I won't speak for Peter12, but I wasn't really referring to this thread about racism in the taxi industry. But it's very real and the amount of it I think would blow away a lot of people. It's very bad, both the subtle and direct racism those drivers face on a daily basis. It's absolutely not to be dismissed in a discussion like this.
Like what do you think the poster below is referring to, white guys who don't shower? Very few people in general don't shower before going to work, but my one buddy is Indian and says he gets told to shower a few times a week because they eat a lot of curry in their culture and white people tend to take it as an off putting smell and equate it to lack of hygiene. For the record, I can smell it and what people are likely referring to but it's not a BO smell, it's just a different smell than white people are used to.
If they know that something is off putting to others, why would they not do something to minimize it? Others manage to do it, what makes taxi drivers the exception? Body odor, cooking smells, overly applied cologne or cigarette smoke, doesn't make a difference.
This doesn't only apply to any one smell or any one race. In a customer service based industry, one would expect that the main focus would be ensure customer comfort.
If they know that something is off putting to others, why would they not do something to minimize it? Others manage to do it, what makes taxi drivers the exception? Body odor, cooking smells, overly applied cologne or cigarette smoke, doesn't make a difference.
This doesn't only apply to any one smell or any one race. In a customer service based industry, one would expect that the main focus would be ensure customer comfort.
So Indians should eat less curry? It leaves a strong curry odor and it's eaten very regularly in their culture, I'm not sure what you think they should do? Not go out in public, not work?
Trying to turn this into an issue of race is a very lowbrow tactic.
In fact, some taxi drivers do smell, some awfully so, one time I actually felt sick. In Calgary the overwhelming majority of taxi drivers are ethnic, but to then say because some of them smell (as do some of the non-ethnic taxi drivers), that means the customers are racist, is trying to hijack the problem and make the complainers feel guilty based on an allegation of racism.
The issue is: Taxi service in Calgary has been awful for over a decade. The main cause? Restriction of supply due to the taxi commission continually listening to the owners of the plates, who have turned that restriction into a massive profit center, making in some cases over $150,000 per plate, some even north of $200K per plate. The restricted supply has brought down the need to compete by, for example, reducing the need to be clean.
Now the taxi commission (and the City) are protecting the fools who paid those prices for the plates by playing hardball with Uber, likely because they know they share blame in the prices of those plates reaching the levels they did.
The legal arguments about Uber are pretty flimsy, though the insurance cost needs to be sorted out. Personally, understanding the provisions of the Insurance Act and the implications for riders in other people's cars in Alberta, as a passenger I am not taking a risk. I would agree a driver for Uber is however. For drivers, that will be sorted out over time and they are currently relying on untested promises from Uber.
I have stories of missed flights, being stranded for many hours, and the like over the years before Uber and have complained to the taxi commission and to my alderman, in writing. I get non-responsive replies that are useless. I think Richard Pootmans in particular is being an ass on this issue. His office will not even say where he stands on the issue, and I've tried for responses a few times but won't waste my time with him any more.
I don't need taxis often but this weekend got to try out Uber, and it was great -- fast and reliable. The driver was ethnic, had an accent, clean and smell free, he and the car. Good conversationalist also. I tipped him well.
Last edited by Kjesse; 11-01-2015 at 07:12 PM.
Reason: changed "not" to "currently" in paragraph 5
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Ride home in Uber:
-$21 with 4 people, minus $20 promo
-showed up as a 40yearold lady in a new f150
-driver offered water bottles and candy
I don't begrudge people trying to make extra money in tough times but someone driving a new (or even newer) 5 seat F150 is losing money on every trip they make, let alone after handing out after free water and candy.
Last edited by accord1999; 11-01-2015 at 04:43 PM.
There's a lot more to Uber resistance in cities like ours than "muslim mayor protecting taxi cartels", and they're wise to resist, imo. It's not legal and customers loving the experience shouldn't make any city officials go "well, the customers love it too much so we'll just let it be".
Has anyone actually said that? Calgarians were angry about the taxi industry long before Nenshi became mayor. If they seem angrier now, it's only because the dysfunctional system has persisted that much longer. And because it looks like we may finally have an alternative. Trying to make the issue into a Muslim thing is an ugly attempt at deflection.
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by fotze
If this day gets you riled up, you obviously aren't numb to the disappointment yet to be a real fan.
Has anyone actually said that? Calgarians were angry about the taxi industry long before Nenshi became mayor. If they seem angrier now, it's only because the dysfunctional system has persisted that much longer. And because it looks like we may finally have an alternative. Trying to make the issue into a Muslim thing is an ugly attempt at deflection.
That wasn't really fair on my part, you're right. I should have said "mayor protecting taxi cartels". I know I've for sure read comments about Nenshi's cultural background likely playing a part in being so defensive of the taxi industry, but only a couple and I don't even know if it was on CP.
