What do you guys think of Uber's threat to leave Houston

What this guy said. I feel the very same way. I use it a lot when I have to be at events for business development...I pay for my employees to do the same. No worry about drinking too much and getting behind the wheel. No worry about parking.

I have not had a bad experience with Uber as of yet. I use it here in Houston. I have used it exclusively on trips to Chicago and San Francisco over the last 12 months. It's fantastic.

 

If everyone is ok with Uber doing their own background checks
They why would anyone be upset with Yellow Cab doing the same

It seems that once again we trust a profit driven corporation over local government
Fine.

Is part of the reasons Taxi cost more is because of the Governmental red tape?
If we removed all governmental provisions would the price of taxis fall?

Rocket River

 

I don't think Uber is actually doing a good job at background checks because apparently, murders, sex offenders and kidnappers can become Uber drivers.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/ellenhu...it-convicted-felons-prosecutors/#3a2efb994c96

 

Yellow Cab is private.

Does yellow cab suck because of red tape? Probably part of it. Also they has no competition before Uber.

Its not even the price, it's how much the service, drivers and cars of yellow cab suck. It's a horrible experience.

Uber really isn't that cheap

 

Uber is definitely not cheaper than yellow cabs.

But the barriers to entry are lower. Its cheaper and easier to become an Uber driver than get a taxi drivers license.

I'd say Uber seems more safer because there is always an electronic trail. I'd be more comfortable if my girlfriend or sister takes an Uber home late at night, rather than a random yellow cab.

 

taxis pay higher insurance, regulations, tax.

but screw em amirite.

your business has to pay huge percentage more just to be in business than my business all because my name is uber. clutchfans 19 idealist guy thinks 'taxi bad' because some other neckbeard says so.

uber is the cool kid that doesnt have to play by the rules, more importantly laws, taxes, rules set up in first place for consumer. these laws and rules arent the concern. uber simply doesnt want an even field in cost of doing business. wake up people.

If i try to set up a service for pickup that is legit.it would cost big before I even drive my first customer. pesky things like commercial liability insurance, standard employment practices, business licenses etc.

clutchfans being clutchfans.

either level the cost of doing business field for ALL or ban.uber.

I could follow any of you home and start and illegal unregulated business doing same stuff you are but with cheap labor and I pay no of the standard costs of doing business because thats my birth right..

20 year old mentality of the world. why cant we just get along? why cant uber just be exempt? why cant I compete with your business and no get special exception and less tax, insurance than your business all because a twenty year old neckbeard who tells me how I should live. 'taxis bad man' ya dig?

 

LOL..have no idea who you're directing this to, but I far prefer Uber to a taxi, and I promise you I don't have a neckbeard. I wouldn't mind being 20 again, though.

 

So all the cabs in Houston are Yellow Cabs?
Seriously . .i had seen other types of cabs (colors etc) and just assumed
they were from competing companies

Rocket River
I don't take cabs that often

 

Not all..pretty sure there are some others. They're the overwhelming majority, though, I believe.

 

didnt some uber creep sexual assault some girl and thats why this is an issue now?

 

Not being cheaper but having a lower COST means they have higher profits than yellow cab.
Which means they *can* put that money back into the drivers

Since they don't maintain the cars (unlike Yellow Cab) that is still further cost they don't have to worry about.

When I think of the COST to run a yellow cab. I know that it is more and cuts into profits. I am not hear to Cape for yellow cab
but it is unfair that they would have to incur these cost and Uber does not.

If Yellow Cab dropped the Additional Insurance, allowed anyone who passes they background check to drive for them in their own car, and pick and choose which cars they will allow. . . would their prices drop? Would their service improve?

Would you be comfortable with yellow cab then?

Rocket River

 

Someone maintains the car either way.

What additional insurance? Usually the taxi company insures the whole fleet

You need to have a medallion to drive a taxi, that is usually leased to you by the taxi company.

The medallion may be the main extra cost. Do you think medallions are a good idea? Should every business be required to buy an expensive, limited medallion to operate?

 

In many lines of work, anyone can pretty much do it. Companies usually hire someone with a college degree in many fields, but other than that no extra requirements.

No need to buy some silly medallions from the city.

But actually you bring up a good point. Nurse practitioners are fighting to do more of what doctors can do, for example

 

I am quite the opposite
I think all that stuff should simply be eliminated if it is neither useful
or viable.

Yellow Cab simply should move to the Uber plan
They already have the infrastructure but not the tech

Rocket River

 

I agree with that.

Taxi cab companies won't like it because their medallions will become worthless and they won't get lease payments from drivers

 

Agreed.

Its really the taxi companies b****ing, screaming, and kicking a fuss about all this..

They are over inflated "assets" that have been traded and exchanged for decades. So yes, the people holding onto these medallions would get screwed.

In NY, taxi medalions cost upwards to 800k to 1M. How ridiculous is that?

http://nycitycab.com/business/taximedallionlist.aspx

 

Rocket River

 

For those who prefer yellow cab, do you recall the days of waiting 45 minutes for a cab once you called...if you were lucky enough to get dispatch to answer?

 

My friend knows someone that did some time for murder and now he drives for Uber in houston.

 

I love the free market economy.