Uber and Lyft keep saying they are not “taxi” services… but exactly how are they not a taxi? Well taxi drivers have to undergo a face-to-face interview, a physical, a criminal background check, a drug test, pay the tax for the “shield” and must bring in the taxi at least twice a week for a mechanical inspection. Taxi fares are REGULATED by the local government. Taxi drivers are not getting rich. They are trying to make a living. Uber and Lyft drivers pick up passengers via dispatch and take credit cards – but have NO regulations on the fares they charge. Recently at the annual FL-GA game in Jacksonville, Florida, Uber drivers were found to be charging $170 for a fare that a cab driver would have charged $45… so how does that help the “public”? And how is the insurance shaking out now that we have seen in the headlines that Uber/Lyft drivers have been charged with groping a female passenger, raping a female passenger and causing an accident in which the passenger died. Seems to me a number of venture capitalists have put together a lot of money, a clever idea, and are trying to push the cab companies out of business. Then they go public, cash in their shares and VOILA … Money money money! Of course the fact that there is no fare regulation, etc. for the public anymore – who cares!
Could there be a compromize??? Could the future of Taxi’s be an Uber & Lyft model? Basically, they are simply using Sub-Contractors. Uber & Lyft do now background check their drivers… but they do not inspect the autos as the gov’t does. Perhaps there could be an App that could be used to inspect the auto’s? Why not, there are already telematic apps that can be connected to a car, and then provide records of the auto & drivers performance. Could there be a way to regulate safety without a physical inspection of the auto? I think there could. I agree that the current Lyft & Uber model is not great for public safety, but with a few changes, it could be.
Uber and Lyft keep saying they are not “taxi” services… but exactly how are they not a taxi? Well taxi drivers have to undergo a face-to-face interview, a physical, a criminal background check, a drug test, pay the tax for the “shield” and must bring in the taxi at least twice a week for a mechanical inspection. Taxi fares are REGULATED by the local government. Taxi drivers are not getting rich. They are trying to make a living. Uber and Lyft drivers pick up passengers via dispatch and take credit cards – but have NO regulations on the fares they charge. Recently at the annual FL-GA game in Jacksonville, Florida, Uber drivers were found to be charging $170 for a fare that a cab driver would have charged $45… so how does that help the “public”? And how is the insurance shaking out now that we have seen in the headlines that Uber/Lyft drivers have been charged with groping a female passenger, raping a female passenger and causing an accident in which the passenger died. Seems to me a number of venture capitalists have put together a lot of money, a clever idea, and are trying to push the cab companies out of business. Then they go public, cash in their shares and VOILA … Money money money! Of course the fact that there is no fare regulation, etc. for the public anymore – who cares!
Could there be a compromize??? Could the future of Taxi’s be an Uber & Lyft model? Basically, they are simply using Sub-Contractors. Uber & Lyft do now background check their drivers… but they do not inspect the autos as the gov’t does. Perhaps there could be an App that could be used to inspect the auto’s? Why not, there are already telematic apps that can be connected to a car, and then provide records of the auto & drivers performance. Could there be a way to regulate safety without a physical inspection of the auto? I think there could. I agree that the current Lyft & Uber model is not great for public safety, but with a few changes, it could be.