Even if it was, it's not enough for me to make a comment like that, it takes away from the discussion. My bad.
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Used uber for first time last night. Here was the experience.
Ride to party in taxi:
-$35 after tip
-4 people
-very rude and frustrated driver right off the bat, for waiting 3 minutes while we came out.
-cab in fine condition
Ride home in Uber:
-$21 with 4 people, minus $20 promo
-app was easy to use
-driver was in area
-showed up as a 40yearold lady in a new f150
-driver offered water bottles and candy
-pleasant lady to chat with
-dropped us off at 2 addresses, billed immediately to my app when second party got home safe
-got an email of a highly detailed receipt
So just to clarify, you're Uber ride would have been more expensive than the cab ride without the promo code?
So just to clarify, you're Uber ride would have been more expensive than the cab ride without the promo code?
While I don't want to go all Resolute14 on you here (with all due respect to him), you are using a strawman argument. The price was only one component of the superior experience. Also, you may want to check your math.
While I don't want to go all Resolute14 on you here (with all due respect to him), you are using a strawman argument. The price was only one component of the superior experience. Also, you may want to check your math.
Well first of all I wasn't trying to build a straw man, and I'm certainly not trying to become the face of an anti-Uber sentiment on CP, I was simply asking because it seemed everyone was boasting that Uber is always cheaper than a cab.
Those were the two main gripes of Calgarians; Taxi's are never available and they're stupidly expsenive.
Secondly, you'll have to help me with my math I guess, because he said the cab ride was $35 after tip and the Uber ride was $20 minus a promo code. So by my math the Uber ride was $21+$20 (if you took that ride without a promo code, which is what everyone will be doing for 99% of their Uber rides) = $41.
To me $41 is more than $35, but maybe my math skills are fading over time.
that's fine and all but I don't think that opinion represents "most people". At all. It sure doesn't represent mine.
I think most people are that annoyed to the point of warmly welcoming a "questionable" business into a broken market to solve what should be a simple problem that's been exacerbated (with a high probability of illegally) by our municipal government.
That is the core problem. Racism may be in play but it's not the core problem and is a distraction to the big issue.
I don't know what most people think, but most of the comments here seem to be praising Uber drivers for not smelling, having clean cars, carrying on a conversation, and water bottles. I have experienced the common issue of taxis never being available, but I have never once been in a taxi with a driver who smelled or a car that wasn't acceptably clean.
And as much as a lot of people here seem to like the water bottles, I would find it a little creepy if I got in a stranger's car and he offered me a bottle of water.
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The water bottle part of each review is my favorite. Never in my life have I seen such reverence for the offering of a water bottle. I feel like I should put a case of water in my trunk and offer it to everyone I come in contact with and then revel in the positive reviews. All hail the bottles of water!!
The only water we receive from those damn cabbies is the slush from the bottom of their boots during snow melts when they literally kick you out the door, while screaming foreign obscenities and smelling like cultural foods they eat!
I don't know what most people think, but most of the comments here seem to be praising Uber drivers for not smelling, having clean cars, carrying on a conversation, and water bottles. I have experienced the common issue of taxis never being available, but I have never once been in a taxi with a driver who smelled or a car that wasn't acceptably clean.
And as much as a lot of people here seem to like the water bottles, I would find it a little creepy if I got in a stranger's car and he offered me a bottle of water.
Maybe we're reading different things, because the posts I am reading tend to mostly make the argument that they show up quickly or are around (review posts almost always cite "car got here in X minutes, wow") as well as the low price in contrast to a cab.
The racist thing is balony. I'm not saying that some people are not racist as I am sure you're right that some people are, but not the majority. Let's flip it around. Let's say most cabbies were white, and the cartel bribery BS system was in place, and Uber came in to destroy the market and most of the Uber drivers were ethnic.
Would people still be raving about Uber? I seriously think so. Because it's cheaper, and they are around. It's superior service that's driving this (no pun intended), not race.
As this seems to be the most active forum on Uber in Calgary I thought I'd register and give my experience as a driver and what it's like from my point of view. I have a 9-5 Monday-Friday job and have just been driving at night on the weekends for the last couple weeks for some extra cash.
The Basics:
- I make 75% of your fare excluding the "safe rides" fee.
- If you cancel within a couple minutes of requesting me I get nothing because you are charged nothing. Otherwise I still make 75% of your $5 cancel fee.
- It varies but I have been making about $30/hr Friday/Sat night. I tried a little bit earlier in the day/weekdays and barely got any rides.
- I have been offering a clean car, gum and asking most passengers if they are okay with the temp/music. My rating is 4.93 after about 50 trips. I am guessing my lowered ratings were from the times I got slightly lost picking up/dropping off.
