Uber to Resume in Calgary December 6 2016

[Otto-matic]

Good news!

.@Uber_Calgary has reached an agreement with Calgary Airport. Airport passengers can now use Uber/designated rideshare pickup areas #yyccc

Annalise Klingbeil ‏@AnnaliseAK 3m3 minutes ago
Uber says this is first airport in Alberta to allow Uber. Will be checking in w Associated Cab, who currently provides airport pickups.

[Weitz]

He best way from the airport is to grab a non associated cab on the departures level.. no airport fee!

[TheAlpineOracle]

Originally Posted by anyonebutedmonton

First off, I am 100% an uber supporter, but some of you have gone way too far with your criticisms.

Download the checker cab app. You will be surprised to find that 98% of your complaints are completely mitigated. It has real time tracking of your cab. You can leave a star rating after the trip. It even estimates your fare. The kicker is that it has been operational for like a year now. Whoever sits on hold trying to call a cab is a Luddite at this point.

Used the app New Year's Eve and waited less than ten minutes both on the way to a house party and on the way home (10pm and 2am). Cost less than a third of what uber was quoting with surge pricing.

Uber is a fantastic option most times. However, it's just that, an option. I'm excited that we have more options for safe travel at night, but some of you are really showing how rarely you use taxis with your comments.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yeah, they are misguided now, but they weren't before the price of oil took a nose dive. Before that you couldn't get a cab, would be provided with garbage service when you did get one, and they would literally pick and choose their fares half the time. If they didn't like your destination, sometimes they would just roll up their window and drive away or tell you to get out of their cab.


Uber forced Checker to get that app when it became apparent they were going to enter the market, and without the threat of Uber they'd still be pulling the same old BS they've been pulling for years other than the it would be easier to get one as a result of demand.

The cab industry in this city deserves every single bit of heat they take for the way they treated us for 20 years. Just an industry that was rotten to the core, and I'll sure as hell remember that now that I have a choice. Any way I can stick to the cab industry from here on out, I will.

[Zarley]

Taxi service has certainly improved since the anticompetitive regulations were removed from the market. The invisible hand in action!

[calgaryblood]

Originally Posted by Clarkey

Are any of the cabbies driving for uber in their cabs in between?

That's not allowed so no.

[calgarywinning]

Originally Posted by anyonebutedmonton

First off, I am 100% an uber supporter, but some of you have gone way too far with your criticisms.

Download the checker cab app. You will be surprised to find that 98% of your complaints are completely mitigated. It has real time tracking of your cab. You can leave a star rating after the trip. It even estimates your fare. The kicker is that it has been operational for like a year now. Whoever sits on hold trying to call a cab is a Luddite at this point.

Used the app New Year's Eve and waited less than ten minutes both on the way to a house party and on the way home (10pm and 2am). Cost less than a third of what uber was quoting with surge pricing.

Uber is a fantastic option most times. However, it's just that, an option. I'm excited that we have more options for safe travel at night, but some of you are really showing how rarely you use taxis with your comments.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Here is the reality, is that is a regulated industry the cab companies are able to set the rate and along with their friends at the City control the supply of cabs.

The Checker cab app is OK in non-peak times. Cab driver accepts fair, then shows up but
a) No quoted fare for your trip. You are on the metre.
b) The algorithm for aligning a driver with a passenger or fare is based on the next cab driver to accept the fare, not the closest or most logical driver to accept the fare.
c) Destination is discussed and you try to describe to the cab driver.

With Uber you get a quoted fare, and it doesn't matter the route, meaning navigation errors etc aren't at your expense or anxiety. If there is a available cab 5 minutes away, why is the cab 20 minutes away accepting the fare, and why in this day and age are we giving directional advice to drivers.

In peak times the Checker cab app cannot work, as drivers can cancel their booking if they run into a fare immediately available. I can't tell you how many times I've had a cab accept my booking and then cancel or no show in the app during a peak time. An accepted booking should be that and Checker Cabs should step up and credit the passenger or penalize the driver.

Right now there are too few Uber drivers on the street... When Uber started it seemed more robust. Hopefully they get some more drivers out there.

[jlemire]

Originally Posted by calgarywinning

Here is the reality, is that is a regulated industry the cab companies are able to set the rate and along with their friends at the City control the supply of cabs.

