Uber to Resume in Calgary December 6 2016

[4X4]

Originally Posted by Bunk

Uber will, more than anything, improve Friday, Saturday night peak and holidays.

The thing that is so pathetic about how the taxi companies have operated for the last 20 years, is that if they had put more vehicles on the street at peak times, Calgarians wouldn't be so sick of their bull##### cartel.

I have no idea if there were barriers that prevented it, but if there were, how come they didn't fight them? How is it that I have dozens of memories of stepping outside of a bar at 12-1-2am on Friday/Saturday, and there being multiple other people or groups of people trying to hail cabs? And how many times I got denied because my trip was too short or too long? And being on hold for an hour+?
The money is right there, staring you in the face. The only reason I can fathom is that they didn't really need it. They clearly made enough money during the regular hours, and so what was the point of dealing with the drunks at 2am on Saturday?

Fair enough. You didn't want my money. All of those years living in Beltline and Bankview, you didn't want my money. And now that there is a company that will allow casual drivers to take what they want, you're all scared and butthurt? Big Taxi, you make me laugh.

[Calgary14]

I found it funny how some cabbies accused Nenshi of a backroom deal with Uber. Not long ago he was caught on camera calling them a bunch of d*cks to deal with

[4X4]

Originally Posted by 4X4

I have no idea if there were barriers that prevented it,

Before anyone tells me that there are only so many plates, I know that. What I don't know is why there weren't more of those plates on the road at peak times. Pretty sure they were at home with their families, because they already worked a full day.

So why the hell couldn't there be other drivers working the night shift? Nobody wanted to do it? Not buying that excuse. Nobody wanted to pimp their car out for the night to another driver? More likely. Which brings this back to why there weren't more plates. Oh, I remember, because the taxi companies wanted to keep them capped so that they held value. Which really only screwed the public.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by 4X4

Before anyone tells me that there are only so many plates, I know that. What I don't know is why there weren't more of those plates on the road at peak times. Pretty sure they were at home with their families, because they already worked a full day.

So why the hell couldn't there be other drivers working the night shift? Nobody wanted to do it? Not buying that excuse. Nobody wanted to pimp their car out for the night to another driver? More likely. Which brings this back to why there weren't more plates. Oh, I remember, because the taxi companies wanted to keep them capped so that they held value. Which really only screwed the public.

Most cabbies rent there plates out to night drivers.

The problem was a belief that cab driving should be a full time job so set the number of plates based on average demand and not peak demand. Users surfe system solved this problem by incentivizing driving in peak times.

However it's only in the last 5 years that this real time demand could be addressed with technology.

[4X4]

Originally Posted by GGG

Most cabbies rent there plates out to night drivers.

The problem was a belief that cab driving should be a full time job so set the number of plates based on average demand and not peak demand. Users surfe system solved this problem by incentivizing driving in peak times.

However it's only in the last 5 years that this real time demand could be addressed with technology.

Most cabbies renting their plates out at night did not equal a sufficient amount of cabs, even on the lamest of Saturday nights. I don't think those plates were on the road.

Technology was not the only solution to this ridiculously solvable problem. All that needed to happen was more plates (perhaps with time limitations? Night plates?), and an extra person or two answering the phones at the cab office.

For some reason, this escaped everyone in charge. For 20 f-ing years.

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by 4X4

Most cabbies renting their plates out at night did not equal a sufficient amount of cabs, even on the lamest of Saturday nights. I don't think those plates were on the road.

Technology was not the only solution to this ridiculously solvable problem. All that needed to happen was more plates (perhaps with time limitations? Night plates?), and an extra person or two answering the phones at the cab office.

For some reason, this escaped everyone in charge. For 20 f-ing years.

In previous rounds of reforms over the last few years, based on data finally collected, new plates released had to be operating during certain hours. It was baby steps, but it was a positive change. Now, things are changing much more radically.

[calgaryblood]

I think the real problem was there wasn't enough plates for high times....fri/sat nights and too much for regular hours.

Sorry 4x4 but there is zero chance there were plates sitting at home in peak hours during the boom in Calgary. Taxi plates are used 24/7 with 12 hour day shifts and then a 12 hour night shift. The city messed up by not taking care of the problem earlier and plate owners didn't care there wasn't enough plates because their plates would be worth much more with a shortage.

