Uber Review

[qaz]

Am I best off waiting till I arrive and get my US SIM before I register then?

yes - a mobile number and an email address can only be related one account each, so use different ones to those in Australia to sign up with a USD promo code if you want to have some free credit to spend over there

 

[mushypeas]

In Aust I've never been charged any FX fees for Uber transactions.

 

[Cynicor]

In Aust I've never been charged any FX fees for Uber transactions.

Just depends on your card, it's not Uber's fault, per se.

 

[tuttytown]

I've been loving Uber, TBH. Used it a couple times in Melb/Syd late last year and early this year but have used it pretty much exclusively in Brisbane since it launched a few months back. There were quite a few 'no car available' times early on (mornings, late evenings) but doesn't seem to be such an issue now? Feel a lot safer than I do in taxis - less chance of being ripped off/taken in a wrong direction (oops, missed that turn sorry, won't turn off the meter) than local taxis. In the states next month and looking forward to seeing how it works there!

 

[smithnicholas320]

I've used Uber in Atlanta and Paris. Very competitive rates and soooo much better than regular cabs. Both cities are notorious for coughpy cabs and cabs in Atlanta take forever to show up.

Yes i am agree with you that Uber are sooo much better than cabs...

 

[N860CR]

There are still some questions about legality of uberx, however it seems to have gone a little quiet on that front of late. I've used it a lot and find it great

 

[jastel]

There are no questions...it is illegal in SYD, MEL and BNE.
You can spin it anyway you want but you cannot transport people for a business and not be regulated like other public transport.
Some fines have been given out but Govco moves very slowly on anything. This case will involve 3 (or more) different Transport Departments and wont be solved in a hurry.
The main safety issue is insurance...or Ubers lack of it, and non licensing/checking of drivers/cars...use at your own risk.

The only way it is legal is if your car is a taxi, and the driver accredited, and he just got the job by Uber.

 

[Cynicor]

A lot of people get Uber Black, Uber Taxi and Uber X confused.

The only illegal part is Uber X. Uber black etc are all accredited SCV or Taxi type operators already. The only thing new here is the technology to "hail" them, as it were.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

I use UberX exclusively in BNE and it's excellent.

When I am forced to take a taxi I like talking to the driver about Uber and why they need to switch over.

 

[Cynicor]

Tripping- Uber X is the everyday person in a car, earning money on the side.

Is this the service you are actually using? Do you not worry about the insurance etc aspects of it?

 

[DeKa]

Tripping- Uber X is the everyday person in a car, earning money on the side.

Is this the service you are actually using? Do you not worry about the insurance etc aspects of it?

Must be, as Uber X is the only service in Brisbane at the moment: https://www.uber.com/cities/brisbane

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Tripping- Uber X is the everyday person in a car, earning money on the side.

Is this the service you are actually using? Do you not worry about the insurance etc aspects of it?

How does insurance affect me as a customer? (and what insurance is the worry?)

PROS:
- Faster
- Cheaper
- Driver is always happy to take you somewhere
- Most drivers have water/gum to offer
- No 10% credit card BS
- Better cars... there are some BNE UberX drivers with ...bmw, mercs, audi,vw and one HSV crusing around

CONS:
- At times availability can be poor usually after midnight on weekdays
- Only useful within 5km of city
- I feel bad taking one to airport (only time I grab a cab)
- I don't get a taxi driver who doesn't know their way around

My understanding (I could be wrong) is that uber has $5m insurance on every driver. Additionally in qld third party insurance covers you in an accident.
I don't see any risks beyond that in a taxi....

 

[benjy]

My uber driver last night had bottles of water, minties and packets of tim tams, my colleagues were very impressed with this and the fact the fare for a 17min ride (out of the city in peak hour) was only $15

 

[N860CR]

The defining moment will be when somebody has a serious accident and their insurer refuses to pay up. If Uber (google) come to the party then it won't be a major issue, however if the driver gets stuck with what could potentially be a bill into the hundreds of thousands, then it'll be interesting.

I've noticed that in Sydney on a Friday or Saturday night there must be 100 available UberX cars on the road. If the state government was serious, they would have shut it down by now.

