3 ms·

> Article is light on what it would take for Uber to be compliant as a legal dispatcher service. Typically the problems are: a) surge pricing b) rates that do

> Article is light on what it would take for Uber to be compliant as a legal dispatcher service. Typically the problems are: a) surge pricing b) rates that do not follow the government set rates c) refusing service to certain customers d) no mandatory insurances e) do not accept cash payments in cars.

vkou 10y ago
If that's the case, I don't see why compliance with these laws for a taxi-dispatch-by-app is impossible
- pgeorgi 10y ago
  That's why there are taxi dispatch apps around the world (these days). Uber still thinks it needs to "fix" them (ie. make sure rent money flows to them instead of anybody else).
greyman 10y ago
Or, their drivers needs to be licensed taxi drivers, and they are not. For example in Slovakia, the law states quite clearly, that if you provide road transportation for other people as a business, then if your car has more than 9 seats, you are operating a bus service, and if it has 9 or less, you are operating a taxi, and must follow all regulations applied to taxi drivers. But Uber says they are not a taxi, despite operating almost exactly like one. :-) For example, we have other popular taxi service, which also has a smartphone app working very similarly to Uber, with the one exception, that they only accept professional taxi drivers as their drivers. So if they wanted, Uber could do the same and be perfectly legal, but they apparently don't want to.
- the_mitsuhiko 10y ago
  > Or, their drivers needs to be licensed taxi drivers, and they are not. I can't talk about Hungary but in Austria an uber driver could not be a licensed taxi driver or at least, it does not matter. However for sure an uber cannot be a taxi because uber has no chance to follow those regulations and restrictions without giving up their business model. > For example in Slovakia, the law states quite clearly, that if you provide road transportation for other people as a business, then if your car has more than 9 seats, you are operating a bus service, and if it has 9 or less, you are operating a taxi, and must follow all regulations applied to taxi drivers. That's not how it works in Austria and I'm sure that's not how it works in Hungary. In Austria there are two regulations: taxis and personal drivers. The latter is what uber currently follows. It's a car with a driver that cannot pick up customers from the street who are hailing and it must not be equipped with a taximeter. > For example, we have other popular taxi service, which also has a smartphone app working very similarly to Uber, with the one exception, that they only accept professional taxi drivers as their drivers. Uber is not just great because of the app but also because the drivers are rated, the customers are rated and with the surge pricing there is a chance to get a taxi when it's needed. Try getting a taxi in Vienna at rush hour. You can't, because nobody cares extra since you get just as much money there as you do normally but you are stuck in traffic, so there are fewer taxis on the road.
yoz-y 10y ago
This is why taxi services are mostly crap. Without surge pricing it is common to never find a free ride, basically getting a taxi is a lottery. Why would government need to regulate the rates? Uber refuses crap customers (according to ratings) whereas taxis refuse you depending on your face, distance or number of bags. Insurance is a real problem which is why many European countries ban UberPOP
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]

vkou 10y ago

If that's the case, I don't see why compliance with these laws for a taxi-dispatch-by-app is impossible

pgeorgi 10y ago
That's why there are taxi dispatch apps around the world (these days). Uber still thinks it needs to "fix" them (ie. make sure rent money flows to them instead of anybody else).

greyman 10y ago

Or, their drivers needs to be licensed taxi drivers, and they are not. For example in Slovakia, the law states quite clearly, that if you provide road transportation for other people as a business, then if your car has more than 9 seats, you are operating a bus service, and if it has 9 or less, you are operating a taxi, and must follow all regulations applied to taxi drivers. But Uber says they are not a taxi, despite operating almost exactly like one. :-) For example, we have other popular taxi service, which also has a smartphone app working very similarly to Uber, with the one exception, that they only accept professional taxi drivers as their drivers. So if they wanted, Uber could do the same and be perfectly legal, but they apparently don't want to.

the_mitsuhiko 10y ago
> Or, their drivers needs to be licensed taxi drivers, and they are not. I can't talk about Hungary but in Austria an uber driver could not be a licensed taxi driver or at least, it does not matter. However for sure an uber cannot be a taxi because uber has no chance to follow those regulations and restrictions without giving up their business model. > For example in Slovakia, the law states quite clearly, that if you provide road transportation for other people as a business, then if your car has more than 9 seats, you are operating a bus service, and if it has 9 or less, you are operating a taxi, and must follow all regulations applied to taxi drivers. That's not how it works in Austria and I'm sure that's not how it works in Hungary. In Austria there are two regulations: taxis and personal drivers. The latter is what uber currently follows. It's a car with a driver that cannot pick up customers from the street who are hailing and it must not be equipped with a taximeter. > For example, we have other popular taxi service, which also has a smartphone app working very similarly to Uber, with the one exception, that they only accept professional taxi drivers as their drivers. Uber is not just great because of the app but also because the drivers are rated, the customers are rated and with the surge pricing there is a chance to get a taxi when it's needed. Try getting a taxi in Vienna at rush hour. You can't, because nobody cares extra since you get just as much money there as you do normally but you are stuck in traffic, so there are fewer taxis on the road.

yoz-y 10y ago

This is why taxi services are mostly crap. Without surge pricing it is common to never find a free ride, basically getting a taxi is a lottery. Why would government need to regulate the rates? Uber refuses crap customers (according to ratings) whereas taxis refuse you depending on your face, distance or number of bags. Insurance is a real problem which is why many European countries ban UberPOP

deleted 10y ago
[deleted]