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They're helping their own workers. While a good thing, the rest of ther message is complete PR and sending ubers to JFK undermines the strikes, because it's suc

by pikzen 10y ago

They're helping their own workers. While a good thing, the rest of ther message is complete PR and sending ubers to JFK undermines the strikes, because it's such an easy way for them to make a profit.

nerfhammer 10y ago
Turning off surge pricing sends fewer Ubers to JFK! They make less money, not more with surge pricing off! Makes no sense!
- rashkov 10y ago
  Someone else in this thread pointed out that the headlines would be really bad for Uber if they said something like "Uber surges 500% while breaking airport taxi strike". It seems like they were trying to cover themselves, while not outright joining the strike, as if to triangulate towards the center.
  - nerfhammer 10y ago
    If you mean the third option was to disable all service from JFK? Though I don't think the regular taxi companies or Lyft did that either.
    - EthanHeilman 10y ago
      That is exactly what the Taxi strike did. >"NO PICKUPS @ JFK Airport 6 PM to 7 PM today," the union wrote in a subsequent tweet that was retweeted over 10,000 times. "Drivers stand in solidarity with thousands protesting inhumane & unconstitutional #MuslimBan." https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/the-scene-at-jfk-as-taxi-drivers-strike-following-trumps-immigration-ban/ar-AAmmsH8 https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/the-scene-at-jfk-as-taxi-d... The objection is not that Uber didn't join the strike but that Uber reduced their prices to undermine the strike and get new customers.
      - nerfhammer 10y ago
        > That is exactly what the Taxi strike did. No it's not. The union encouraging != the taxi companies somehow forcing it. The union and the taxi companies are not the same thing. > Uber reduced their prices to undermine the strike Uber reducing prices to normal levels means fewer drivers anyway! Fewer rides! This makes no sense! Why would Uber even bother with some Machiavellian scheme to get a hundred or two extra rides? Makes no sense!
        EthanHeilman 10y ago
        >Why would Uber even bother with some Machiavellian scheme to get a hundred or two extra rides? Getting that first install is critical, because once someone installs the Uber app they are unlikely to go back to taxi cabs. 200 extra riders might not be a big group, but they tell their friends and family and it spreads. This is especially true if the rides are discounted since everyone loves to talk about how much money they saved by taking an Uber instead of a taxi. Think of the ride sharing market in NYC, more than half the cars on the roads are taxis. tl;dr Uber has employed viral marketing like this for years and it works.

by pikzen 10y ago

nerfhammer 10y ago

Turning off surge pricing sends fewer Ubers to JFK! They make less money, not more with surge pricing off! Makes no sense!

rashkov 10y ago
Someone else in this thread pointed out that the headlines would be really bad for Uber if they said something like "Uber surges 500% while breaking airport taxi strike". It seems like they were trying to cover themselves, while not outright joining the strike, as if to triangulate towards the center.
- nerfhammer 10y ago
  If you mean the third option was to disable all service from JFK? Though I don't think the regular taxi companies or Lyft did that either.
  - EthanHeilman 10y ago
    That is exactly what the Taxi strike did. >"NO PICKUPS @ JFK Airport 6 PM to 7 PM today," the union wrote in a subsequent tweet that was retweeted over 10,000 times. "Drivers stand in solidarity with thousands protesting inhumane & unconstitutional #MuslimBan." https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/the-scene-at-jfk-as-taxi-drivers-strike-following-trumps-immigration-ban/ar-AAmmsH8 https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/the-scene-at-jfk-as-taxi-d... The objection is not that Uber didn't join the strike but that Uber reduced their prices to undermine the strike and get new customers.
    - nerfhammer 10y ago
      > That is exactly what the Taxi strike did. No it's not. The union encouraging != the taxi companies somehow forcing it. The union and the taxi companies are not the same thing. > Uber reduced their prices to undermine the strike Uber reducing prices to normal levels means fewer drivers anyway! Fewer rides! This makes no sense! Why would Uber even bother with some Machiavellian scheme to get a hundred or two extra rides? Makes no sense!
      - EthanHeilman 10y ago
        >Why would Uber even bother with some Machiavellian scheme to get a hundred or two extra rides? Getting that first install is critical, because once someone installs the Uber app they are unlikely to go back to taxi cabs. 200 extra riders might not be a big group, but they tell their friends and family and it spreads. This is especially true if the rides are discounted since everyone loves to talk about how much money they saved by taking an Uber instead of a taxi. Think of the ride sharing market in NYC, more than half the cars on the roads are taxis. tl;dr Uber has employed viral marketing like this for years and it works.