 

[jastel]

If you are talking Compulsory Third Party as included in the rego that covers people who the CTP driver hits.
Not ALL cars on the road are registered. They legally should be but they are not. Qld is removing rego labels soon so have fun checking if the car is registered.
Most comprehensive insurance that you (as a car owner) take out to protect your car specifically excludes taking fee paying passengers. So no coverage there.
Just FYI an average 6cyl car in Qld is about $800 to rego (including CTP), a taxi is $7000 including CTP. I wonder why? More risk of accidents as more time on road...just like Uber.
DTMR or Queensland Transport have volumes of legislation regulating safety, insurance, drivers, operators, passengers and booking companies.
They all expressly forbid outfits like Uber. Uber are not the first to try the legislation either. The other have closed or come within the legislation.
Suggest you read the Queensland Act - Transport Operations - (Passenger Transport) Act 1994
Other states (and countries) have similar act to protect the public.

No Cookies | The Courier-Mail


NSW cracks down on Uber ride-sharing

Is Uber safe? | Brisbane Extra | bmag

Uber isn't playing by taxi rules: Front Burner - Orlando Sentinel

 

[trippin_the_rift]

If you are talking Compulsory Third Party as included in the rego that covers people who the CTP driver hits.
Not ALL cars on the road are registered. They legally should be but they are not. Qld is removing rego labels soon so have fun checking if the car is registered.
Most comprehensive insurance that you (as a car owner) take out to protect your car specifically excludes taking fee paying passengers. So no coverage there.
Just FYI an average 6cyl car in Qld is about $800 to rego (including CTP), a taxi is $7000 including CTP. I wonder why? More risk of accidents as more time on road...just like Uber.
DTMR or Queensland Transport have volumes of legislation regulating safety, insurance, drivers, operators, passengers and booking companies.
They all expressly forbid outfits like Uber. Uber are not the first to try the legislation either. The other have closed or come within the legislation.
Suggest you read the Queensland Act - Transport Operations - (Passenger Transport) Act 1994
Other states (and countries) have similar act to protect the public

Do you work for a government arm or a taxi company?

Nobody here is saying UberX is legal or not.

Taxis are on the road 24/7. Generally 2 or 3 drivers who rotate in shifts per car.
The average uberx car would be on the road perhaps 10-15 hours per week compared to 168 hours for a taxi. 10x less hours so 10x less insurance sounds fair to me.

 

[nonpop]

Have been a long time Uber Black Sydney user with excellent results and referred others to try the service. Am now starting to get less than impressed results when using it between say 6pm - 1am.

I am finding the drivers to be 'new' to the industry and haven't come from an adjacent industry i.e taxi, tour bus, courier etc.
As such their local knowledge is very poor. All my last half dozen experiences have been the same ... unable to find significant CBD locations e.g Sydney Theatre Company from inner city suburbs e.g Randwick. Or they take some crazy route as they just have no idea at all.

After I make small talk I query them how long they've been Uber driving and how they like it, got into it etc. All have been enticed from friends they knew and are 'borrowing' their friends Black car after hours (I presume revenue sharing or similar) or they have just decided to buy a 2nd hand Caprice, quit their old job and give it a go.

Now that the Uber service pricing has risen, it feels that the general service level has fallen and needs to catch up to meet demand.

Just my personal observations.

 

[jastel]

I am in the taxi industry...legally. Do you work for Uber?

I play flight simulator too, should I be allowed to fly passenger planes for Qantas with no checks, training or licenses??
If I google dentistry I might be able to do that too...not hard, just get a chair and a drill and a fancy app...
It's a public safety argument, not entirely about $$$.

Did you read my post??
I am saying it is illegal under present law. Don't like the law, then change it...but obey what it actually says now.
Everyone saying you should use it is implicitly saying its legal. Maybe they dont know any better.
I am giving people the facts, not opinions, so they can decide for themselves.

Most weeks I wouldn't drive my private car for 1 hour, where's my 90% rego refund on that car??
Sounds fair to me!

It's your life...risk it if you want.

 

[QF029]

Pretty poor analogy unless the UberX driver doesn't have a driver's licence.

 

[Cynicor]

Interesting experience Tripping.

I would have no qualms about using Uber black and Uber taxi, I think the prepaid/predetermined fare thing is useful in some circumstances, especially at the peak hours.

UberX I am less certain of, as it means (as far as I am aware) anyone in any sort of car can just pick you up with no need to be an SCV or even hold an F extension to their licence.

It's an interesting space, and I don't think the traditional taxi services as going about things the right way. They should just be trying to compete and evolve or they will end up like Kodak.