The "sharing" economy--is it here to stay?

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August 1st, 2015 at 8:32:25 PM permalink
rxwine
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 188
Posts: 18631
August 1st, 2015 at 8:52:21 PM permalink
Evenbob
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 146
Posts: 25010
Relayrides was shut down last year by the
state of NY, who declared it a 'scam operation'.
The got fined $200K and are still allowed to
operate in NY.

http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/east/2014/03/10/322812.htm
If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose.
August 1st, 2015 at 8:55:17 PM permalink
Evenbob
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 146
Posts: 25010
Quote: rxwine
Protests against Uber by taxi drivers around the world.


As a former cab co owner, I don't understand
how these uber people are allowed to operate.
We had to have expensive cab licenses, a
special drivers license, and I paid up the butt
for insurance on all the cars. Uber drivers
do none of that.
If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose.
August 2nd, 2015 at 3:21:51 AM permalink
AZDuffman
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 135
Posts: 18136
Quote: Evenbob
As a former cab co owner, I don't understand
how these uber people are allowed to operate.
We had to have expensive cab licenses, a
special drivers license, and I paid up the butt
for insurance on all the cars. Uber drivers
do none of that.


Uber is not allowed to cruise for fares or line up at the airport. So they are not quite a cab.

Of course, the real issue is why make cabs buy the medallion in the first place? If I want to use Uber why should I not be allowed to do so? Uber is filling a niche cabs are ignoring.
The President is a fink.
August 2nd, 2015 at 7:33:31 AM permalink
Fleastiff
Member since: Oct 27, 2012
Threads: 62
Posts: 7831
Quote: AZDuffman
Uber is not allowed to cruise for fares or line up at the airport. So they are not quite a cab.
Of course, the real issue is why make cabs buy the medallion in the first place? If I want to use Uber why should I not be allowed to do so? Uber is filling a niche cabs are ignoring.

Its the ever lasting argument of "cream skimming will impair the very existence of the service to the public", so if anyone can run a bus between NYcity and San Francisco, then the bus company will never be able to service the intervening small towns.

regulatory bodies at airports want tomaintain their franchises and control all entrants.
August 2nd, 2015 at 2:04:29 PM permalink
Evenbob
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 146
Posts: 25010
Quote: AZDuffman
Uber is filling a niche cabs are ignoring.


That's not true in the least. Cab companies cover
all facets of an area, there is nothing they ignore.
Especially in the summer, it is hard for drivers
to make a living. People walk, ride bikes, wait
for a bus. Uber is taking the rides that would
normally go to licensed cab drivers. If I still had
the cab co, I would be out their smashing Uber
windshields too.
If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose.
August 2nd, 2015 at 3:05:32 PM permalink
rxwine
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 188
Posts: 18631
Quote: Evenbob
That's not true in the least. Cab companies cover
all facets of an area, there is nothing they ignore.
Especially in the summer, it is hard for drivers
to make a living. People walk, ride bikes, wait
for a bus. Uber is taking the rides that would
normally go to licensed cab drivers. If I still had
the cab co, I would be out their smashing Uber
windshields too.


What's it's coming down to, is the sidestepping in a "sharing economy".

For instance a private pilot with his own small plane may decide to supplement his income taking a few extra people back and forth on trips he is making anyways. Is that legal under his licensing, I don't know. (someone here can tell me I'm sure)

But it's kind of the same thing. Bypassing, traditional business forms, which often includes licensing.

Don't know how it will turn out. Technology is adding some new twists to things.
You believe in an invisible god, and dismiss people who say they are trans? Really?
August 2nd, 2015 at 3:30:25 PM permalink
Evenbob
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 146
Posts: 25010
Quote: rxwine
What's it's coming down to, is the sidestepping in a "sharing economy".
.


Uber gets away with it because they can't
pick up strangers. They have a contract
with all the riders. That's why they don't
need a license. That's why they can't sit
at the airport. You can call Uber from the
airport because you have a contract with
them, but they can't sit there waiting for
some stranger to get in.

Govt's will regulate this eventually,
as soon as they figure out how.
If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose.
August 2nd, 2015 at 8:08:06 PM permalink
kenarman
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 14
Posts: 4470
Uber will start having problems once their drivers figure out they are making less than minimum wage. The average person doesn't understand what it cost to run their vehicle. They will go along maybe for a year or two before they figure out that their vehicle is worn out and they haven't made enough to buy a new one. They maybe are only out of pocket for the gas on any given day but pretty soon they need tires. The they have "bad luck" and the breaks are shot. They have a fender bender and their insurer finds out they are an Uber driver and refuses to cover the accident because they failed to insure their vehicle properly because it cost too much.
"but if you make yourselves sheep, the wolves will eat you." Benjamin Franklin
August 2nd, 2015 at 8:42:38 PM permalink
Evenbob
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
Threads: 146
Posts: 25010
Quote: kenarman
Uber will start having problems once their drivers figure out they are making less than minimum wage.


I covered this earlier. A reporter drove for months in Philly
and kept immaculate records, which most drivers do not.
When all was said and done she was making 9.35 an hour.
And you have to pay taxes on that, Uber sends the IRS a
form with all the money they send you on it.

The whole point of driving a cab is driving somebody
else's car. I had contract drivers that drove their own,
they never lasted because of car upkeep expenses. I
my own mechanics, makes a big difference.
If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose.
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