4 ms·

As a non Uber customer, why would I use this over Hailo? And why would Uber customers opt for a more expensive taxi when the same application has a cheaper opti

by izolate 12y ago

As a non Uber customer, why would I use this over Hailo? And why would Uber customers opt for a more expensive taxi when the same application has a cheaper option? When I use black cabs here in London, I'd much rather use an established and local product from a company with less questionable ethics. That's Hailo.

viraptor 12y ago
My guess is it's more about politics than actual service. Basically saying "hey, taxis are so much different we can even offer them as a completely separate service. UberX / Uber are not taxis." This may come useful if/when TfL changes their mind, or some court forces this discussion.
- jrochkind1 12y ago
  To me, it sends the opposite message actually that Uber pretty much is the same as a taxi; they can incorporate taxis into uber in a way that works pretty much the same for the end-user (but with regulated rates). With legal threats to their attempts to make an end-run around taxi regulation, it makes sense they are trying to diversify and have an income stream via regulated taxis as well.
easytiger 12y ago
> When I use black cabs here in London, I'd much rather use an established and local product from a company with less questionable ethics. That's Hailo. What!? Hailo now does private cab hire firm booking, which led to lots of Black cab drivers removing support for it
- vdaniuk 12y ago
  So why is it bad for Hailo to do private cab hire booking?
  - easytiger 12y ago
    Because before Hailo (set up by a former black cab driver) was previously only for Black Cabs. It isn't bad, unless you are a black cab driver. Metering would work differently than with private hire cabs too (cheaper)
- wlj 12y ago
  He may be referring to this: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7115177 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7115177
- deleted 12y ago
  [deleted]
kitbrennan 12y ago
One of the main benefits over Hailo is that it doesn't appear to have Hailo's minimum pricing: https://hailocab.com/drivers/blog/2013/02/04/minimum-fares-start-this-friday https://hailocab.com/drivers/blog/2013/02/04/minimum-fares-s... I imagine it will also have different drivers, so it may be worthwhile having both apps. I often find myself with a 10 minute wait for Uber when a Hailo taxi is 2 minutes away, and vice-versa.
driverdan 12y ago
> ...from a company with less questionable ethics Ok, I'll bite. What is questionable about Uber's ethics?
- gorner 12y ago
  Things like its "Safe Rides Fee": http://valleywag.gawker.com/why-is-uber-charging-you-extra-to-not-get-assaulted-1567825107 http://valleywag.gawker.com/why-is-uber-charging-you-extra-t... And questionable promotions: http://valleywag.gawker.com/uber-used-the-boston-bombing-anniversary-as-a-promotion-1566077289 http://valleywag.gawker.com/uber-used-the-boston-bombing-ann... And [allegedly] intentionally triggering surge pricing: http://www.thewire.com/technology/2014/02/uber-busted-intentionally-surging-prices/358555/ http://www.thewire.com/technology/2014/02/uber-busted-intent... And otherwise just acting as if the rules just don't apply to them: http://www.straight.com/news/uber-town-car-service-shut-down-vancouver-bc-passenger-transportation-board http://www.straight.com/news/uber-town-car-service-shut-down...
  - driverdan 12y ago
    We may not like fees and the Boston promo may be tasteless but they aren't unethical. I don't see a problem with surge pricing. If people aren't willing to pay then it won't last long. I'd like to see them have a bidding system to make it purely market driven. I also don't see anything unethical with fighting unethical laws. Here in Austin we're in a very similar situation. The existing transportation companies have passed laws to entrench their positions and eliminate competition (eg min "black car" fares). Those laws are unethical. They do not protect us, they are anti-consumer.
- Borogravia 12y ago
  Oh, you know, just a few things: http://valleywag.gawker.com/uber-used-the-boston-bombing-anniversary-as-a-promotion-1566077289 http://valleywag.gawker.com/uber-used-the-boston-bombing-ann... http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/03/28/uber-s-biggest-problem-isn-t-surge-pricing-what-if-it-s-sexual-harassment-by-drivers.html http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/03/28/uber-s-bigg... http://pando.com/2012/10/24/travis-shrugged/ http://pando.com/2012/10/24/travis-shrugged/ http://www.nbcchicago.com/investigations/Ride-Service-May-Pose-Risk-to-Passengers-256639641.html http://www.nbcchicago.com/investigations/Ride-Service-May-Po... http://pando.com/2014/04/24/uberx-allegedly-hired-a-convicted-felon-with-a-20-year-rap-sheet-so-much-for-those-improved-background-checks/ http://pando.com/2014/04/24/uberx-allegedly-hired-a-convicte... http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Uber-sued-over-girl-s-death-in-S-F-5178921.php http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Uber-sued-over-girl-s-...
ChrisArchitect 12y ago
I didn't know Halio was London based I swear by Uber in Toronto and will use it in London when I'm there next. A long time ago (year and half?) I looked up what the difference between the two was and it wasn't much. Comparing apples to apples, namely, plain old taxi service, they aren't much different but Uber is straight no minimums, gratuity set to a standard rate. I decided not try Halio at the time and stick with the Uber I'd been supporting (arbitrary I know) and enjoy not having to worry about any settings or anything. Hail cab, hop in, hop out, done. On the business side I think Halio is an actual cab dispatcher company, whereas Uber is just an app service that any cabbie can use..... Anyways, yeah, have nothing but good things to say about Uber and kind of laugh at the mess going on in London right now

by izolate 12y ago

viraptor 12y ago

My guess is it's more about politics than actual service. Basically saying "hey, taxis are so much different we can even offer them as a completely separate service. UberX / Uber are not taxis." This may come useful if/when TfL changes their mind, or some court forces this discussion.

