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Uber is an interesting company for a number of reasons, but here's the part that interests me the most: Uber operates in a grey-area legal environment in the c

Uber is an interesting company for a number of reasons, but here's the part that interests me the most: Uber operates in a grey-area legal environment in the cities it operates in. Uber's defense / view on this is that they generate such a societal positive in terms of jobs that it outweighs the legal constraints. But, when your goal is to eventually use a fleet of self-driving cars and eliminate the job possibilities for drivers, isn't that a moot point?

benhalllondon 11y ago
They aren't creating jobs thou? They are creating a cheaper/better car service?
- archildress 11y ago
  This article is a pretty good discussion on your exact point: http://www.slate.com/articles/business/moneybox/2015/04/uber_says_it_ll_generate_1_million_jobs_this_year_depends_how_you_define.html http://www.slate.com/articles/business/moneybox/2015/04/uber... "Back in September of last year, Kalanick said at a conference that Uber was creating 50,000 new jobs for drivers around the world every month—more than doubling the 20,000 new monthly jobs Uber estimated it was generating in May. ... Usually when we talk about job creation, we’re thinking in terms of the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ monthly payrolls report. So the economy added 126,000 jobs in March and 264,000 in February, while the unemployment rate was basically unchanged. That’s the language of the labor market. Because the drivers who use Uber’s app to accept your request for a ride and pick you up are independent contractors, they fall under the BLS’s umbrella of “alternative employment arrangements.” "
ghostly_s 11y ago
When that happens, skirting the law will no longer be necessary. A company with no personnel costs, rather than low personnel costs, should have little trouble cutting a more attractive deal with municipalities. Or they can just lease the technology to the existing medallion-holders.
usaphp 11y ago
> "über's defense/view on this is that they generate such a societal positive in terms of jobs that it outweighed the legal constrains" I doubt they care a bit about the amount of jobs they are creating, I would say their view is "they generate such a positive amount of cash that it outweighs the legal constrains" and if they see a possibility of removing their highest expense of getting that cash - they won't bat an eye on doing so because they already have a history of doing stuff that is on the edge of legality/morality.
- danvoell 11y ago
  I think it will be very interesting to see what happens with self-driving car regulation. I foresee the money going from taxi drivers -> Uber -> Gov/Uber Split & no more jobs.
SilasX 11y ago
I don't think those are Uber's main defenses, which I think are actually: 1) They fall under the traditional pre-arranged/limo exemption since they aren't doing street hails. 2) They massively increase the convenience and affordability of getting a ride, which cuts down on drunk/bad driving and saves money. Neither of those points is affected by the move to SDCs.
aianus 11y ago
> But, when your goal is to eventually use a fleet of self-driving cars and eliminate the job possibilities for drivers, isn't that a moot point? The fetishism of "job-creation" is misguided and unsustainable. The purpose of life is not 'work'. High-availability self-driving Ubers are undoubtedly better for the majority of urban consumers than taxis or individual car ownership.

benhalllondon 11y ago

They aren't creating jobs thou? They are creating a cheaper/better car service?

archildress 11y ago
This article is a pretty good discussion on your exact point: http://www.slate.com/articles/business/moneybox/2015/04/uber_says_it_ll_generate_1_million_jobs_this_year_depends_how_you_define.html http://www.slate.com/articles/business/moneybox/2015/04/uber... "Back in September of last year, Kalanick said at a conference that Uber was creating 50,000 new jobs for drivers around the world every month—more than doubling the 20,000 new monthly jobs Uber estimated it was generating in May. ... Usually when we talk about job creation, we’re thinking in terms of the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ monthly payrolls report. So the economy added 126,000 jobs in March and 264,000 in February, while the unemployment rate was basically unchanged. That’s the language of the labor market. Because the drivers who use Uber’s app to accept your request for a ride and pick you up are independent contractors, they fall under the BLS’s umbrella of “alternative employment arrangements.” "

ghostly_s 11y ago

When that happens, skirting the law will no longer be necessary. A company with no personnel costs, rather than low personnel costs, should have little trouble cutting a more attractive deal with municipalities. Or they can just lease the technology to the existing medallion-holders.

usaphp 11y ago

> "über's defense/view on this is that they generate such a societal positive in terms of jobs that it outweighed the legal constrains" I doubt they care a bit about the amount of jobs they are creating, I would say their view is "they generate such a positive amount of cash that it outweighs the legal constrains" and if they see a possibility of removing their highest expense of getting that cash - they won't bat an eye on doing so because they already have a history of doing stuff that is on the edge of legality/morality.

danvoell 11y ago
I think it will be very interesting to see what happens with self-driving car regulation. I foresee the money going from taxi drivers -> Uber -> Gov/Uber Split & no more jobs.

SilasX 11y ago

I don't think those are Uber's main defenses, which I think are actually: 1) They fall under the traditional pre-arranged/limo exemption since they aren't doing street hails. 2) They massively increase the convenience and affordability of getting a ride, which cuts down on drunk/bad driving and saves money. Neither of those points is affected by the move to SDCs.

aianus 11y ago

> But, when your goal is to eventually use a fleet of self-driving cars and eliminate the job possibilities for drivers, isn't that a moot point? The fetishism of "job-creation" is misguided and unsustainable. The purpose of life is not 'work'. High-availability self-driving Ubers are undoubtedly better for the majority of urban consumers than taxis or individual car ownership.