Uber to Resume in Calgary December 6 2016

[Otto-matic]

Originally Posted by Hemi-Cuda

Quote me $31-$41 to get from my place in Chestermere to the airport, which is a good $60 cab ride after tip easily. Speaking of tips, since you pay for everything through the app do they put tipping in there as well? Or is it just a flat fee?

https://help.uber.com/h/1be144ab-609...5-b9c7de5ec073

You don’t need cash when you ride with Uber. Once you arrive at your destination, your fare is automatically charged to your credit card on file — there’s no need to tip.

I didn't tip when I was in Orlando, drivers didn't seem to ask for any either. It was quick and painless. The app is amazing, you'll all love it.

Seeing where the driver is, what route he is taking.

Cannot wait.

[heep223]

Originally Posted by pylon

LOL, that is laughable. I have been in cabs that are not only road hazards, they are borderline bio hazards in this city.

I am sure the taxi association or whatever is preparing a giant bribe to try and run Uber out of town. For the record, I think Uber is a horrible, unethical company, so it's only fitting they are the ones to take on a croup of horrible unethical companies.

I've heard a few people say this, can you elaborate?

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Iggy City

Used Uber in Edmonton, driver offered us candy and bottled water, and actually conversed with us like a normal human being and not a creep. The service is 10x better than taxies.

I've had nothing but pleasant experiences in every Uber ride I've had.

[sureLoss]

Nenshi urging Calgarians not to use Uber:

http://calgarymayor.ca/stories/mayor...tering-calgary

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Otto-matic

https://help.uber.com/h/1be144ab-609...5-b9c7de5ec073



I didn't tip when I was in Orlando, drivers didn't seem to ask for any either. It was quick and painless. The app is amazing, you'll all love it.

Seeing where the driver is, what route he is taking.

Cannot wait.

Exactly, tipping not necessary. I've given a couple guys a buck at a time if I had it on me, but you definitely are not pressured ever to tip.

[pylon]

Originally Posted by heep223

I've heard a few people say this, can you elaborate?

One example.

http://money.cnn.com/2014/08/11/tech...requests-lyft/

Hilarious in the fact they were essentially ringing the doorbell and leaving a bag of flaming poo on the door step. But they were screwing over a bunch of independent Lyft contractors who certainly couldn't afford it.

[Zarley]

I've had so many poor experiences taking cabs in this city that I look forward to never taking one again.

[Looch City]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Nenshi urging Calgarians not to use Uber:

http://calgarymayor.ca/stories/mayor...tering-calgary

Nenshi needs to stay out of city politics.

[FlameOn]

Oh great, so when can we expect the taxi drivers to start slashing tires, beating up random drivers or blocking off downtown?

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

How are they not protecting the customers? They have an insurance policy they use if incidents/accidents happen even if the driver doesn't have a commercial policy. They do background checks and at least around here you have to have a reasonably aged car and have to take it for an inspection.

The insurance issue is sketchy:

Alberta's superintendent of insurance is warning that Uber drivers don't carry enough insurance to cover riders if they get into a collision.
Mark Prefontaine looked at insurance policies the controversial ride-share service offers its drivers and found them inadequate.
He is telling Uber drivers that they will need to get extra commercial insurance coverage because Uber's policy won't help.
"A good part of it is because of the reliance that is put upon the driver's own policy with their own insurer," Prefontaine said.
"So unless that driver has contacted their insurance company...then any passenger that gets into that vehicle is going to be at risk just as will the driver and a bystander."

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmont...169769?cmp=rss

I've looked on the Uber forums, and it appears most drivers have no idea about potential issues.

As for the tax issues...

So, basically, Uber says once again:

1) We do not collect HST on drivers' behalf. And there is no way for a driver to collect HST as well.
2) However drivers are responsible for all tax obligations whatever they are.

http://uberpeople.net/threads/canada...4.14907/page-2

[Swayze11]

I just came back from San Francisco and used uber multiple times a day - great service. Very happy to have them finally in Calgary - especially with the joke taxi service we have. Every single uber I took was extremely clean and every driver was nice.

