Taxi Protest ADL airport.

[Pushka]

Stupid stuff happening in Adelaide Airport over last 12 hours.

Airport has granted UBER dedicated spaces for passenger collection. Last night taxi drivers created a storm against UBER drivers such that they pulled out.

This morning Taxi drivers have blockaded their own taxi ranks so passengers cannot take a taxi out of the airport. Sigh. Great strategy. Can imagine everyone in the taxi queue downloading UBER app.

 

[JessicaTam]

Re: The totally off-topic thread

Stupid stuff happening in Adelaide Airport over last 12 hours.

Airport has granted UBER dedicated spaces for passenger collection. Last night taxi drivers created a storm against UBER drivers such that they pulled out.

This morning Taxi drivers have blockaded their own taxi ranks so passengers cannot take a taxi out of the airport. Sigh. Great strategy. Can imagine everyone in the taxi queue downloading UBER app.

Let me get this straight ...

Taxi drivers are so upset that Uber can pick up from the airport, that they are encouraging people to use Uber from the airport.

 

[Pushka]

Re: The totally off-topic thread

Let me get this straight ...

Taxi drivers are so upset that Uber can pick up from the airport, that they are encouraging people to use Uber from the airport.

Yup. Got that straight. I think maybe taxi drivers got something lost in translation. . It's quite laughable. And one driver interviewed said he would not move until he was dead. A trifle emotional.

 

[Pushka]

Re: The totally off-topic thread

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/...e/news-story/d05cac0b1e3c6b15bbcc4e37406b056f

 

[Bundy Bear]

Re: The totally off-topic thread

Yup. Got that straight. I think maybe taxi drivers got something lost in translation. . It's quite laughable. And one driver interviewed said he would not move until he was dead. A trifle emotional.

How to turn your existing business broke in a few easy steps.

Last time I caught a taxi was from Newcastle airport, Uber wasn't available and most of the people I were meeting didn't have cars either.

 

[large]

There is currently a taxi driver protest at ADL airport. This against UBER-X being given a pick up zone at ADL airport. Some taxi's are refusing to take fares from the airport and are blockading UBER drivers and the pick up area. Uber has suspended pick ups from the airport. Also, will now cost $3 (up from $2) to get out of the airport in a cab.

No word on how long this will go on for or if they will be moved on.

 

[Pushka]

Posted in the OT thread already.

 

[docjames]

Judging by the discussion i had with the taxi driver when i last got a cab from ADL (May), its no surprise they are protesting.

Judging by the driver/car condition/driving when i last got a cab from ADL (May), its no surprise that people want to catch Ubers.

 

[kpc]

From my parents' place in Adl Hills to airport: Taxi is $50+, Uber is $38

 

[JessicaTam]

[mod hat]
Some posts have been moved from the OT thread which has affected the continuity of this thread.
[/mod hat]

 

[mannej]

Re: The totally off-topic thread

It seems as if worldwide that taxi operators hide behind the protections of regulation to offer sub-par service (in the eyes of the consumer).

They face competition (in what may not be a legal manner), but instead of adapting to the wants of the consumer, they rather just piss them off time and time again.

This is why the level of sympathy for their plight just isn't there.

 

[Pushka]

Getting into a taxi in Mel right now and bring on UBER. Yowsers.

 

[RB]

Re: The totally off-topic thread

It seems as if worldwide that taxi operators hide behind the protections of regulation to offer sub-par service (in the eyes of the consumer).

They face competition (in what may not be a legal manner), but instead of adapting to the wants of the consumer, they rather just piss them off time and time again.

This is why the level of sympathy for their plight just isn't there.

I don't think it is worldwide though. I have lived most of my life in small communities where the taxi service has been excellent. Where I currently live the taxi owners (excellent personal service providers in my eyes) have been trying to sell & put their feet up. They have invested large sums of capital but can't find a buyer because of the industry being in a state of unknown.
I am not sure of the long-term prospects of some of the disruptive industries and I worry where the future small business people are going to come from. Previously hard work & some certainty in the marketplace led to rewards that meant people were prepared to go into business & service their communities.