Right now there is a shortage of drivers willing to work as taxi drivers because the money just isn't there like it used to be and now we are seeing plates not being rented 24/7 but definitely all plates are being used in peak hours.

So I blame the city mostly as guys who own plates aren't going to push for more being released. If I owned a plate and the city releasing a few hundred more plates would make my plate price go down I wouldn't be fighting for more plates either.

Ultimately it's the city I blame the most. Thankfully no more taxi mafia and the city protecting them.

[Jackpot_Smooth]

Not sure if this was mentioned earlier, I think another major problem is the dispatch system and that being one of the only way to get cab. You will see lots of cabs inbound on a busy night with their lights on but you cannot get through to anyone at the dispatch whether calling directly or #taxi. If the calgary taxi commision somehow created an app similar to uber where you could hail one, track where it is and see the arrival eta, the rider experience will be vastly improved.

Also, I thought i heard it was technically illegal to hail a cab on a street outside of a taxi zone? if that's true, that needs to go too. Although that creates another issue of stupid cab drivers stopping randomly everywhere blocking traffic more than they already do.

[worth]

Calgary United Cabs has an app that is somewhat similar to Uber and when you book through the app, it dispatches directly to the cars in the area. Once the car confirms, it has a map showing where the car is. Used it a few times, not as polished as Uber, but the best thing I've seen from any cab company in Calgary.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...itedCabs&hl=en

[Swarly]

Originally Posted by worth

Calgary United Cabs has an app that is somewhat similar to Uber and when you book through the app, it dispatches directly to the cars in the area. Once the car confirms, it has a map showing where the car is. Used it a few times, not as polished as Uber, but the best thing I've seen from any cab company in Calgary.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...itedCabs&hl=en

checker has a poor imitation uber app also. vastly superior to the old ways, still a lot of work before its Uber

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by Swarly

checker has a poor imitation uber app also. vastly superior to the old ways, still a lot of work before its Uber

Checkers app is literally perfect.

Open app. Select book taxi. Told how long till car arrives, usually <5 min. Go outside and get in car.

What more do you need?

[Huntingwhale]

Originally Posted by Weitz

Checkers app is literally perfect.

Open app. Select book taxi. Told how long till car arrives, usually <5 min. Go outside and get in car.

What more do you need?

Their app is okay. But not perfect. For me it sometimes shifts my GPS location by about 20 metres, which means instead of pulling into my townhouse unit, it makes it seem like I'm standing on a main road on the other side of the fence.

Then you try to input your actual address and it won't accept it. You have to go to a completely different menu and from there you can input your correct address.

I've had many Checker cab drivers tell me about this problem. Thankfully, most of them are pretty good at calling you to confirm your location a couple minutes before they arrive.

[Weitz]

You can just move the map to where you want to be picked up. Don't have to put in an address.

I don't like taking cabs. But when I do I use the checker app because it works great IMO.

[Regulator75]

[Swarly]

Originally Posted by Weitz

Checkers app is literally perfect.

Open app. Select book taxi. Told how long till car arrives, usually <5 min. Go outside and get in car.

What more do you need?

the app is very clunky, the gps update seems to lag behind. Guess the other part of my complaint is the driver more than the app but I have booked a cab on the app, been watching him drive closer then suddenly it is looking for another driver again as he clearly picked up a fare on the way and dropped my booking. Same s*** we've had to always put up with from cab companies, book a car and have no idea if it will actually show up. Cant rate the drivers.

also in app CC payment needs to be a thing just like Uber.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Swarly

also in app CC payment needs to be a thing just like Uber.

Then they couldn't pretend their CC machine is down and need cash though....

[Jackpot_Smooth]

Originally Posted by Swarly

checker has a poor imitation uber app also. vastly superior to the old ways, still a lot of work before its Uber

Just tried to register and got "server error". great start.

nm.. guess it worked as i logged in.

[Ducay]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Then they couldn't pretend their CC machine is down and need cash though....

That really GMG. I know sometimes the machine can't get a signal, but part of that whole "Driver / Passenger Rights" card in the cab is that they have to accept all the forms of payment they advertise on the window.

I don't know what the solution is when it happens, but it is a huge pain in the butt as my corporate card gets covered, while getting a cash reimbursment is more of a chore.

[Locke]

I'm going to start an Uber Rickshaw service.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Locke

I'm going to start an Uber Rickshaw service.

I'd pay good baht to use that. Even more if you were pulling.