Uber to Resume in Calgary December 6 2016

[Muta]

Uber can't come back fast enough.

And ###### these cabbies that are bitching about it. Don't like Uber? Try working in another industry - to be specific, ANY industry - where competition is real, and plentiful. Typically, we don't go on hunger strikes because of it. You either work harder and smarter to improve your product, or you jump to your competition. That's reality in any other industry.

Cabbies are a bunch of crybabies.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by heep223

Tried to get a taxi to the game on Friday night. Was told that the wait was over an hour by multiple companies (the ones I could get through to). Was butthurt.

Never call. Use the apps and they arrive really quick.

Used Uber twice in Edmonton on friday night, worked really well!

[heep223]

Originally Posted by Weitz

Never call. Use the apps and they arrive really quick.

Used Uber twice in Edmonton on friday night, worked really well!

Yeah I tried to use the app after calling, it didn't work for some reason and I'm embarrassed to say that I can't remember why. May have been my fault. The beer was flowing.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Dan02

Filed my first complaint ever about a cabbie who refused us a ride because "he wasn't going that way" on friday night. Waited 20 minutes for him to show up, then he does the roll the window down 6 inches thing and says too bad and takes off. The cab commission is supposed to respond to the complaints with in a week so I'm interested to see whether they take action or if the passengers bill of rights is just a bunch of BS. FU cabbie number 1103.

Amazing how Uber is gone for a coupe weeks and the cab service is right back to absolute ####. I cannot wait for Uber to be back.

You cant be serious. Its a cab, he's going whatever way you're paying him to go.

[Dan02]

Originally Posted by heep223

Yeah I tried to use the app after calling, it didn't work for some reason and I'm embarrassed to say that I can't remember why. May have been my fault. The beer was flowing.

No on friday night there was literally no cabs on the app either. I live downtown and use the app frequently and usually get matched to a cab nearly instantaneously, on Friday night we waited over 20 minutes and checker called to tell us they still couldn't find a cab for us.

We eventually got lucky when associated dropped off a fare right infront of my building.

[Knut]

Could not get a cab from the Saddledome on Friday night, so my wife and I jumped on the Ranchmans party bus. We jumped in a cab had dropped someone off after a quick drink .

Better option than making the trek to one of the casino's and killing an hour.

[sa226]

Anecdotal story alert.

First off, I'm fully on board with Uber. Used it, think its great.

But had two experiences with cabs on Saturday during Christmas party season. One was a pre booked ride from the bridgeland area to Auburn Bay. The other was from downtown to the Bridgeland area using a Taxi chit.

Both were seamless, on time and the cabbies provided good service.

What I do wonder is if a few cabbies in general are trying to improve their service with their "livelihood" under the microscope. Or if my experiences just fall into the category of "some are good, some are crappy"

[Coach]

Some are good, some are crappy. No one has a (valid) excuse to not allow competition in their markets. Sorry, this is how capitalism works. Someone has a better idea than you, adapt or die.

[Huntingwhale]

With Uber being pushed back for the time being and the holiday season here, it's really make or break time for cabbies around town to prove they are a better alternative then Uber.

But we all know that this taxi holiday season is going to be horrible.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Huntingwhale

With Uber being pushed back for the time being and the holiday season here, it's really make or break time for cabbies around town to prove they are a better alternative then Uber.

But we all know that this taxi holiday season is going to be horrible.

They've been set up to fail. There just arent enough of them and their reprehensible service has probably already resulted in people making alternative arrangements.

[rohara66]

Work Christmas party this past Saturday and we got taxi chits for Checker.

Called them Saturday morning to book a cab for 5:30 to get to party for 6:00 and they weren’t taking reservations between 5:00-7:00pm. Got a friend to drop us off in exchange to drive him to his Christmas party next weekend. On the way down I downloaded the checker cab app (which seemed to be great).

Party ends just before midnight, power up the app and there’s a cab 4-5 blocks away (I can literally see him down the street), sweet deal, so I booked it. Cab continues towards me, I see the cab # matches the one I just booked 30 seconds earlier, I wave it down and he drives by me, pulls a #### hook into a hotel parking lot and picks some other people up then goes speeding away past me. WTF is the point of this app? This all developed within the block I was standing on.

Luckily we loitered around the hotel and got a cab a 5 minutes later but why have people book cabs if they don’t even follow it? Cabbie should of had my confirmation # and name but obviously didn't care. The app is showing a confirmed pickup and delivery.

[4X4]

Originally Posted by Dan02

Filed my first complaint ever about a cabbie who refused us a ride because "he wasn't going that way" on friday night. Waited 20 minutes for him to show up, then he does the roll the window down 6 inches thing and says too bad and takes off. The cab commission is supposed to respond to the complaints with in a week so I'm interested to see whether they take action or if the passengers bill of rights is just a bunch of BS. FU cabbie number 1103.

Amazing how Uber is gone for a coupe weeks and the cab service is right back to absolute ####. I cannot wait for Uber to be back.

Originally Posted by rohara66

Work Christmas party this past Saturday and we got taxi chits for Checker.

Called them Saturday morning to book a cab for 5:30 to get to party for 6:00 and they weren’t taking reservations between 5:00-7:00pm. Got a friend to drop us off in exchange to drive him to his Christmas party next weekend. On the way down I downloaded the checker cab app (which seemed to be great).

Party ends just before midnight, power up the app and there’s a cab 4-5 blocks away (I can literally see him down the street), sweet deal, so I booked it. Cab continues towards me, I see the cab # matches the one I just booked 30 seconds earlier, I wave it down and he drives by me, pulls a #### hook into a hotel parking lot and picks some other people up then goes speeding away past me. WTF is the point of this app? This all developed within the block I was standing on.