jrochkind1 12y ago
To me, it sends the opposite message actually that Uber pretty much is the same as a taxi; they can incorporate taxis into uber in a way that works pretty much the same for the end-user (but with regulated rates). With legal threats to their attempts to make an end-run around taxi regulation, it makes sense they are trying to diversify and have an income stream via regulated taxis as well.

easytiger 12y ago

> When I use black cabs here in London, I'd much rather use an established and local product from a company with less questionable ethics. That's Hailo. What!? Hailo now does private cab hire firm booking, which led to lots of Black cab drivers removing support for it

vdaniuk 12y ago
So why is it bad for Hailo to do private cab hire booking?
- easytiger 12y ago
  Because before Hailo (set up by a former black cab driver) was previously only for Black Cabs. It isn't bad, unless you are a black cab driver. Metering would work differently than with private hire cabs too (cheaper)
wlj 12y ago
He may be referring to this: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7115177 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7115177
deleted 12y ago
[deleted]

kitbrennan 12y ago

One of the main benefits over Hailo is that it doesn't appear to have Hailo's minimum pricing: https://hailocab.com/drivers/blog/2013/02/04/minimum-fares-start-this-friday https://hailocab.com/drivers/blog/2013/02/04/minimum-fares-s... I imagine it will also have different drivers, so it may be worthwhile having both apps. I often find myself with a 10 minute wait for Uber when a Hailo taxi is 2 minutes away, and vice-versa.

driverdan 12y ago

> ...from a company with less questionable ethics Ok, I'll bite. What is questionable about Uber's ethics?

gorner 12y ago
Things like its "Safe Rides Fee": http://valleywag.gawker.com/why-is-uber-charging-you-extra-to-not-get-assaulted-1567825107 http://valleywag.gawker.com/why-is-uber-charging-you-extra-t... And questionable promotions: http://valleywag.gawker.com/uber-used-the-boston-bombing-anniversary-as-a-promotion-1566077289 http://valleywag.gawker.com/uber-used-the-boston-bombing-ann... And [allegedly] intentionally triggering surge pricing: http://www.thewire.com/technology/2014/02/uber-busted-intentionally-surging-prices/358555/ http://www.thewire.com/technology/2014/02/uber-busted-intent... And otherwise just acting as if the rules just don't apply to them: http://www.straight.com/news/uber-town-car-service-shut-down-vancouver-bc-passenger-transportation-board http://www.straight.com/news/uber-town-car-service-shut-down...
- driverdan 12y ago
  We may not like fees and the Boston promo may be tasteless but they aren't unethical. I don't see a problem with surge pricing. If people aren't willing to pay then it won't last long. I'd like to see them have a bidding system to make it purely market driven. I also don't see anything unethical with fighting unethical laws. Here in Austin we're in a very similar situation. The existing transportation companies have passed laws to entrench their positions and eliminate competition (eg min "black car" fares). Those laws are unethical. They do not protect us, they are anti-consumer.
Borogravia 12y ago
Oh, you know, just a few things: http://valleywag.gawker.com/uber-used-the-boston-bombing-anniversary-as-a-promotion-1566077289 http://valleywag.gawker.com/uber-used-the-boston-bombing-ann... http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/03/28/uber-s-biggest-problem-isn-t-surge-pricing-what-if-it-s-sexual-harassment-by-drivers.html http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/03/28/uber-s-bigg... http://pando.com/2012/10/24/travis-shrugged/ http://pando.com/2012/10/24/travis-shrugged/ http://www.nbcchicago.com/investigations/Ride-Service-May-Pose-Risk-to-Passengers-256639641.html http://www.nbcchicago.com/investigations/Ride-Service-May-Po... http://pando.com/2014/04/24/uberx-allegedly-hired-a-convicted-felon-with-a-20-year-rap-sheet-so-much-for-those-improved-background-checks/ http://pando.com/2014/04/24/uberx-allegedly-hired-a-convicte... http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Uber-sued-over-girl-s-death-in-S-F-5178921.php http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Uber-sued-over-girl-s-...

ChrisArchitect 12y ago

I didn't know Halio was London based I swear by Uber in Toronto and will use it in London when I'm there next. A long time ago (year and half?) I looked up what the difference between the two was and it wasn't much. Comparing apples to apples, namely, plain old taxi service, they aren't much different but Uber is straight no minimums, gratuity set to a standard rate. I decided not try Halio at the time and stick with the Uber I'd been supporting (arbitrary I know) and enjoy not having to worry about any settings or anything. Hail cab, hop in, hop out, done. On the business side I think Halio is an actual cab dispatcher company, whereas Uber is just an app service that any cabbie can use..... Anyways, yeah, have nothing but good things to say about Uber and kind of laugh at the mess going on in London right now