Picking You Up: - People seem to like to pick some odd pickup locations. My personal favorite was the guy who wanted to be picked up in the middle of 7th ave SW (the c-train street).
- I see your pin on a small map, your first name and your star rating and have about 15 seconds to accept. I do not know where you are headed until you are in the car and the meter is started. Your rating is mostly irrelevant - I usually don't even pay attention to it (and I generally give most passengers 5 stars automatically). If you had a 1 or 2 stars you might wait longer for a car as people choose to pass on you, but I think eventually someone would pick you up.
- Your pin often only shows a numerical address (or sometimes a range). The best thing you can do is make sure you are standing on your Pin (you can move it) or call the driver and tell them where you really are. Please don't get mad that I can't find you when your Pin is at the Parking Garage of SAIT, but you are standing next to the C-train station.
Getting there:
- It really helps to put in an address beforehand so that I can follow google maps all the way. I'm not a full-time driver so I don't know every intimate corner of the city and often end up in neighborhoods I don't know. I panic a little inside when no directions pop up and someone just goes "Take me to the beltline!" If you don't put in an address I have been asking passengers if they want me to search google maps myself, or just direct me. Everyone has been surprisingly patient.
Ending the trip:
- Almost no one tips. I've gotten maybe 3-4 in my 2 weekends of driving. I haven't been lowering ratings for not leaving a tip, but others might (again it doesn't really matter). It's really great to get them, but don't feel bad if you don't want to tip, I've learned not to expect them.
- I do, however, have to keep my star rating above a certain amount. They haven't said what it is in Calgary yet, but from reading it seems like most cities it has to be in the mid to high 4's. You're basically saying "this person should be deactivated" with anything less than a 5. That said, rate low if the person is poor. That's is what makes this service great.
Why bad things happen: - The driver cancels on you:
1. I can't 't find you and gave up - I haven't personally done this, but talking with people it sounds like it has happened a bit. I understand because again we get a numerical address and don't know the city as well as a full time driver. Stand on top of your pin or call your driver!
2. I had to wait and you don't answer your phone - Especially downtown, I can't wait 5 or 10 minutes in cab only stopping zone. I'm already paranoid of getting a fine, I'd rather not draw attention to myself.
3. You put your Pin in a scary area - I got called to the middle of an empty parking lot in the middle of nowhere the other night. It kind of screamed "you are going to be murdered" and I got a bad feeling. I cancelled. Sorry if you weren't trying to kill me!
- Surge pricing
1. When demand goes up they raise the prices. It's called surge pricing. Except downtown at the end of the night/Halloween, it usually passes pretty quickly (faster than I can get my car over there!). If you are splitting a cab and going to 2 drop off locations the surge pricing will follow you ALL the way to the final destination. I love it, but you probably wont.
What I love:
- Making money. I would be sitting at home anyways, I might as well make some cash.
- The passengers. Most everyone has been friendly, chatty and funny. I have had a lot of young partiers, but also older techie people and even a few eloquently dressed older folks going to charity events. It's truly been enjoyable.
What I don't love - The insurance and regulatory situation. Uber has verbally said they have my back, but that doesn't really mean anything. I don't think I will drive in the winter until ride-sharing insurance and clear laws exist.
- A few people really mess up my car. I have glitter everywhere in my car. I found people were sticking their gum (which I provided for free) in my seat back pockets! I feel it is only a matter of time before someone throws up in the car.
My Final Tips: (I can complain here without you reducing my rating!)
- Wear your seatbelts! Are you crazy?! You're riding in a possibly uninsured vehicle!
- Please don't cancel your ride. Yes the service is actually working. I spend a lot of my night making u-turns and going out of my way only to have the ride cancelled halfway there. If you have an issue call me instead of cancelling and re-requesting a ride.
- Please call and don't text when I am on the way. I have bluetooth and don't want to pull over to text you.
- Please be on time. You know how long it will take for me to get there and can see my car arrive. If it's going to take you another 15 minutes to get ready just wait and request a car 15 minutes later. If you aren't on time and don't answer when I call or text I will cancel after
- support@uber.com is the only contact method for Uber (aside from the app itself). I personally don't know why your free ride didn't work last time, but they'll get back to you in a couple hours!
I'd be more than happy to share more experiences or answer any questions anyone has!
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$30 in gross fares. That's before gas, maintenance, vehicle depreciation, taxes (yes I will declare the income) etc. I'm not sure the toll this will take on my car so I'm not sure what I will net out at.
Edit: And again, I am driving late at night on weekends which are peak times. The wait between rides is very high during the day from what I hear.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GGG
Is your 30 dollars an hour before or after expenses and what value are you using for maintenance?
Last edited by Geordi; 11-01-2015 at 09:10 PM.
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