Luckily we loitered around the hotel and got a cab a 5 minutes later but why have people book cabs if they don’t even follow it? Cabbie should of had my confirmation # and name but obviously didn't care. The app is showing a confirmed pickup and delivery.

None of this surprises me. At all. Same sh*t, different year. The only thing that does surprise me is that taxi companies continue to suck so badly in Calgary. Blatant disregard for their customers, and also for their own business. How the hell they expect to stay in business once Uber is legally running full tilt is a hilarious mystery.

The best part about this is that the good drivers, the ones that are out there trying to make money, will be able to do that as an Uber driver. And the ones that are selective of their fares can choose not to accept my request for a ride via app, instead of dissing me right on the street. And best of all, hopefully the actual taxi companies feel the pain right in their bank accounts. I hope payback is a real bitch for the companies.

And after it all becomes clear that Uber is "just as bad" as a cab company, for squeezing the drivers for 20 or 25%, then along will come another company that will "be better" than Uber. And so will go the natural progression of business. People that want to drive for a living will have better options, and people that want a f'ing ride will have better options. And this stupid taxi cartel will be out of business, thanks to their own unwillingness to improve and adapt. And I will look out upon thee and smile with joy.

[GGG]

I always ask drivers what they think of uber and 3/4 so far have said they rent cabs and would make more money under uber and couldn't wait for them to be legal. The fourth was a plate owner who was pretty rangy on how they were killing his investment.

So I suspect a lot of the no cards, need longer fair people are renting the licence and are trying to make decent money but it's difficult given the rent. So they are victims of the current system as well.

[Travis Munroe]

I posted a few reviews online but figured I would share it here as well.

Was going for dinner with the gf and her sister before a concert at the dome a couple weeks back. There is a parking lot a block down from Charcut across from whatever hotel that is that I pulled into. I see a guy taking a piss and assume he was homeless, I then can see he is pissing all over the bumper of a new jeep and homeless or not, I am going to say something to him. Before I can even get out of the car he scurries across the street and hops into his cab which was waiting in line to get a fare from the hotel.
I simply shook my head and took down his plate #, he just stared at me and didnt say a word.
As I was walking towards the restaurant I saw a police van parked and flagged him down. Not really sure if they did anything about it but was thoroughly disgusted. Not only was this "professional" peeing all over someones car when a bathroom was surely the same distance inside the hotel but he obviously doesnt wash his hands and then takes someones CC who is paying him.

Checker cab, plate # K 57339

[manwiches]

Originally Posted by Dan02

Filed my first complaint ever about a cabbie who refused us a ride because "he wasn't going that way" on friday night. Waited 20 minutes for him to show up, then he does the roll the window down 6 inches thing and says too bad and takes off. The cab commission is supposed to respond to the complaints with in a week so I'm interested to see whether they take action or if the passengers bill of rights is just a bunch of BS. FU cabbie number 1103.

Amazing how Uber is gone for a coupe weeks and the cab service is right back to absolute ####. I cannot wait for Uber to be back.

I've had a similar experience with a cab in Calgary. Was coming out of a company Christmas party a couple years ago, -20 out. Was trying to find a cab to get to bridgeland for my wife and my friend and I. Spent 10 minutes walking down 8th ave from bankers almost to Olympic plaza, found one amongst the zoo. Opened the door and told the guy where we were going and he said not worth his time and to go away. I tried to calmly reason with him and say his ride would be 10-15 minutes for us, id tip him well, and he'd be back there in no time. He literally was shooing me and telling me to leave him alone. Needless to say, I got in a wicked screaming match with him.

Some cabbies are great. Some are terrible. I think Uber gives consumers an opportunity to do as they please. I used both in a recent trip to San Fran. Uber was obviously cheaper, but cabs down there were much more professional. Just my experience.

[TheAlpineOracle]

These cab drivers sure know how to push even more people to using Uber's services.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toront...ideo-1.3357166

That is a crime. Toronto police should be charging this guy and making an example out of him.

[TheAlpineOracle]

Originally Posted by Dan02

No on friday night there was literally no cabs on the app either. I live downtown and use the app frequently and usually get matched to a cab nearly instantaneously, on Friday night we waited over 20 minutes and checker called to tell us they still couldn't find a cab for us.

We eventually got lucky when associated dropped off a fare right infront of my building.

Hear anything back yet?

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by TheAlpineOracle

These cab drivers sure know how to push even more people to using Uber's services.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toront...ideo-1.3357166

That is a crime. Toronto police should be charging this guy and making an example out of him.

They really have this PR thing clocked, don't they? In addition to that moron holding on to the car, part of their "protest" was to drive really slowly, convoy style, down the freeway in TO.

I'm not familiar with their road system, but from the footage I saw it looked like the equivalent of Deerfoot, and hundreds of taxis taking up two or three lines, going about 20.

One way to get people on your side is to slow down their commute. They love that!

[peter12]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

They really have this PR thing clocked, don't they? In addition to that moron holding on to the car, part of their "protest" was to drive really slowly, convoy style, down the freeway in TO.

I'm not familiar with their road system, but from the footage I saw it looked like the equivalent of Deerfoot, and hundreds of taxis taking up two or three lines, going about 20.

One way to get people on your side is to slow down their commute. They love that!

Yeah, totally bone-headed response.

[RW99]

I love how when I try to use the crosswalk at an intersection I get cut off by cabs. They always wave as a sort of apology, yet not caring at the same time.