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[Vilam]

That's the one great thing about conventional NYC cabs....they're required to have a working credit card / debit card payment system at all times.

I can't imagine living in a place without any electronic payment system, especially since I pretty much never carry around cash with me.

That's required almost everywhere. Trust me, I've heard that shit from NY cab drivers before as well.

 

[mattiewheels]

You can call uber too, right? Because otherwise this just sounds like more gentrification in SF.

 

[Kano on the Phone]

You can call uber too, right? Because otherwise this just sounds like more gentrification in SF.

Do you mean like flag one down? No. You can't call them on the phone either AFAIK (but I can't imagine why you would). It's beyond a stretch to call this gentrification though.

 

[terrisus]

I think you're trying real hard to brush off the conveniences here. I'm telling you this as someone who has had no choice but to take 60+ cab rides in the two years.

Taking a cab
-Calling dispatch, being put hold almost always
-They finally answer, need to reconfirm it is my number.
-They ask if I'm at the last address I called from. Usually not the case, need to tell them my current address and pray they heard it correctly.
-I'm told they'll arrive in 5 to 15 minutes. This is a crapshoot and 50% of the time I'm waiting beyond the 15 minute estimate.
-On occasion cabs can't find me or just straight up flake. This is rare.
-Prices on the meter vary wildly, even under the same services.
-They have insisted and even flat out refused my cards despite having a fucking reader sitting right in the back seat because they wanted cash instead. So I have to have an inordinate amount of 1$'s, $5's, 10$'s and 20$'s on hand just to be prepared for whatever absurd price they're about to charge me.

Taking Uber
-Pull up app.
-Hit GPS icon to where it is *exactly* I want to be picked up.
-Hit the "request car" button.
-Get exact minute estimate for their arrival, on top of being able to see their GPS location as they arrive. Also get a ping when they are in close vicinity.
-Get picked up, get dropped off. End of story. No tips, no bills.

Bonus Uber
-You can rate drivers.
-You can call (directly!) at any time
-You can text them if you prefer
-You can split fare with anyone in your contacts who also has the app with so much ease it's ridiculous.

Trust me, as someone who has dealt with cab drivers shit, even on their best days, uber is a godsend. I literally don't know how I lived without it.

All cabs in SF are supposed to take debit/credit.

A shocking number of them will lie to you and say they can't take them.

I've had SF cab drivers (illegally) mind you refuse to transport me because they didn't want to take a credit card. This is not a uncommon thing.

Well, I mean, I've probably taken cabs around that many times too (maybe a bit less, but not too far off. I do need to use them fairly regularly).

The only one of those issues I've run into is with the cab being late. Which certainly is annoying. But, it seems the only thing this would really allow over a traditional cab is that it lets you know automatically if it's going to be late or not.

Aside from that, it seems like it's not so much a matter of this service being anything special, but that all the other services are horrible, and this is providing what you'd actually expect. For instance, I've never had a credit or debit card refused.

Granted I don't live in a major metropolitan area, obviously I realize San Francisco is different from western Massachusetts and central Connecticut, and I'm not claiming otherwise. But, just as far as the services themselves go, it doesn't seem like I would get too much benefit from it here.

 

[Fury Sense]

In SF I use free credits from the following driver services

Uber
Lyft
Sidecar
Summon
Flywheel

Haven't taken a regular taxi yet. They all pretty much cost $1 per minute which is not really affordable for me, especially with the traffic here. Sidecar is cheaper but not by too much.

 

[mattiewheels]

Do you mean like flag one down? No. You can't call them on the phone either AFAIK (but I can't imagine why you would). It's beyond a stretch to call this gentrification though.

So you need to have a smartphone to use it, and regular cabs might go out of business...if that's really the case, not everyone can afford a smartphone. Wait, what am I saying, people who can't afford smartphones don't live in SF anymore.

 

[samus i am]

I have no problem with the taxi industry collapsing after all of the times I've been stranded because of the color of my skin. Uber doesn't racially profile and picks me up when it says it will.

