Uber to Resume in Calgary December 6 2016

[GGG]

I don't think it's PR before or after. It's just that most people aren't stupid. The old laws were terrible, the city proposed reasonable new laws. So before when the city hadn't done anything for two years they were in fact the bad guy.

No one supported the existing framework for taxi service. If you look at the arguements in this thread it was around was uber right to break the law or not. There has never been an issue so one sided on cp.

Now Uber is reaching. But they did win a small victory today on inspections so there strategy is working. I assume they will maintain there pouty position in hopes to get more concessions until insurance is fixed and then they will begin to operate.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Weitz

Don't see how you can do this on the side to make money. Which isnt this whole thing supposed to be for?

why not? All the fees could be covered by a $1 increase to the base fair that went to the driver. Still cheaper than cabs.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by GGG

why not? All the fees could be covered by a $1 increase to the base fair that went to the driver. Still cheaper than cabs.

Which on the side driver will do 500+ trips to make that back?

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Weitz

Which on the side driver will do 500+ trips to make that back?

How part time are these guys. 10 trips a week seems like a reasonable threshold for a part time driver to be economical.

And it's not 500 trips difference between Edmonton and Calgary now as both have yearly inspections and class 4 licences. It's 220 plus the cost difference between background checks. And really closer to $170 as uber pays for the edmontons guys licenses

[Addick]

Originally Posted by Weitz

Don't see how you can do this on the side to make money. Which isnt this whole thing supposed to be for?

No. It's to enable pre-booked taxi and ride-sharing services in general and not just Uber's model of pre-booked taxi and ride-sharing services.

[Amethyst]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

If the class 4 requirement stays, then that also requires a medical. The class 4 also has a longer more thorough road test.

The road test is the same. You just have to score higher to pass.

[Amethyst]

The City's new rules seem reasonable to me. When I first heard of Uber, I was all for it. Then I learned more about the company and they seemed kind of shady to me. With their latest response, any good will I had left for them has disappeared. No, this does not mean I'm a fan of the taxi industry either.

If this new system is so bad for Uber, I would like them to tell me why, instead of just saying "it's unworkable for ride-sharing." If it's the cost, why not charge more? According to what I've read here, people want Uber because they can't get a taxi and for the free water bottles and good radio stations.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Amethyst

The road test is the same. You just have to score higher to pass.

Really? When I did it, ugh...almost 20 years ago(so old)...it was about a 45 minute road test, and had a few items the normal one didn't. They must have changed it.

[Swayze11]

[Looch City]

Awaiting new thread titled "Lyft to Launch in Calgary".

[getbak]

It looks like Lyft doesn't serve any cities outside the US yet. I wonder what their international expansion plans are? Moving into a city with established rules would be easier than trying to start from scratch.

[Wormius]

Well, technically it also opens the door for a locally grown ride sharing program. Besides the app, what does Uber or Lyft offer?

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Swayze11

They forgot to add......

Unfortunately even if we got exactly what we wanted we still couldn't have started because the insurance issues haven't been fixed yet so we hope you push your city council to change the bylaw more in our favour.

They haven't sacrificed anything yet. They will still be here. You don't go spend all of the money it took to get to this point to bail over $200 per year.

[calgarywinning]

You know, when I read this thread it's why North America will fail.

It's no secret that i've been a strong component of free will, competition and innovation.

We can't secure wage, we can't secure supply and demand. It's ludicrous to admonish a company that is eminently better than the pre-existing Taxi cartel's and even worse, government.

You want legislation and to demonize what is a great service which made it viable to move around the city cost effectively, then you get what you deserve. The government is anti-business, and pro-social. Let's guarantee Cab Rates no matter economic conditions and wages. Why not a Cab Rate raise? You want to freeze your balls off in -30 celc with no transportation option, have at it. MILD winter has definitely skewed this debate.

Also, as far as the governments involvement in any business, it's an absolute disaster. CT scans for cancer and other problems are now double the wait times. Thank god the city is not involved with medicare, it would be even worse then it is now.

Uber is a superior service at a better price. Which creates fear and fear mongering.

Candle makers were none to happy about electricity.

[jayswin]

What a bull**** letter. I get that it's all posturing, but what that letter should really read is "Your city was tough to work with at first, but then responded and made changes to attempt to help us enter your market, but in the end our business model of paying part time, non-professional drivers sweet **** all was ruined by a couple of small fees that would be pretty negligible if we had regular drivers, so we'll take our ball and go home".

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by Weitz

Don't see how you can do this on the side to make money. Which isnt this whole thing supposed to be for?

From what I understand it starts out that way with casual drivers but once they get a good share of the Taxi industry it becomes a full time gig for a lot of people, and former cabbies. From that point they start to squeeze the drivers, so they are worse off than when they drove taxi.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by cam_wmh

As an aside, lately there are tons of cabs at most hours of the night downtown/beltline/mission.

Probably a lot to do with the downturn of the economy. You won't need Uber to find a ride if this keeps up.

[HotHotHeat]

Originally Posted by calgarywinning

You know, when I read this thread it's why North America will fail.

Uber had the public in their back pocket. Even after the decision yesterday, all they had to do was release a statement yesterday that says

"the cost of running a ride share service in Calgary will be more expensive due to by-laws coming into effect. We hope to launch soon under the most competitive model possible given the climate, and will continue to work with the city to better the regulations in place"

Boom. Done. Instead they look amateurish and uncooperative.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by calgarywinning

Uber is a superior service at a better price.

And it accomplishes this only through a decidedly uneven playing field in which Uber's direct competition is held to far greater regulatory standards than even this new bylaw forces on Uber, and through the exploitation of a surplus of drivers working at, near or below minimum wage level earnings.

The city took away the slanted playing field and it took away Uber's ability to pretend driving for them is all profit, no risk. Suddenly, we see just how lacking in innovation Uber truly is.

[Rutuu]

Originally Posted by GGG

They forgot to add......

Unfortunately even if we got exactly what we wanted we still couldn't have started because the insurance issues haven't been fixed yet so we hope you push your city council to change the bylaw more in our favour.

They haven't sacrificed anything yet. They will still be here. You don't go spend all of the money it took to get to this point to bail over $200 per year.

You're so small town and don't even know it. If Calgary wants to be world class act like it.

It's giving someone a ride. It should be the most elastic service a region with a licensing system has... Take the 10,000ft view of the situation.

- Calgarian Abroad In An Area With Uber For The Last 2yrsThat Loves Innovation and His Hometown Not Barriers To Entry For New Businesses