 

[Melburnian1]

Media indicates that the taxi drivers' ADL protest has ceased.

Luddites!

 

[love_the_life]

Re: The totally off-topic thread

I don't think it is worldwide though. I have lived most of my life in small communities where the taxi service has been excellent. Where I currently live the taxi owners (excellent personal service providers in my eyes) have been trying to sell & put their feet up. They have invested large sums of capital but can't find a buyer because of the industry being in a state of unknown.
I am not sure of the long-term prospects of some of the disruptive industries and I worry where the future small business people are going to come from. Previously hard work & some certainty in the marketplace led to rewards that meant people were prepared to go into business & service their communities.

My mother lives in a small town in Gippsland that until recently had a very good taxi service. It has now been amalgamated to become a regional service and customer service has gone out the window. The local cabbies are stuck with a big-city model where everything goes through a central booking portal not even in the area. I don't know how many times she has had booked cabs not turn up to take her to appointments etc and is not able to get onto them to find out where the car is.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: The totally off-topic thread

It seems as if worldwide that taxi operators hide behind the protections of regulation to offer sub-par service (in the eyes of the consumer).

They face competition (in what may not be a legal manner), but instead of adapting to the wants of the consumer, they rather just piss them off time and time again.

This is why the level of sympathy for their plight just isn't there.

This.

The aussie taxi industry, overall, doesn't win any awards. Outdated vehicles (why can't we have London cabs that are wheelchair accessible, spacious, easy for elderly to get in and out, and easy to load bags??), often poor driver knowledge, and not always the most welcoming of environments.

Taxi owners took a gamble paying huge sums for taxi licences. Did they protect that investment by offering a world-class service? When uber came along did consumers reject uber because taxis were better?

When aussie farmers get in to difficulty faced with overseas competition, there's often a swell of consumer support to buy Aussie produce over imports. Or to buy free range eggs over caged (etc). I don't recall there being the same support for taxis.

In terms of insurance, dunno about other states, but in Victoria any accident involving injury would be covered by the TAC. That would be passenger, other driver, or pedestrian/cyclist. Insurance for the vehicle and repairs to that might be different and subject to restrictions? (ie using a vehicle for commercial rather than private use.

 

[JohnK]

Luddites!

Ah yes. Change for change sake.

The taxi industry is its own worst enemy. Taxi fares are ridiculous and I try to avoid them where possible which I've done for a while.

 

[fairbasa]

Getting into a taxi in Mel right now and bring on UBER. Yowsers.

Trick with Melbourne is to immediately start walking to the maccas carpark 3mins walk from the QF domestic terminal. On the way, just drop the pin out on the highway and ring your driver as soon as they're allocated. 9/10 times they're waiting at the maccas carpark anyway.

It's a LOT quicker than standing in that awfully managed queue waiting for a smelly taxi operated by someone who spends the entire trip on the phone.

 

[Melburnian1]

...The taxi industry is its own worst enemy. Taxi fares are ridiculous and I try to avoid them where possible which I've done for a while.

I've not used a taxi in Oz for about five years. Don't need 'em, and I don't see the point of paying several times what public transport costs for what can be a poor experience with drivers who unbelievably don't know where major landmarks in cities are.

 

[anat0l]

Re: The totally off-topic thread

Let me get this straight ...

Taxi drivers are so upset that Uber can pick up from the airport, that they are encouraging people to use Uber from the airport.

They would be encouraged if the Uber vehicles could have actually gotten into the airport. Apparently they were blockaded out; wouldn't be surprised if Ubers were also going to be targets of intimidatory tactics.

Was in an Uber today - excellent driver who I had before. She told me about this bit of news, mainly because she's heading to ADL next week and hoping to take an Uber successfully and without being harmed. During the time she's been driving for Uber, she's been blockaded quite a few times (e.g. taxis surround her and only leave a small gap which makes it almost impossible to get out without damage), yelled at or called out for fake jobs, and vehicle periodically keyed or defaced.

Thank goodness the Brisbane taxis aren't run by the mafia... if it was, Uber wouldn't carry passengers, they'd be a funeral service.