 

[Eidan]

I'll sympathize for the cab industry the moment drivers stop passing me by for white riders, stop refusing to take me home because it's "in the wrong direction", and stop ripping me off at the meter.

 

[StMeph]

I recently visited San Francisco and used Uber(X) to get around everywhere that wasn't within easy access by rail or bus. Didn't use a taxi, but having a car service was definitely needed to get around the city.

Uber's competitive on price, and it's really hard to compare its other advantages to normal taxi services, because they just DON'T offer them. The app provides an estimate/quote for my destination, shows me the location of the car as it approaches, and includes the driver's information like name/license plate, etc. Payment is automatic when I exit the car. Those seem like really small things, but it's a really simple/convenient process.

That said, it's understandable why established taxi businesses are unhappy. It's not really fair competition if one side has to abide by additional laws and regulations that aren't being applied to (or recognized by) the other side. Medallions in cities like NYC cost $1 million to authorize a taxi to operate. So of course there are significant competitive advantages if you get to skirt a bunch of costs and laws/rules.

 

[Gentleman Jack]

So you need to have a smartphone to use it, and regular cabs might go out of business...if that's really the case, not everyone can afford a smartphone. Wait, what am I saying, people who can't afford smartphones don't live in SF anymore.

Losing cabs won't affect low-income SF residents since they take the bus or walk.

 

[Valkyr Junkie]

does Uber charge me more if i vomit in the car? these are the important question we should be asking.

You'll probably get a 1-star review from the driver. A friend of a friend yacked in an Uber, and afterwards he could never get picked up cuz his rating sucked. This was in DC I believe, so ironically it was in a regular taxi.

 

[GungHo]

Austin's taxi companies have to be among the worst in the United States. During events in the city or half the time on Friday and Saturday nights, they turn off their phone lines because they're so far below the threshold of being able to handle demand. They don't put you on hold, they just don't bother at all. Even when ridiculous things like that aren't happening, all the taxi drivers are insanely unprofessional burnouts who have no idea where they're going and usually don't have GPS, so you end up backseat driving for them in between them trying to sell you drugs or telling you how they ate their cat.

The horrible taxi situation, coupled with non-existent public transit, means everyone ends up driving drunk and getting DUIs (and harming themselves/others) down here.

We're not doing much better over here in Houston. If you're not going to/from the airport(s), they basically don't want you and will deprioritize you, not even if your alternative is to kill everyone on the highway. We have more busses than you guys have, but if you're not on the Park N' Ride, they can be frightening, especially if you're young, female, and alone.

 

[Syriel]

So you need to have a smartphone to use it, and regular cabs might go out of business...if that's really the case, not everyone can afford a smartphone. Wait, what am I saying, people who can't afford smartphones don't live in SF anymore.

Smartphones aren't expensive anymore, at least as long as you don't insist on the latest and greatest whizbang dodad. Not with the plethora of pre-paid and MVNO options out there.

Anyone can buy a cheap (or used if you need to go cheaper) Sprint smartphone and get free service from FreedomPop after the $20 activation fee.

Figure with a $50 budget for the phone and the $20 activation fee, that's two cab rides.

 

[AndyD]

I recently visited San Francisco and used Uber(X) to get around everywhere that wasn't within easy access by rail or bus. Didn't use a taxi, but having a car service was definitely needed to get around the city.
...
That said, it's understandable why established taxi businesses are unhappy. It's not really fair competition if one side has to abide by additional laws and regulations that aren't being applied to (or recognized by) the other side. Medallions in cities like NYC cost $1 million to authorize a taxi to operate. So of course there are significant competitive advantages if you get to skirt a bunch of costs and laws/rules.

The question is why do those license/medallion fees cost so much? What is it that we as consumers get out of that medallion that we don't with these alternate services?

If the answer is nothing, then those medallions are just a form of tax on the entry to the business and a protectionist, anti-competitive method of keeping others out of a closed business loop.

