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> Traditional taxi companies, as shitty as their service might be some places, are risking of being driven out of business. This is not the downside you think

by Permit 4y ago

> Traditional taxi companies, as shitty as their service might be some places, are risking of being driven out of business. This is not the downside you think it is. So help me if I could snap my fingers and make this happen I just might do it.

gcheong 4y ago
But what makes them so awful? Most likely it was the medallion system that limited competition in the market so maybe there is a system somewhere in-between that and the unprofitable ride share systems that work well for everyone. I just got back from Madrid and taxis were plentiful and metered with a flat fare to and from the airport. They all have the same markings so you can tell they are taxis but there are a variety of vehicles from Teslas to bare bones stick shifters being used. Uber was barely a thing there but there was an app called Free Now that many of the cars had on them.
- admax88qqq 4y ago
  So basically they had Uber but as a different brand. If you remove the medallion system, let people drive their own cars, and coordinate with riders via an app, you have Uber.
  - gcheong 4y ago
    The difference is there is some regulation around it because they are all metered so everyone is charging the same rates and I suspect it’s a better deal for the drivers and customers overall. Btw I didn’t use the app once as it was just easier to hail from the street.
- Permit 4y ago
  Off the top of my head: - Lying about the debit/credit machine being broken in order to receive cash. - Being unwilling to drive to/from certain neighborhoods. - Not turning the meter on in order to take advantage of people not from the city/country. - My (possibly incorrect) perception is that they are harder to hold to account. I do not always know the number of the taxi that picked me up and dropped me off. - Calling a taxi dispatch does not guarantee one will arrive. If service is slow you end up in a strange limbo of "Is that taxi late or have I been abandoned at 2:30am?" There's probably more but those are the ones that spring to mind based on my personal experiences with taxis. Even if Uber was only offered as a premium service I would still order one over a taxi.

by Permit 4y ago

gcheong 4y ago

But what makes them so awful? Most likely it was the medallion system that limited competition in the market so maybe there is a system somewhere in-between that and the unprofitable ride share systems that work well for everyone. I just got back from Madrid and taxis were plentiful and metered with a flat fare to and from the airport. They all have the same markings so you can tell they are taxis but there are a variety of vehicles from Teslas to bare bones stick shifters being used. Uber was barely a thing there but there was an app called Free Now that many of the cars had on them.

admax88qqq 4y ago
So basically they had Uber but as a different brand. If you remove the medallion system, let people drive their own cars, and coordinate with riders via an app, you have Uber.
- gcheong 4y ago
  The difference is there is some regulation around it because they are all metered so everyone is charging the same rates and I suspect it’s a better deal for the drivers and customers overall. Btw I didn’t use the app once as it was just easier to hail from the street.
Permit 4y ago
Off the top of my head: - Lying about the debit/credit machine being broken in order to receive cash. - Being unwilling to drive to/from certain neighborhoods. - Not turning the meter on in order to take advantage of people not from the city/country. - My (possibly incorrect) perception is that they are harder to hold to account. I do not always know the number of the taxi that picked me up and dropped me off. - Calling a taxi dispatch does not guarantee one will arrive. If service is slow you end up in a strange limbo of "Is that taxi late or have I been abandoned at 2:30am?" There's probably more but those are the ones that spring to mind based on my personal experiences with taxis. Even if Uber was only offered as a premium service I would still order one over a taxi.