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> Uber was a "car sharing" company. Then it realized that some customers were cheating and acting as pirate taxis. Uber saw that as an opportunity and created a

> Uber was a "car sharing" company. Then it realized that some customers were cheating and acting as pirate taxis. Uber saw that as an opportunity and created a business model based on that fact. When I first used Uber it was black cars only. This was great - I'd learnt in the Bay Area that using black cars was cheaper than taxis, but finding a reliable company and getting it on demand was a PITA. Then Uber came along, awesome. Cheaper than what I was paying before, cheaper than a taxi, and on demand, with no tipping. Then Lyft came along and Uber (AFAIK) copied them with Uber-X. "Pirate taxis"? What are you talking about?

kartan 9y ago
> "Pirate taxis"? What are you talking about? I refer to them running an illegal taxi operation. * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illegal_taxicab_operation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illegal_taxicab_operation * http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/19/uber-declared-an-illegal-taxi-service-by-danish-high-court/ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/19/uber-declared-an-... * http://www.reuters.com/article/us-france-ubertech-court-idUSKCN0YV1DQ http://www.reuters.com/article/us-france-ubertech-court-idUS... * https://www.dailysabah.com/technology/2016/12/28/uber-to-be-fined-for-offering-unlicensed-services https://www.dailysabah.com/technology/2016/12/28/uber-to-be-...
- madeofpalk 9y ago
  Which is 'UberX' and came much later in Uber's lifecycle.
ClassyJacket 9y ago
Does anyone know what on Earth the motivation was for Uber to limit their market to only black cars for such a long time? Or ever, for that matter?
- tyingq 9y ago
  Fewer regulations to fight. Until they had money and a strategy to do so.
- wavefunction 9y ago
  Consider the name of the company and whether a black car is more prestigious than getting picked up by some bloke in a Subaru (no offense to Subaru or that bloke intended).
- heymijo 9y ago
  They began with black cars because that was the original idea from Garrett Camp. Something on the scale of UberX wouldn't be fathomed by the Uber folks for several years yet. Then, competition showed them the way [1]. "Now, an important clarification: Unlike Lyft and Sidecar, the so-called ridesharing companies that were at that very moment making their debuts in San Francisco, the original UberX accommodated only professional drivers who held taxi licenses. Kalanick envisioned a fleet of black Toyota Priuses to be driven by the same types of licensed chauffeurs who were behind the wheels of other Uber vehicles."[1] Also worth noting, black car drivers Uber used were licensed, just different from cab drivers. [1] The Upstarts by Brad Stone http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29905580-the-upstarts http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29905580-the-upstarts

kartan 9y ago

> "Pirate taxis"? What are you talking about? I refer to them running an illegal taxi operation. * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illegal_taxicab_operation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illegal_taxicab_operation * http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/19/uber-declared-an-illegal-taxi-service-by-danish-high-court/ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/19/uber-declared-an-... * http://www.reuters.com/article/us-france-ubertech-court-idUSKCN0YV1DQ http://www.reuters.com/article/us-france-ubertech-court-idUS... * https://www.dailysabah.com/technology/2016/12/28/uber-to-be-fined-for-offering-unlicensed-services https://www.dailysabah.com/technology/2016/12/28/uber-to-be-...

madeofpalk 9y ago
Which is 'UberX' and came much later in Uber's lifecycle.

ClassyJacket 9y ago

Does anyone know what on Earth the motivation was for Uber to limit their market to only black cars for such a long time? Or ever, for that matter?

tyingq 9y ago
Fewer regulations to fight. Until they had money and a strategy to do so.
wavefunction 9y ago
Consider the name of the company and whether a black car is more prestigious than getting picked up by some bloke in a Subaru (no offense to Subaru or that bloke intended).
heymijo 9y ago
They began with black cars because that was the original idea from Garrett Camp. Something on the scale of UberX wouldn't be fathomed by the Uber folks for several years yet. Then, competition showed them the way [1]. "Now, an important clarification: Unlike Lyft and Sidecar, the so-called ridesharing companies that were at that very moment making their debuts in San Francisco, the original UberX accommodated only professional drivers who held taxi licenses. Kalanick envisioned a fleet of black Toyota Priuses to be driven by the same types of licensed chauffeurs who were behind the wheels of other Uber vehicles."[1] Also worth noting, black car drivers Uber used were licensed, just different from cab drivers. [1] The Upstarts by Brad Stone http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29905580-the-upstarts http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29905580-the-upstarts