 

[Kano on the Phone]

So you need to have a smartphone to use it, and regular cabs might go out of business...if that's really the case, not everyone can afford a smartphone. Wait, what am I saying, people who can't afford smartphones don't live in SF anymore.

Smart phones are cheap or even free. Who are these poor people who aren't so poor that they can't afford to take a cab that are being left behind here? How many of these destitute cab riders do you imagine there are?

Smartphones aren't expensive anymore, at least as long as you don't insist on the latest and greatest whizbang dodad. Not with the plethora of pre-paid and MVNO options out there.

Anyone can buy a cheap (or used if you need to go cheaper) Sprint smartphone and get free service from FreedomPop after the $20 activation fee.

Figure with a $50 budget for the phone and the $20 activation fee, that's two cab rides.

I feel like he's lumping in cabs with mass transit.

 

[Keikaku]

]Its never cheaper, as the app services always come with their own fees and start with a set rate for tips, though you can change it.[/B]

Its always more expensive, but its so much more convenient, for both the passenger and driver alike. No cash trades hands, and you can see where your cab is at any time via GPS. Where I used to wait an average of 15-20 minutes for a cab to show up I now average 2-3 minutes for a pick-up.

I'm not seeing the particular issue here though, as I use the Flywheel app and still take traditional cabs through the service. Uber drivers were fucking flakes.

Maybe they operate differently in different cities, but your experience doesn't represent mine at all. I use either Uber or Lyft at least once a week and they are anywhere from $5-15 cheaper than taxies over the exact same distances. I've seen that consistently.

I normally use them to get from downtown Seattle to either the UW campus or my home in North Seattle, distances of 5 and 9 miles respectively. Taxi services charge me $20 to get to the UW campus and $27-35 to get to home. An Uber/Lyft ride has never cost me more than $15 to get to the UW campus and never more than $20-25 to get to home.

And, as far as I know, there is no set rate for tips and they're not included or built into the bill. Every Lyft driver I've spoken to get's a flat rate paycheck of something like $15-16/hour and they always mention that tips are optional. Never paid a tip for Uber either.

You'll probably get a 1-star review from the driver. A friend of a friend yacked in an Uber, and afterwards he could never get picked up cuz his rating sucked. This was in DC I believe, so ironically it was in a regular taxi.

You get charged anywhere from $150-200, from what a driver told me. I'd be careful taking them when you're drunk lol.

 

[terrisus]

You'll probably get a 1-star review from the driver. A friend of a friend yacked in an Uber, and afterwards he could never get picked up cuz his rating sucked. This was in DC I believe, so ironically it was in a regular taxi.

So, wait... There's actually a systematic method in place to exclude people from using their service?

Smart phones are cheap or even free. Who are these poor people who aren't so poor that they can't afford to take a cab that are being left behind here? How many of these destitute cab riders do you imagine there are?

And cellphone plans are free?
Or are all cabs near a public wireless spot?

 

[Dennis]

This topic has my great interest as I may be moving to the US shortly for a stay of somewhat indeterminate length and I was hoping to be able to avoid having to buy a car.

 

[Valkyr Junkie]

So, wait... There's actually a systematic method in place to exclude people from using their service?

When you call an Uber, your profile and location pops up to the drivers in the area. Whoever selects you first gets to take you on as a fare as far as I understand.

You review your driver after the transaction as well.

 

[Kano on the Phone]

And cellphone plans are free?
Or are all cabs near a public wireless spot?

I'm arguing that smart phones aren't some treasure of the upper class, prohibitively expensive for someone of modest or even low income who's already using a taxi cab. Plenty of poor people also have cell phones. Are you disputing that or just being pedantic?

 

[Devolution]

This. I was in Portland a few months ago and couldn't get a cab . I called 6 numbers, nobody answered at 4, two numbers told me it would be 4-6 hours for a cab.

Fuck taxis.

Radio Cabs are everywhere, rarely had a problem, although I've had assholes steal my cab right in front of me. Not cool.

