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I believe they have a point. The traditional taxi industry _can_ be rescued. Living in Germany I use myTaxi which is basically providing the same interface as U

I believe they have a point. The traditional taxi industry _can_ be rescued. Living in Germany I use myTaxi which is basically providing the same interface as Uber but connects you with professional taxis that are regulated, insured, and being paid proper wages. There is simply no difference in convenience (even the opposite: you can book taxis in advance) and the driving experience itself is typically by far better than any Uber I've ever taken in the US (inexperienced drivers, often old cars,...) So I would argue that the tax could help achieve a similar scenario in MA if invested properly and if Uber is forced to raise prices by bringing them to uphold professional standards. I was long enough in MA to know that regular taxis have a long way to go but there is hope

briandear 10y ago
Define a 'proper' wage please? I don't know what that means apparently. I would think it would be a wage at which the supply curve and the demand curve meet for your particular skill. However if seems that you're implying that people ought to get paid more than the demand curve for their services would support, which is why I ask the question because that would be absurd. That would mean that someone else would have to subsidize this person by paying a higher price which would reduce demand for the product. Only the market can raise wages in any real way.
- thesumofall 10y ago
  I define a proper wage as such that for jobs that society deems necessary (e.g., taxi drivers) people are able to live a life above the poverty line. The textbook definition of supply and demand is a bit too simplistic here. Uber has artificially increased supply to starve of competition and to create network effects for the sake of them, they lowered prices by creating externalities that others have to pay for, and they lured (sometimes barely educated drivers) into a job that paid less and less over time.
  - GarrisonPrime 10y ago
    Society deems things necessary based on what people want, what can be provided to them, and at what price it can be provided. If society isn't willing to pay taxi drivers enough for them live above the poverty line, then society doesn't really want taxi drivers that much, does it?
deleted 10y ago
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briandear 10y ago

Define a 'proper' wage please? I don't know what that means apparently. I would think it would be a wage at which the supply curve and the demand curve meet for your particular skill. However if seems that you're implying that people ought to get paid more than the demand curve for their services would support, which is why I ask the question because that would be absurd. That would mean that someone else would have to subsidize this person by paying a higher price which would reduce demand for the product. Only the market can raise wages in any real way.

thesumofall 10y ago
I define a proper wage as such that for jobs that society deems necessary (e.g., taxi drivers) people are able to live a life above the poverty line. The textbook definition of supply and demand is a bit too simplistic here. Uber has artificially increased supply to starve of competition and to create network effects for the sake of them, they lowered prices by creating externalities that others have to pay for, and they lured (sometimes barely educated drivers) into a job that paid less and less over time.
- GarrisonPrime 10y ago
  Society deems things necessary based on what people want, what can be provided to them, and at what price it can be provided. If society isn't willing to pay taxi drivers enough for them live above the poverty line, then society doesn't really want taxi drivers that much, does it?

deleted 10y ago

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