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You also have existing taxi companies to compete against. Way before Uber was a thing, my preferred company in Stockholm had a simple hailing app, it was basica

You also have existing taxi companies to compete against. Way before Uber was a thing, my preferred company in Stockholm had a simple hailing app, it was basically one button for "I want a cab, here, now". No tracking, no payments, nothing fancy, but still. These days, Taxi Stockholm has a hailing app that is on par with Uber's app, and I just can't see how Uber can compete with that. I can use Taxi Stockholm and get a professional cab driver in a nice luxury car that is insured, regulated, cctv'd and has a trusted brand name, or I can use Uber and get a non-professional in a regular car, no taxi license plate, unknown insurance situation, for maybe a cheaper price. Uber is fantastically successful in places where the existing taxi market sucks for whatever reasons, but there are plenty of places where it doesn't suck, and it's very questionable what Uber can bring to the table then. Or Lyft, Hailo, etc. Any technology they make can be easily copied by their competitors, but local vehicle fleets can't.

curiousjorge 11y ago
I think the Taxi companies are taking note and Uber is going to force them to innovate since they feel threatened. If they are able to do this, I think Uber will find themselves in serious trouble.
moistgorilla 11y ago
> nice luxury car Are the cabs in Stockholm actually nice?
- henrikschroder 11y ago
  Compared to SF, oh yes, much better! The most common taxi in Stockholm is probably a Mercedes, and the average car of the kind of people who would want to drive for Uber is definitely not. I don't see how Uber could mobilize a comparable fleet to compete with that. I can see UberPool working where people expect a "regular" car, and I could see them becoming the dispatch of choice for non-affiliated taxi drivers, but that's the bottom of the barrel of that market. If people think that taxi markets everywhere look like the one in SF, then I understand why people value Uber so highly and think they'll conquer every market easily. But the truth is that Uber doesn't have anything that isn't easily replicatable by entrenched taxi companies that are willing.
prostoalex 11y ago
Same in Copenhagen, every taxi cab now carries advertising of its respective app.

curiousjorge 11y ago

I think the Taxi companies are taking note and Uber is going to force them to innovate since they feel threatened. If they are able to do this, I think Uber will find themselves in serious trouble.

moistgorilla 11y ago

> nice luxury car Are the cabs in Stockholm actually nice?

henrikschroder 11y ago
Compared to SF, oh yes, much better! The most common taxi in Stockholm is probably a Mercedes, and the average car of the kind of people who would want to drive for Uber is definitely not. I don't see how Uber could mobilize a comparable fleet to compete with that. I can see UberPool working where people expect a "regular" car, and I could see them becoming the dispatch of choice for non-affiliated taxi drivers, but that's the bottom of the barrel of that market. If people think that taxi markets everywhere look like the one in SF, then I understand why people value Uber so highly and think they'll conquer every market easily. But the truth is that Uber doesn't have anything that isn't easily replicatable by entrenched taxi companies that are willing.

prostoalex 11y ago

Same in Copenhagen, every taxi cab now carries advertising of its respective app.