The Checker cab app is OK in non-peak times. Cab driver accepts fair, then shows up but
a) No quoted fare for your trip. You are on the metre.
b) The algorithm for aligning a driver with a passenger or fare is based on the next cab driver to accept the fare, not the closest or most logical driver to accept the fare.
c) Destination is discussed and you try to describe to the cab driver.

With Uber you get a quoted fare, and it doesn't matter the route, meaning navigation errors etc aren't at your expense or anxiety. If there is a available cab 5 minutes away, why is the cab 20 minutes away accepting the fare, and why in this day and age are we giving directional advice to drivers.

In peak times the Checker cab app cannot work, as drivers can cancel their booking if they run into a fare immediately available. I can't tell you how many times I've had a cab accept my booking and then cancel or no show in the app during a peak time. An accepted booking should be that and Checker Cabs should step up and credit the passenger or penalize the driver.

Right now there are too few Uber drivers on the street... When Uber started it seemed more robust. Hopefully they get some more drivers out there.

That is the biggest issue! it is VERY time consuming and expensive to become a driver and I get the feeling people are quitting before they even start!

I am just waiting on the background check and I will be good to go but it's still about 2 weeks away and I've been at it since the 2nd week in December. Plus the costs along the way im going to be in to it for $700ish that's steep for someone who just wants to work on the weekends and try to keep people safe!

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Otto-matic

Good news!

.@Uber_Calgary has reached an agreement with Calgary Airport. Airport passengers can now use Uber/designated rideshare pickup areas #yyccc

Annalise Klingbeil ‏@AnnaliseAK 3m3 minutes ago
Uber says this is first airport in Alberta to allow Uber. Will be checking in w Associated Cab, who currently provides airport pickups.

Oh wow, didnt they pay a ton of money for Airport exclusivity? I dont know how well that will go over.

[RW99]

Originally Posted by Locke

Oh wow, didnt they pay a ton of money for Airport exclusivity? I dont know how well that will go over.

Is it any better than the other cab companies? You can call any of them from the airport and they can pick you up. They just cant hang out and take the walk ups.

[calumniate]

I'm 1 for 2 in terms of uber experiences. Last night going to the hockey game was horrible. Just went from mission to Melrose to start. Guy claimed he was a school bus driver by day. I wouldn't trust the guy to drive a shopping cart. In spite of GPS he was asking me where to go / was in the wrong lanes at the wrong times and therefore making dangerous and late lane changes.

Not sure if I should rate the guy a zero out of five? I don't want to hurt the guy necessarily, but I never want to drive with him again either!

[squiggs96]

Originally Posted by jlemire

That is the biggest issue! it is VERY time consuming and expensive to become a driver and I get the feeling people are quitting before they even start!

I am just waiting on the background check and I will be good to go but it's still about 2 weeks away and I've been at it since the 2nd week in December. Plus the costs along the way im going to be in to it for $700ish that's steep for someone who just wants to work on the weekends and try to keep people safe!

So they aren't just letting any yahoo with a vehicle on the street to drive strangers around? Good! It should be a little time consuming so that dangerous people don't get Uber licenses, and the drivers have proper insurance should there be a car accident.

I really dislike your last sentence. Are you telling me you are just doing this to keep people safe? There are no other motives? Is $700 really that punitive? Compared to many other jobs, $700 doesn't seem like a lot. Trades need tools. Professionals need tuition and books. Even in many restaurants you need to buy uniforms. I'm also in favour of people having to put a little skin in the game, to prove they're serious about it. It gives the consumers a better product, and the company better service. It's kind of like internet dating. If you put a free ad on craiglist, you're likely not going to get as good of a partner as you would if you went to match.com.

[leah12]

Has anyone had any experiences taking uber from the airport? Are there people waiting there to give you a ride or must you summon a driver through the app?

[Hammertime]

Originally Posted by leah12

Has anyone had any experiences taking uber from the airport? Are there people waiting there to give you a ride or must you summon a driver through the app?

Yup, i do it all the time. Yes there are drivers queued up waiting to pick people up. The app knows that the driver is at the airport and puts them in a first in first out distribution queue.