One thing I was curious about is it seemed like it was a lot of peoples full time jobs. They get something like 70% or 75% of the fare. On average my trips were $6-$10 and my trips were 15 mins max. So I suppose you could live off that but I figured it would be difficult.

[peter12]

I mean if we want to talk about ethics, innovation, and Uber, all that you can really say is that it is a really novel idea that cannibalizes more clunky ideas that are already in place. Ride-sharing is nothing new. That said, I am glad to see them push cabs out the door in a way, while also recognizing that being an Uber driver is basically like signing up for one of those student painting jobs that were always recruiting in late spring on my campus. Big promises, lots of liability, and very little money.

[heep223]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Nenshi urging Calgarians not to use Uber:

http://calgarymayor.ca/stories/mayor...tering-calgary

I am happy Uber has decided to just go ahead and start while the city drags their feet. Ultimately puts the power in the hands of consumers - if it's successful it will force the city to actually do something about it, like in Toronto.

I rarely get worked up about politics but this just really GMGs and ultimately it's because I've had so many bad taxi experiences (or lack of taxi experiences when I need one). If the "regulations protecting consumers" actually worked, I wouldn't care nearly as much but it's mostly just a bunch of BS to protect non-competitive industry interests, IMO. Feel kind of pissed at city council about this and in particularly Nenshi should step up, if he's as progressive as he seems to think.

[peter12]

Honestly, I haven't had that many negative taxi experiences. I don't think most people have had really bad ones either. It really boils down to the cartel and the artificially high prices.

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Nenshi urging Calgarians not to use Uber:

http://calgarymayor.ca/stories/mayor...tering-calgary

I'm a Nenshi supporter, but what a load of crap. It's not about user safety, it's not about insurance or regulatory issues, it's about upsetting the status quo. If Uber wasn't already in Edmonton, a city under the same provincial regulations and with a very similar demographic makeup as Calgary, then I might believe otherwise. But since they've been operating successfully up there for most of this year then Nenshi nor anyone on the city council has a leg to stand on in opposing Uber

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by peter12

Honestly, I haven't had that many negative taxi experiences. I don't think most people have had really bad ones either.

I would challenge that statement. My negative taxi experiences have often had the consequences of somebody deciding to drive home drunk. Not saying that taxi issues are any kind of an excuse for drunk driving, just helping to lay out why I think it is that serious.

It has come to the point that my going out for drinks ends up with some other plan being made other than relying on a taxi.

[peter12]

Originally Posted by ken0042

I would challenge that statement. My negative taxi experiences have often had the consequences of somebody deciding to drive home drunk. Not saying that taxi issues are any kind of an excuse for drunk driving, just helping to lay out why I think it is that serious.

It has come to the point that my going out for drinks ends up with some other plan being made other than relying on a taxi.

But it boils down to price, right?

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by DownInFlames

Rates are set by the city. Competition won't change that, and Uber will often be more expensive than a traditional cab anyway.

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Challenging protectionist policies that exist to shelter other taxi companies is something I support. Ignoring regulations that exist to protect the consumer is something I don't. Uber does both because it is the only way they can undercut the competition.

But isn't one of the problems with the current system the $100,000+ cost of a cab plate? Presumably the Uber drivers won't have to operate on a model where they expect to earn that investment back.

The real test will be the upcoming Christmas party season. I just need a cab that I booked a day in advance to show up at my door, and a reasonable chance of getting one home again. I won't even try a taxi company - they had their chance and failed again and again.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by peter12

Honestly, I haven't had that many negative taxi experiences. I don't think most people have had really bad ones either. It really boils down to the cartel and the artificially high prices.

Agreed.

And now that the companies have Apps I haven't even had to wait for a cab anymore.

[Poster]

Why are you all so upset about the cost of service? should the taxi drivers work for free?

I also don't understand why the Taxi drivers are so upset about Uber. I get why the taxi owners are but as a driver it should only be about "which way can I make more money" ... if Taxi works doesn't cut it, be an Uber driver. If you cant compete, then find some other form of work.

But lets stop driving everything into the toilet. Pay a fair price for fair work and stop expecting everything to be cheaper!

You can have cheap, fast and quality but only 2 at the same time. choose accordingly.