This topic has my great interest as I may be moving to the US shortly for a stay of somewhat indeterminate length and I was hoping to be able to avoid having to buy a car.

Depending on the city you're in you don't need one. In a place like SF it'd just be a pain in your ass because you'd have to find parking for it.

 

[Aquamarine]

So, wait... There's actually a systematic method in place to exclude people from using their service?



And cellphone plans are free?
Or are all cabs near a public wireless spot?

The star system goes both ways.

You can review your driver, and if he gets too many low reviews, Uber will fire him.


But if you're a really annoying customer, yeah, Uber drivers can rate you 1-5 stars as a customer as well. I'm sure they only give bad reviews when the driver has a real problem with you...like if you vomit or are really nasty to him or something like that.

The whole point of Uber is that when you request to be picked up, drivers choose their jobs. They're not automatically assigned customers.

But I do imagine there are inconsistencies with the service...like how a very highly-ranked Uber driver might not want to pick up a customer with a bunch of 1-star reviews because he doesn't want his perfect record tarnished by a bad customer.

 

[Syriel]

So, wait... There's actually a systematic method in place to exclude people from using their service?

Uber has a rating system for both drivers are riders.

Asshole/shit drivers will get low ratings and will be banned from driving.
Asshole/shit customers will get low ratings and will not get service.

And cellphone plans are free?
Or are all cabs near a public wireless spot?

Um, yes? I pointed out one earlier in the thread even.

Of course, if you contain the discussion to SF, there is nearly always free WiFi between the City provided stuff, all the open personal hotspots, and Starbucks. Starbucks is everywhere.

 

[Dennis]

Here we have a taxi service called Taxi Diamonds, and this is in Montreal. They have an iphone app; you launch it, type in where you wanna go, you get an estimate, and when you launch; the call center sends all the data to the nearest cab, and you can see the cab coming your way on the map like in Grand Theft Auto. The taxi cab icon even starts flashing when they have arrived at your place.

You get in, and the guy already knows where you wanna go.

It's amazing and I think I had to wait maybe 2 minutes max every time I used them.

Sounds like a no-brainer for all taxi companies to do something similar. The future and all.

 

[Stinkles]

It's their own fault and they fuckin deserve it. During most hours they don't even pick up the phone and they lobbied to try and prevent the train from stopping at the airport, they failed, but as a result, Colma station is disproportionately huge, as if it were a terminus.

Awful service and terrible drivers and they only have themselves to blame.

Screw them in the ear.

 

[Damaniel]

So, wait... There's actually a systematic method in place to exclude people from using their service?

Which is a good thing (assuming that the reviewers aren't using it to do something dumb like racially profile). Who wants to pick up someone who's going to puke in their cab (or worse) anyway? I figure if the passengers can review the drivers, it's only fair to let the drivers review the passengers too.

(The only concern I see is retaliatory reviews. But even the threat of that beats the 'never know what you're going to get' for both driver and passenger with traditional cabs.)

 

[Aquamarine]

Uber has a rating system for both drivers are riders.

Asshole/shit drivers will get low ratings and will be banned from driving.
Asshole/shit customers will get low ratings and will not get service.



Um, yes? I pointed out one earlier in the thread even.

Of course, if you contain the discussion to SF, there is nearly always free WiFi between the City provided stuff, all the open personal hotspots, and Starbucks. Starbucks is everywhere.

In a way it's a good thing because it motivates people to behave.

It doesn't take much to just sit down and be polite and respectful towards someone. That's the kind of standard we should all aspire to.

But it also motivates the Uber drivers to be courteous and respectful as well. I know that Uber is very quick to fire underperforming drivers, so the drivers really do care about getting good feedback...unlike conventional taxi drivers.

 

[terrisus]

I'm arguing that smart phones aren't some treasure of the upper class, prohibitively expensive for someone of modest or even low income who's already using a taxi cab. Plenty of poor people also have cell phones. Are you disputing that or just being pedantic?

