Uber
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J Ed
Follow Back Pro Expropriation
http://valleywag.gawker.com/uber-fired-a-driver-over-a-hateful-tweet-about-the-co-1647350304
This techno-libertarian utopia looks a little bit North Korea
This techno-libertarian utopia looks a little bit North Korea
maomao
普費斯
Firstly, just to clear it up, Uber and their drivers are regulated in exactly the same way as any minicab office in London. All drivers have been registered with the PCO since 2003 and have the same CRB checks etc. as black cab drivers (though I don't know what they stop them driving for, presumably rape and sexual assault but I've seen some shocking CRBs on licensed drivers over the years, including violent crimes). TFL also insist that Uber have a bricks and mortar office in London with a PCO license on the wall and keep detailed files on all their drivers.
From most drivers' point of view it's been a godsend. They can work when they want and no controllers screaming at them or bullying them into 15 hour days. They seem to be making a better living out of it than they were with the other firms too. However, those of us who hoped it would affect a certain London major player's stranglehold on the industry have been rather disappointed as it's affected the smaller players a lot more, some of whom have gone out of business and some of whom have been bought out. Driver wages have been pretty much frozen (and indeed gone down) since 2008, Uber have managed to get a lot of them making more, not by having better rates but by giving them more work and less dead mileage. If we end up with two big players locked in a price war it's not going to do much for their wages in future.
Ultimately the only thing that's going to help minicab drivers is if they do what the black cabdrivers have done and unionise. Until then they're at the mercy of market forces and while it may give them a little uplift sometimes, such as this year when Uber needed to get a lot of drivers on their fleet quickly it's not going to work in their long term interests.
From most drivers' point of view it's been a godsend. They can work when they want and no controllers screaming at them or bullying them into 15 hour days. They seem to be making a better living out of it than they were with the other firms too. However, those of us who hoped it would affect a certain London major player's stranglehold on the industry have been rather disappointed as it's affected the smaller players a lot more, some of whom have gone out of business and some of whom have been bought out. Driver wages have been pretty much frozen (and indeed gone down) since 2008, Uber have managed to get a lot of them making more, not by having better rates but by giving them more work and less dead mileage. If we end up with two big players locked in a price war it's not going to do much for their wages in future.
Ultimately the only thing that's going to help minicab drivers is if they do what the black cabdrivers have done and unionise. Until then they're at the mercy of market forces and while it may give them a little uplift sometimes, such as this year when Uber needed to get a lot of drivers on their fleet quickly it's not going to work in their long term interests.
pinkychukkles
Feed Your Head
Used it once recently to rinse out some their venture capital by using up the £10 credit, referred my g/f and we used the £10 credit she got the other night (+ I the got another £10 credit), referred another friend but he's inconsiderately just recently lost his phone so my referral fee won't be materialising from his use anytime soon. Actually don't have the need to get that many cabs atm but having a £10 credit is nice when you're out and g/f is pregnant so it's the discounted cost makes it a no brainer versus using public transport. Have also used Kabbee recently, booking using phone is so much easier when you're at a party than trying to locate the nearest cab company, then finding a quiet spot to attempt yell the pickup address to someone at the other end.
maomao
普費斯
Kabbee are shit, the driver is likely to get a much lower proportion of the fare than with Uber, you won't be able to track your car and they really are forcing rates (not necessarily prices) down to no-one's benefit.
pinkychukkles
Feed Your Head
On the night in question, I tried to get a minicab using Uber first and none were available so moved on to try the next app which happened to be Kabbee, so having more than one app installed was handy. Also have Addison Lee, Hailo & Minicabit apps installed as other backups as well.
maomao
普費斯
Minicabster seem ok, the demands they make on providers are more reasonable. The providers can change the amount of cars available more easily so less jobs just get ignored. Kabbee fines providers a couple of quid for not covering a job but if they're busy with more profitable work they'll just swallow the fine and bin the jobs. Uber and Hailo are the only ones with a real technological edge on the competition.
J Ed
Follow Back Pro Expropriation
Uber pushing drivers into taking out subprime loans
agricola
a genuine importer of owls
Bumped because of the ongoing court case regarding whether Uber's drivers are workers or not. I especially like this quote:
http://valleywag.gawker.com/uber-fired-a-driver-over-a-hateful-tweet-about-the-co-1647350304
This techno-libertarian utopia looks a little bit North Korea
Really late and pretty irrelevant reply but I can't believe 'John H' didn't think to remove the 'UBER on!' signature line from his email.
