Uber Review

[Alanslegal]

I walked past a taxi rank near my work in York Street Sydney around lunch time today and the driver, waiting first in rank, was busy cutting/trimming his nails ewwwwwwww I bet he or his mate was also the same guy that refused to pick me up the other night. Bring on UberX! Get UberX drivers licensed, let UberX drivers get the appropriate insurances and let UberX run wild. Say No to the ageing and protectionist taxi industry, say No Now.

 

[OzEire]

How many AFF'ers would travel with an airline that wasn't licensed or regulated? Taxis, hire cars etc are no different....IMHO.

Actually ...

www.emptyjets.com.au

Its not that the UberX drivers don't have a licence to drive, or registered vehicles, or insurance, they do, and Uber adds payment security, ratings and additional insurance.

What is lacking is regulation reform to allow the owner operator to compete with the monopoly companies, or any effort by the regulator to enforce standards of the currently registered operators.

But in the skies as on the road, without reform in regulation the new players get squeezed out by the old guard protecting their turf. Competition suffers, prices rise and the old guard have no motivation to improve.

This is why we can't have nice things.

 

[N860CR]

Not to be picky... But every flight on emptyjets will be with a company holding an air operators certificate for at least charter and it will be crewed by commercial or air transport pilots.

 

[amaroo]

Its not that the UberX drivers don't have a licence to drive, or registered vehicles, or insurance, they do, and Uber adds payment security, ratings and additional insurance.

......

When they pay $400K for a plate - they can have all the fares they want. In the meantime they are nothing but parasites.

 

[anat0l]

When they pay $400K for a plate - they can have all the fares they want. In the meantime they are nothing but parasites.

I guess the other solution is to rework the taxi plate system (and by extension the system of regulating and licensing of providers of transporting people for money / business), so it doesn't have to be that stiffly expensive. Why it is that much - insurance? Something needs to justify that amount for one plate. (And asking naively here, because I have no idea).

I suppose that due to the fact it would be like moving a beached whale with a paddle, plus the power of the taxi lobby, it would be simply easier to stick to the old system and "outlaw" UberX.

Oddly enough, I suppose even if UberX is against the law and drivers can be fined, fining drivers doesn't really stop UberX from operating. What if Uber just paid all the fines? In order to actually stop UberX from operating at all, Uber as a business would need to be prosecuted (or the extent to which its business which is in violation needs to be prosecuted) and its rights to operate in a jurisdiction removed. Repeat violations would need to move to more stringent measures to just fines, e.g. imprisonment. I suppose if it gets to that point (or just before it), Uber will recognise the inherent inability to operate as such and just withdraw UberX.

The Uber concept (with Black etc., the non-X options) are still very good and (relatively) competitive to the incumbent taxi industry / system.

 

[cambriamarsh]

As I understand it the price of a plate is set by market forces and the buyer pays the seller. The govt isn't involved and gets nothing from it. However the price is high because the govt historically had rationed the number of plates.

To fix it requires the restrictions be removed but that costs the current plate owners a fortune. They in turn lobby for the current system and or threaten to sue for loss. However Uber is and will continue to change the landscape, in the same way as the limo operators have. They will do it quicker tho because they have technology on their side.

You'll know it's really working when the price of a plate starts to drop.
Cheers

 

[Cynicor]

Actually ...

www.emptyjets.com.au

Its not that the UberX drivers don't have a licence to drive, or registered vehicles, or insurance, they do, and Uber adds payment security, ratings and additional insurance.
.

Not quite true. In WA, and I imagine all other states, F class extension holders ("carry passengers for reward") need to be assessed to commercial standards for driving, which are much more stringent and subject to shorter review periods in the case of conditional licences.

Eyesight is one example, where the minimum for private is scarily low, and much harder (relatively) for commercial.

 

[medhead]

When they pay $400K for a plate - they can have all the fares they want. In the meantime they are nothing but parasites.

The cost of the plate is has very little to do with the fares or taxis standards. The owner of that plate can often be well removed from the actual taxi. The fares are regulated by the government. Plate cost is certainly not an argument against uberX. Actually, referring to plate cost is actually supporting the current poor state of the taxi industry.

Any given taxi on the road could have upto 5 players:
A) plate owner
B) taxi company/radio network
C) payment processor ie cabcharge
D) car owner
E) the driver.

A cut if the fares collected are taken in that order as well. These can be some overlap between plate/car owner and driver. But generally they are all separate business owners. The reason that cars are coughpy is because there are some many people taking a cut first. The drivers are cough because they often have to sit in that car for 12 to 24 hours to even pay their expenses.

So yes the plate might cost $400000 but that is a minor part of the story.

 

[amaroo]

The cost of the plate is has very little to do with the fares or taxis standards. The owner of that plate can often be well removed from the actual taxi. The fares are regulated by the government. Plate cost is certainly not an argument against uberX. Actually, referring to plate cost is actually supporting the current poor state of the taxi industry.