Sure, plenty of poor people have cellphones.
Plenty of poor people also have a number of other extravagances. That's obviously their choice.

But, restricting people's options due to requiring them to have a "smartphone" is definitely an issue.

 

[Kano on the Phone]

In a way it's a good thing because it motivates people to behave.

It doesn't take much to just sit down and be polite and respectful towards someone. That's the kind of standard we should all aspire to.

But it also motivates the Uber drivers to be courteous and respectful as well. I know that Uber is very quick to fire underperforming drivers, so they really do care about getting good feedback...unlike conventional taxi drivers.

This. The star review thing should be everywhere (and I imagine it will be eventually). If you're a discourteous asshole, everyone who might end up having to serve you should have a heads up and be able to decline, whether it's a driver, a waitress, a barber. etc.

Sure, plenty of poor people have cellphones.
Plenty of poor people also have a number of other extravagances. That's obviously their choice.

But, restricting people's options due to requiring them to have a "smartphone" is definitely an issue.

Antiquated practices causing companies to go out of business is now restricting the "people"? What are you even arguing for?

 

[terrisus]

Which is a good thing (assuming that the reviewers aren't using it to do something dumb like racially profile). Who wants to pick up someone who's going to puke in their cab (or worse) anyway? I figure if the passengers can review the drivers, it's only fair to let the drivers review the passengers too.

(The only concern I see is retaliatory reviews. But even the threat of that beats the 'never know what you're going to get' for both driver and passenger with traditional cabs.)

Well, that was my concern. People getting reviewed low because the driver "didn't like the look of them" or because they "didn't tip well" or whatever.

 

[drunkendonuts]

i used lyft for the first time a few months ago, it was a pretty nice experience, the driver we got was nice. granted, she took us to a liquor store, and then to a strip club, but hey nice trip.

 

[Stinkles]

I would guess most taxi drivers are decent, polite and productive members of society, but it is no exaggeration to say that most of the most awful, creepy or weird people you meet traveling, are US taxi drivers. Some parts of continental Europe are worse though. Naples? 100% fucking tools, murderers and rapists.

Japan? God tier. London black cabs are the best navigators on earth. They're like slightly racist cockney racing pigeons.

 

[Operations]

Uber in Mexico City is absolutely fucking phenomenal. Even the fancy Exec service is usually cheaper (comparable at worst) than the regulated, unsafe, old-ass Tsuru cabs around.

 

[Keikaku]

Well, that was my concern. People getting reviewed low because the driver "didn't like the look of them" or because they "didn't tip well" or whatever.

AFAIK, receiving a few low star ratings doesn't impact you as a whole. If you rate a driver lower than 3 stars (or vice-versa), they get removed from your pool of available drivers from that point on and that's it.

I don't know what happens if you get consistently low rated-maybe some action is taken then.

 

[Syriel]

London black cabs are the best navigators on earth. They're like slightly racist cockney racing pigeons.

This x1000.

You could pick the most obscure, hole-in-the-wall place in London and the black cab driver will know how to get there.

GPS? They don't need no stinking GPS!

 

[Aquamarine]

Well, that was my concern. People getting reviewed low because the driver "didn't like the look of them" or because they "didn't tip well" or whatever.

Well, you're not supposed to tip Uber drivers extra because that's built into the bill....so the drivers have no motivation to give low feedback based on a lack of tips.

I imagine that Uber has management that oversees how drivers rate consumers.

If they pick up on recurring patterns (like if one Uber driver consistently gave 1-star reviews to customers with Asian-sounding names or something)...or if they receive complaints about discrimination, I bet Uber handles those situations deftly.

 

[Liquidsnake]

on a 3 day weekend to SF, I must have spent 300 on taxi service. Literally 30 bucks to go 8 blocks

 

[Kano on the Phone]

Well, that was my concern. People getting reviewed low because the driver "didn't like the look of them" or because they "didn't tip well" or whatever.