Just be aware that they pick you up at designated spots on the departures level, either door 1 or door 12. Door 12 is just outside of the air canada area, so a few min walk from the international terminal. This is fairly standard for most pick ups at airports in other cities.

[jlemire]

Originally Posted by squiggs96

So they aren't just letting any yahoo with a vehicle on the street to drive strangers around? Good! It should be a little time consuming so that dangerous people don't get Uber licenses, and the drivers have proper insurance should there be a car accident.

I really dislike your last sentence. Are you telling me you are just doing this to keep people safe? There are no other motives? Is $700 really that punitive? Compared to many other jobs, $700 doesn't seem like a lot. Trades need tools. Professionals need tuition and books. Even in many restaurants you need to buy uniforms. I'm also in favour of people having to put a little skin in the game, to prove they're serious about it. It gives the consumers a better product, and the company better service. It's kind of like internet dating. If you put a free ad on craiglist, you're likely not going to get as good of a partner as you would if you went to match.com.

I just noticed this post so I feel like I need to defend myself. I have been driving for a month now and love it I've made some ok money and met some great people along the way. As for your "is $700 really that much?" for someone who doesn't make a ton of money at my Monday-Friday job yes $700 is a lot of money.... That's over 50% of a cheque now add bills/Mortgage to it that doesn't leave a ton of disposable income. As far as is there other motives to driving well yes the added income is nice however for the last 14 years of my adult life I've been the DD and done it without question and NEVER asked friends or family for money, mainly because when I was 13 I lost my uncle to a drunk driver and I vowed that I wouldn't lose anyone else.

[Muta]

Originally Posted by leah12

Has anyone had any experiences taking uber from the airport? Are there people waiting there to give you a ride or must you summon a driver through the app?

Just took it last night from the airport, it was great. You have to summon them on the app, but just do it after you get off the plane. Super easy, you either get picked up at the Departures level at exit 1 (the WestJet terminal) or 12 (start of the ITB).

The ride cost me $38 as opposed to $50 with a cab, and no tipping is outstanding. Never cabbing it again to or from the airport. Only Uber.

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by jlemire

That is the biggest issue! it is VERY time consuming and expensive to become a driver and I get the feeling people are quitting before they even start!

I am just waiting on the background check and I will be good to go but it's still about 2 weeks away and I've been at it since the 2nd week in December. Plus the costs along the way im going to be in to it for $700ish that's steep for someone who just wants to work on the weekends and try to keep people safe!

$700?

Isn't it just the increase to your insurance? Should just be a couple hundred.

[jlemire]

Originally Posted by cam_wmh

$700?

Isn't it just the increase to your insurance? Should just be a couple hundred.

Increase to insurance was next to nothing with intact!

$20 - Class 4 Written test
$150 - Drivers Physical
$150 - Class 4 Drivers test
$80 - New License
$50 - ELVIS inspection on my car
$200 - New windshield as there was a small rock chip that wouldn't pass inspection without it fixed
$60 - new plate and registration

So a little over $700 but again i've made that back within the first month of driving part time but up front if you don't make a lot of money it can be expensive! also you can find a few things a little cheaper now and take the $200 out for the windshield.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Muta

Just took it last night from the airport, it was great. You have to summon them on the app, but just do it after you get off the plane. Super easy, you either get picked up at the Departures level at exit 1 (the WestJet terminal) or 12 (start of the ITB).

The ride cost me $38 as opposed to $50 with a cab, and no tipping is outstanding. Never cabbing it again to or from the airport. Only Uber.

What I don't understand is that people think they need to tip with a cab but don't need to tip with uber. Why is there a difference?

Essentially with Uber you have decided not to tip, you could do the same with a cab.

[Muta]

Originally Posted by GGG

What I don't understand is that people think they need to tip with a cab but don't need to tip with uber. Why is there a difference?

Essentially with Uber you have decided not to tip, you could do the same with a cab.

Right, but because Uber has an all-in-one fee, there's no awkwardness when you leave the vehicle and not tip your driver. As much I don't agree with tipping, it's still an expected requirement with taxis whether we like it or not.

[Weitz]

My only complain with Uber is that the drivers I have gotten seem to be in their first year of driving or something stupid. So timid. Drive 30 km/h. Missing turns on their GPS.

Good grief.