Any given taxi on the road could have upto 5 players:
A) plate owner
B) taxi company/radio network
C) payment processor ie cabcharge
D) car owner
E) the driver.

A cut if the fares collected are taken in that order as well. These can be some overlap between plate/car owner and driver. But generally they are all separate business owners. The reason that cars are coughpy is because there are some many people taking a cut first. The drivers are cough because they often have to sit in that car for 12 to 24 hours to even pay their expenses.

So yes the plate might cost $400000 but that is a minor part of the story.

It's a capital cost - it needs to be funded. Any business that competes on a lower cost basis has the advantage.

 

[rioter]

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.

This is my exact experience. I was one of the very first uber Sydney customers (having used it pretty heavily in SF before that). The service at the start was impeccable, drivers always knew where to go, water was available and always asked me what music to listen to. In recent times, i have had drivers stop to use a paper map, had music blaring and ignored requests to turn it off, start jobs well before i am in the car. All behaviour i had come to expect from cab drivers in Sydney. The only saving grace uber has for its rather exorbitant fees these days is that every time i have lodged a complaint using the rating system they have refunded me at least some of the money. Though for the cost i am seriously considering using a hire car for trips to and from the airport.

 

[J-G]

My recent experiences of Uber Black seems to have been similar to the one above. I recently took one in Melbourne and felt as if it were merely an expensive cab ride. The driver had no clue where my destination was and seemed unwilling (unable?) to use the GPS in his vehicle. While the car was slightly nicer than a taxi, I feel for 1.5 times the cost, the service was definitely lacking. I might give Uber Lux a go in SYD, but for that price the service and vehicle will have to be impeccable.

 

[anat0l]

Those not happy with their Uber ride, make sure you have definitely lodged feedback to that effect (and given your ride / driver a rating to suit). You can also request a fare review if you feel that you've been taken on a goose chase.

 

[rioter]

My recent experiences of Uber Black seems to have been similar to the one above. I recently took one in Melbourne and felt as if it were merely an expensive cab ride. The driver had no clue where my destination was and seemed unwilling (unable?) to use the GPS in his vehicle. While the car was slightly nicer than a taxi, I feel for 1.5 times the cost, the service was definitely lacking. I might give Uber Lux a go in SYD, but for that price the service and vehicle will have to be impeccable.

I had a bad experience my only time using uber lux. Was an audi of some kind. Driver had no local knowledge. Ended up driving an equal distance away from the airport as my house is from the airport. Ended up costing me something like 80$ to get to the airport.

 

[rioter]

Those not happy with their Uber ride, make sure you have definitely lodged feedback to that effect (and given your ride / driver a rating to suit). You can also request a fare review if you feel that you've been taken on a goose chase.

Do every time. Have also provided feedback in person to their community managers.
Their response was pretty reasonable. While they appreciate that it is a problem, their is also the opposite side, do they keep the quality up but not having enough drivers on the road? They are aware of the drop in quality though.

 

[N860CR]

I think, as generally happens with a new service, the bar was set very high to start with and it's hard to maintain.

X drivers were initially providing bottled water, mints etc however now the reality is set in. Most fares are $10-15 and uber take 20% of that. On top, the driver pays for fuel plus wear on their car and plenty of them drive/sit around for only a job or two an hour. If a driver is only making about $25 an hour on average plus paying for fuel, there's not a lot left for little add-ons.

No excuse for poor UberBlack service however. If anything, that supports the view that licensing etc don't ensure a better service.

 

[penegal]

When they pay $400K for a plate - they can have all the fares they want. In the meantime they are nothing but parasites.

To be honest a taxi plate would be overkill as they are not operating a taxi in the traditional sense of the word. A Hire Car plate (e.g. VHA) would be adequate given the service they provide... These are still expensive, but not $400K.

 

[boomy]

To be honest a taxi plate would be overkill as they are not operating a taxi in the traditional sense of the word. A Hire Car plate (e.g. VHA) would be adequate given the service they provide... These are still expensive, but not $400K.

I wonder what are the benefits of Uber over a Hire Car service. I pay $75 from MEL airport to city and vv. Is Uber cheaper?

 

[froggerADL]

*sigh*
So just remember guys, next time you pick up your mother from the airport, make sure she doesn't slip you some cash to say thanks BECAUSE YOU ARE BREAKING THE LAW.... YOU MUST BE AN EVIL HORRIBLE BAD PERSON!!!!

Thanks for that. I will have to stop giving my son money for dropping me off and picking me up from the airport. Breaking the law is bad. I just hope he continues providing the service so I don't have to use taxis!

 

[rioter]

I wonder what are the benefits of Uber over a Hire Car service. I pay $75 from MEL airport to city and vv. Is Uber cheaper?

I think uber is a 80$ flat rate cbd - airport

 

[Aussie_flyer]

I think uber is a 80$ flat rate cbd - airport

Plus tolls