4 ms·

i can't find the actual minimums, this[1] article suggests that the wait time is 0.56/min. I'm curious how this ends up comparing to taxis, since a taxi has a

i can't find the actual minimums, this[1] article suggests that the wait time is 0.56/min. I'm curious how this ends up comparing to taxis, since a taxi has a idle time of 0.50/min in seattle - it seems unreasonable to set minimums higher than taxis(but maybe it wont since i cant find the per-mile fee, and 25% over the current uber per-mile fee is about $1 less than a taxi) [1] https://www.geekwire.com/2020/uber-raising-trip-prices-24-new-year-response-seattles-new-minimum-wage-law-drivers/ https://www.geekwire.com/2020/uber-raising-trip-prices-24-ne...

treve 6y ago
The law is based on minimum wage, not a minimum price for wait time. Uber sets that price.
- idunno246 6y ago
  https://seattle.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=8811142&GUID=E5A95BE2-AB28-45F3-9C41-C15FD3293521 https://seattle.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=8811142&GUID=E... https://seattle.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=8807285&GUID=66FB7409-8761-48CB-BE85-410F4AC2BEB3 https://seattle.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=8807285&GUID=6... I think think this is the actual bill. So it is minimum pricing on time and miles backed into by hourly wages after utilization. So 1.33/mile, but I think the time is total time not idle time like taxis, if so assuming an average of 30 mph add another dollar which puts it right at taxi pricing, and probably doesn’t include ubers fee.
filmgirlcw 6y ago
For reasons too complicated to get into in a comment, the taxi industry has typically avoided most of these minimum-wage arguments because of the way those systems are designed. The taxi lobby is a lot more entrenched than the ride hail lobby (and for some bizarre reason, it isn’t criticized the same way, even though it is every bit as awful and exploitative — and more so in some areas - than ride share giants ) is my guess for one. Even our dysfunctional city council won’t want to take on the taxi lobby, not that Seattle has much of a taxi ecosystem anyway. Taking a taxi in Seattle is one of my last-resort options, and I moved here from New York City, and am not anti-taxi as a concept, the Seattle cabs add just terrible. Of course, Uber and Lyft didn’t help themselves any by arguing vociferously for years that they weren’t anything like taxis, largely as a way to avoid having to pay drivers similar to medallion systems. Now, there were some good reasons for this, especially in markets like Portland, that used to have really restrictive pick-up policies for taxi cabs — and in areas like New York and Chicago, that have strict limits on how many medallions are issued and how many cabs can be on the road at once, but these companies can’t have it both ways. They can’t argue for years that they aren’t taxi companies and then complain if legislation means they have to pay more than taxi companies.
- idunno246 6y ago
  For sure on how exploitative it is. Just frustrating that so much focus is placed on ensuring minimum wage for these drivers but not those drivers. But if ride share minimums end up more expensive it seems kinda like proof that taxi drivers can’t be making minimum wage either, which especially sucks since government sets their exact prices
  - filmgirlcw 6y ago
    Oh, I hear you! But that’s part of the taxi medallion scam. They convince governments that the medallion owners drive their own cabs (ha!) and everyone just pretends that the exploitative rental scheme for drivers doesn’t exist. Like I said, it’s always struck me as odd that so many people that I agree with ideologically are insanely loud about how evil/corrupt Uber and Lyft are (and they are!), but say nothing about the taxi ecosystem, which is, I will argue, worse for drivers and passengers. I’ve spoken to enough Uber drivers who used to be cab drivers to know that the alternative isn’t any better. That isn’t to say those people like Uber — but it’s not any worse than the taxi industry. It’s almost like we have to face the reality that essential jobs in our society, like drivers, are often poorly paid and exploited. And that it is systemic. But people don’t want to do that.

treve 6y ago

The law is based on minimum wage, not a minimum price for wait time. Uber sets that price.

idunno246 6y ago
https://seattle.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=8811142&GUID=E5A95BE2-AB28-45F3-9C41-C15FD3293521 https://seattle.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=8811142&GUID=E... https://seattle.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=8807285&GUID=66FB7409-8761-48CB-BE85-410F4AC2BEB3 https://seattle.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=8807285&GUID=6... I think think this is the actual bill. So it is minimum pricing on time and miles backed into by hourly wages after utilization. So 1.33/mile, but I think the time is total time not idle time like taxis, if so assuming an average of 30 mph add another dollar which puts it right at taxi pricing, and probably doesn’t include ubers fee.

filmgirlcw 6y ago

For reasons too complicated to get into in a comment, the taxi industry has typically avoided most of these minimum-wage arguments because of the way those systems are designed. The taxi lobby is a lot more entrenched than the ride hail lobby (and for some bizarre reason, it isn’t criticized the same way, even though it is every bit as awful and exploitative — and more so in some areas - than ride share giants ) is my guess for one. Even our dysfunctional city council won’t want to take on the taxi lobby, not that Seattle has much of a taxi ecosystem anyway. Taking a taxi in Seattle is one of my last-resort options, and I moved here from New York City, and am not anti-taxi as a concept, the Seattle cabs add just terrible. Of course, Uber and Lyft didn’t help themselves any by arguing vociferously for years that they weren’t anything like taxis, largely as a way to avoid having to pay drivers similar to medallion systems. Now, there were some good reasons for this, especially in markets like Portland, that used to have really restrictive pick-up policies for taxi cabs — and in areas like New York and Chicago, that have strict limits on how many medallions are issued and how many cabs can be on the road at once, but these companies can’t have it both ways. They can’t argue for years that they aren’t taxi companies and then complain if legislation means they have to pay more than taxi companies.

idunno246 6y ago
For sure on how exploitative it is. Just frustrating that so much focus is placed on ensuring minimum wage for these drivers but not those drivers. But if ride share minimums end up more expensive it seems kinda like proof that taxi drivers can’t be making minimum wage either, which especially sucks since government sets their exact prices
- filmgirlcw 6y ago
  Oh, I hear you! But that’s part of the taxi medallion scam. They convince governments that the medallion owners drive their own cabs (ha!) and everyone just pretends that the exploitative rental scheme for drivers doesn’t exist. Like I said, it’s always struck me as odd that so many people that I agree with ideologically are insanely loud about how evil/corrupt Uber and Lyft are (and they are!), but say nothing about the taxi ecosystem, which is, I will argue, worse for drivers and passengers. I’ve spoken to enough Uber drivers who used to be cab drivers to know that the alternative isn’t any better. That isn’t to say those people like Uber — but it’s not any worse than the taxi industry. It’s almost like we have to face the reality that essential jobs in our society, like drivers, are often poorly paid and exploited. And that it is systemic. But people don’t want to do that.