People are already discriminated against because of looks and people who work off topics should have the option of declining to serve someone that won't compensate them as well as someone else.

on a 3 day weekend to SF, I must have spent 300 on taxi service. Literally 30 bucks to go 8 blocks

Jesus, how? I can't even wrap my head around using cabs that much in a place with so much transit.

Edit: Why not just walk 8 blocks?

 

[Angry Grimace]

A "tall, hard to miss blonde woman" named Chris Hayashi? I think you'd be expecting something different were that on your attendance sheet.

 

[Stinkles]

A "tall, hard to miss blonde woman" named Chris Hayashi? I think you'd be expecting something different were that on your attendance sheet.

Donna Chang.

 

[cdyhybrid]

Maybe if it wasn't impossible to find a cab in this city, Uber and Lyft never would've been created.

I'm in Seattle but HOLY SHIT THIS.

Uber, etc. are always available at 11:00 on a Saturday when we want to head out to a bar. Good luck even getting someone to pick up the phone if you try to call a cab company.

 

[ab.aeterno]

I think you might have to try it to see the benefit. You bring up your smartphone app and hail a cab, it knows your address from GPS. You see the city map and a bunch of icons showing where the drivers are. Usually a driver agrees to pick you up within a few moments (10-30 seconds). From that point you can can see the car on the map, the driver name, company and cab #, and an estimated arrival time. That arrival time makes it easy to be outside just as the car pulls up.

Once your arrive at your drop-off all you do is leave the cab. Nothing else. No totals and no cash. Just open the door and leave. The app will charge you for the trip.

Do this a few times and you'll never go back to the old methods.

Yep, when you get a good driver, the experience is amazingly easy. When I was running late to PAX, I was able to set a pickup for outside my subway stop while on the train, and timed it just right so that the driver arrived just as I exited the station. Guy knew his shit, got me there quickly, and left without having to worry about cash for tips.

That was the "this is magic" moment for me.

 

[vas_a_morir]

MIke Ross and Gootecks, what have you DONE?!

 

[Mesoian]

That's the one great thing about conventional NYC cabs....they're required to have a working credit card / debit card payment system at all times.

I can't imagine living in a place without any electronic payment system, especially since I pretty much never carry around cash with me.

That doesn't mean much. Most of the time, NYC cab drivers will just try and convince you that it's broken so you have to pay cash, else they'll refuse to take you. I think i've only been able to use a credit card twice in manhatten with cabs.

 

[oneils]

I cant see uber being allowed/legal in canada.. Unless the government wants to refund all the cab drivers their $200k taxi licenses.

It is available in montreal and toronto. Not sure if its legal...

The one thing I wonder about is driver screening. Just what type of screening does uber do? Do the drivers have a clean background (no driving offences or criminal history)?

 

[Slayer-33]

Been thinking about doing this guys (NYC) as Uber X and purchase a 2014 Fusion.

Uber is definitely a MUCH better service because of the driver ratings and the use of the drivers private vehicles, they are actually clean lol... Cabs are run down smelly uncomfortable traps. Livery cabs uptown are in better shape than the shitty ass yellow cabs.

Uber/Lyft
.
Uptown cabs/green cabs
.
The pits of hell
.
Yellow cabs

 

[oneils]

London black cabs are the best navigators on earth. They're like slightly racist cockney racing pigeons.

lol, reminds me of the cabbies in Dublin: "fookin' 'ell, that driver must be a gay man or a chinaman!"

but they were good navigators. none of them needed a gps.

 

[terrisus]

Naples? 100% fucking tools, murderers and rapists.

Stinkles
Fan of Neapolitan cabbies

 

[Vicetrailia]

Gotta love it when Europeans go at each other.

 

[Patryn]

This x1000.

You could pick the most obscure, hole-in-the-wall place in London and the black cab driver will know how to get there.

GPS? They don't need no stinking GPS!

Well, they do have to pass the Knowledge.

I don't know any other city that requires that.