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It competes by doing things like not complying with existing regulation, laws, or unions. It's an "app" and thus except from all regulation. So they don't pay a
by themagician 12y ago
It competes by doing things like not complying with existing regulation, laws, or unions. It's an "app" and thus except from all regulation. So they don't pay a driver $70,000/yr and give him or her a pension. They can pick stops based on profitability, not access. They carry the bare minimum of liability insurance because if anything happens they can just close up shop. They don't have to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. They don't have to pay for any kind of additional safety or environmental inspections that public transit must comply with. They don't answer to the residents.
- pjlegato 12y agoIf the regulated, unionized public transportation service actually answered to the residents, services such as Leap could not exist. They'd be unnecessary and unused.
- Apocryphon 12y agoIt's certainly possible to simultaneously believe that the regulated, unionized public transportation contains service deficiencies, while at the same time advocating that a private transportation that provides better service should also be regulated and unionized.
- baddox 12y agoAnd when they do all of those things, they find customers willing to pay and drivers willing to work.
- aianus 12y agoOk, I'll bite, why on earth does a bus driver deserve $70,000 a year and a pension? There are billions of people in the world who would kill to do that job for $35,000 and no benefits.
- jsprogrammer 12y agoExactly who I want driving me around in a giant metal box: a stressed-out, poverty-level person with no benefits.
- themagician 12y agoBecause we've decided as a society that paying people a decent wage is a good idea. The same can be said for a lot of jobs, including so-called "software engineers." You can pay people in Romania $300/day instead of paying someone in SF $1,800 a day.
- JimboOmega 12y agoDang. $1,800 a day? I've been missing out.
- deleted 12y ago[deleted]
- smackfu 12y agoWhy Muni can’t find good drivers: http://www.sfexaminer.com/sanfrancisco/why-muni-cant-find-good-driver/Content?oid=2820920 http://www.sfexaminer.com/sanfrancisco/why-muni-cant-find-go... The starting wage is $18 an hour, going up to $30. The $70k is with overtime. So the starting worker probably does make more like $35k, which isn't exactly amazing in San Francisco.
- JimboOmega 12y agoI wonder if there are other, undiscovered industries that can be "1099ified" for profit. Maybe construction? Maybe medical? Actually, I would appreciate an app that let me consult with a doctor without having to actually schedule an appointment and go to the office - just to determine simple stuff like "does this need stitches?". Granted, that's an area I'd be a lot less tolerant of someone who isn't complying with any regulation or laws.