulatory issues in Vancouver.
In Portland, Ore., Uber has urged lawmakers to change an ordinance requiring town cars to wait an hour before picking up would-be passengers.
In Paris, a “15-minute law” went into effect on Jan. 1, requiring all Uber drivers to wait 15 minutes after a request is placed to pick up a passenger — a move aimed at leveling the competition for traditional Parisian cabbies.
Nonetheless, hundreds of unionized cab drivers participated in Monday’s protests in Paris, demanding a 30-minute delay, minimum fares and a driver recruitment ban. At least 12 Uber cars were targeted, according to local reports.
Taxi drivers stop the traffic on the highway leading to Paris, Thursday, Jan. 10, 2013 at Roissy airport.
(Excerpt) Read more at yahoo.com ...
Where are the greenies, degrying the pollution and waste of cabs milling about, waiting to be flagged?
Sounds like the way the private Detroit bus company works. They don’t have regular stops but you can find where the nearest bus is with a phone app and they’ll even pick you up at a nearest corner. They’ll even drop off little old ladies with groceries at the front door.
So far the city bus drivers haven’t slashed the tires as far as I’ve heard.
So if I was a union thug looking to bash some windshield, how would I identify a “Uber” car?
Must be muslims.
That would be the car with a paying passanger in the back.
Perhaps businessmen have to deduct the cost of the 15 min. Wait time from any tip. “I was going to tip you, but I had to wait 15 min. for this ride. So, I am just going to pay you for the advertised fare.”
Of course, tipping in France is handled differently than here.
>> UNIONS SUCK!
When the cities demand $100k for a hood medallion to operate a cab, the frustration is understandable.
You mean I would have to follow any car with more than one person in it, then see if money changes hands at destination?
>> When the cities demand $100k for a hood medallion to operate a cab, the frustration is understandable.
It’s a MILLION bucks for a medallion in NYC.
(Nevertheless, unions DO suck. Long and hard. Every one of ‘em. Communism in ALL of its many flavors sucks.)
They could just download the app, hail one, and wait for it to come to them...
Taxi companies are very good at using government to stomp out competition, but I very rarely use taxis. I consider them a rip off and would do just about anything to avoid using one. Instead of competition which would probably increase their customer base (and profits), even though fares would likely be less, taxi companies decided to use government to (unfairly) squash competition and squeeze the maximum amount of cash out of fewer customers.
In locales I’m familiar with local government sets the fares, not the cab company and the companies have little to no input.
All they need to do is get their own app. They have more taxis, in more locations. They could actually get more fares using this same technology.
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