Quote:
Originally Posted by Resolute 14
Hey, y'all bitched about how there aren't enough cabs on the road at high demand times, and you demonstrated that you are willing to pay high prices in those times. Seems you will get what you want.
|
I'm convinced you never take a cab in this city, and that you are just a contrarian looking to pick an internet argument.
If you haven't noticed by the many, many posts of complaints and bad service in this thread, there's a huge problem with cabs in this city. I'm sure you haven't though since you plug your ears and complete ignore it every time someone brings it up. People's support for rideshares and throwing the city bylaws aside has nothing to do about being some Uber fan boy, it's because they are deprived of a essential service for a large metropolitan area, have been for year, and no legitimate effort has ever been made to do anything about it by the City.
This new city policies do not change the cab problem at all, in fact it has unintendedly made them worse. We now do not have a company to pose a threat to the taxi industry, and they now have the means to charge whatever they want to get people home safe from the bar late at night. This will in no way shape or form change the amount of cars that are on the road, but will make it so the same guys that causes the problem can continue to pick and chose fares and now charge a premium on top of that.
The new policy was specifically designed to make sure the city could say they tried, but ensured that rideshare companies like Uber cannot operate in Calgary. $500-$1000 bucks or whatever the cost is is not a lot for a career driver, but rideshare companies like Uber rely on casual drivers looking to supplement their income, not make a career out of it. There's just enough to the new legislation to keep those casual drivers away. As a city, we would have been better off if nothing had changed because we are now stuck with the same cab companies and they now have the ability to charge even more for their spotty, ####ty, and borderline reckless service. People are willing to pay a premium, if they are getting a premium service. Now we will be paying a premium for the garbage we already had.
The city should have sat down with Uber from the beginning and negotiated because a company like Uber targetting a large, affluent city was only a matter of time. That didn't happen for years, so Uber says screw you we are bullying their way. Obviously that hurt Nenshi's feeling, but you know what, a mayor who serves his city instead of his ego sits down with the company and works something out, but that's not what he did. He relentlessly campaigned against Uber on twitter (borderline insulting) drafted legislation with next to no consultation with Uber, and said here you go,we tried sucks that it doesn't work for your business model. There has been zero good faith discussion or negotiations on the City's behalf in the entire process. There was a deal to be made there (just like there was in Edmonton) and quite frankly there still is, but our city council is following the lead of the mayor and acting like petulant children because Uber dared come in their playground without permission despite asking for the invite for many years in advance.