REVscene Automotive Forum - Uber Finally Coming to Vancouver

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Uber Finally Coming to Vancouver

But the catch is we have to re-elect the Liberals again... Fuck me BibleThump

Uber Vancouver: BC government announces support for ride-sharing | Vancouver Sun

Quote:

VICTORIA – B.C.’s Liberal government says it will allow ride-hailing companies like Uber and Lyft into the province, should the Liberal party win May’s provincial election.

The companies will be allowed to operate in B.C. by December 2017, said Transportation Minister Todd Stone.

Stone and TransLink Minister Peter Fassbender made the announcement in Vancouver on Tuesday, after more than a year of consultation on how to regulate ride sharing without decimating B.C.’s existing taxi industry.

The government will give the taxi industry $1 million to help it develop an app to compete with Uber and ICBC will spend $3.5 million to equip the taxi industry with crash avoidance technology in all taxis, as well as improve the insurance system for ride sharing, announced the government.

Taxi cabs will retain the exclusive rights to be hired by phone, at a taxi stand or flagged down at the curb. “That will be a competitive advantage for them,” said Fassbender.

Taxis will also be allowed to operate anywhere, as government removes the municipal borders on the industry. And the government said it will open up the taxi supply to address the shortage of taxis. “There will be no limitation on taxi licenses,” said Fassbender, who said cities will be allowed to add additional vehicles if they wish.

Uber, Lyft and other similar outfits operate on-demand car services that connect passengers with private drivers, mainly through smartphone apps.

Uber had aggressively lobbied the B.C. government for approval over the past year, arguing it needed a special licensing scheme for its drivers that was separate from traditional taxis. The American-based company hired one of Premier Christy Clark’s top advisors from the 2013 election, and attempted to influence public opinion through an advertising campaign that billed Vancouver as an embarrassment because it was the largest North American city yet to allow ride-sharing services.

But the government worried about how ride-hailing would undercut the existing taxi industry, in which drivers have often invested hundreds of thousands of dollars into the limited supply of taxi licenses (investments often backstopped by home and business mortgages) in order to operate under provincial rules.

While private Uber drivers could operate without geographic or price restrictions, the existing taxi industry has been bound by licenses tied to specific municipal borders and fixed pricing set by the province. B.C.’s business community had called on the province to drop those restrictions to let the taxi industry compete with ride sharing.

Some Canadian provinces, such as Ontario and Alberta, already allow Uber and ride sharing services. Ontario recently changed its insurance rules, requiring private Uber drivers to buy extra vehicle insurance that would apply while the driver is on the app and then revert back to the person’s private auto insurance when they are not on the clock.

Though it is arguably the leading ride sharing company, Uber has also been beset with controversy the past few months, including allegations of allowing a sexist culture, surge-pricing during major events like terrorist attacks, and ignoring the municipal bylaws and rules within jurisdictions where it operates.

The New York Times recently reported that the company has been using a software tool, called Greyball, to collect data from its app users since 2014 in order to deceive regulators in markets where the firm is being resisted or has been banned.

According to the Times, Uber used Greyball to identify users of its app who might be involved with regulation or law enforcement. Such users were denied service, while their app was populated with “ghost cars” so Uber drivers could evade being monitored

So sneaky by the Liberals. I'm sure they will come out with a few more surprises over the next month to try and entice voters to re-elect Christy.

What is the NDP's stance on Uber anyways?

Last attempt to buy votes I'm guessing. Not that it would make a large dent in the outcome, but I'm sure they've just lost all the support from taxi drivers and their families.

Quote:

Originally Posted by stewie (Post 8827609)

Last attempt to buy votes I'm guessing. Not that it would make a large dent in the outcome, but I'm sure they've just lost all the support from taxi drivers and their families.

I guess that means most of Surrey won't be voting for Crusty Clark :troll:

hahaha this is gonna get interesting. Liberals are getting desperate, and funny how everything happens after theyre elected back in

its like we're all getting blackmailed to vote for them

"Though it is arguably the leading ride sharing company, Uber has also been beset with controversy the past few months, including allegations of allowing a sexist culture, surge-pricing during major events like terrorist attacks, and ignoring the municipal bylaws and rules within jurisdictions where it operates."

They couldn't think fo another major event other than a terrorist attack WTF????

inb4 exclusive Uber tax in BC

Liberals are going to get back in regardless.

Cabs in Vancouver are a fucking joke, fuck them.

Can never get a cab when you need one, even in prime spots like water front station etc. insane rates ($60 to Burnaby from downtown??) scammers with their meters etc.

Bring on uber, fuck I may even end up driving for them!

Libs are pretty invincible tbh

It'd take a bunch of incredibly huge fuck ups on their part to screw up this election

The NDP always has incredibly abrasive leaders with little to no charisma, this election is even more evident of this than previously.

Last election was their best shot and they missed the boat

The provincial parties are as appealing as Trump/Clinton.

Do you actually think BC will elect NDP over the Liberals?
Our province is Liberal, like it or not =/

Why don't think just not allow uber and lyft and make the changes to the taxi system?

If they get rid of limited licenses and municipal boundaries, plus makes an app, does't that satisfy everyone?

Won't that increase supply and make it easier to find a cab with a taxi app? And we don't have to ruin these peoples (taxi drivers) lives?

Uber is dangerous and scary. Just think of all the stuff they could do with all the data they collect.

Uber is spreading themselves really thin. They are losing billions every year. Competition, and a race to the bottom is revealing all the problems that Uber is having.

How much does Uber pay its drivers? As an Uber driver, you are considered a contractor. Insurance, maintenance, fuel, and tolls will need to be covered, and that's just for the vehicle. The driver will also need to factor in other employment expenses like paying income tax and health/medical premiums. I doubt it's going to get much better since Uber is subsidizing the fares.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Manic! (Post 8827630)

Uber is dangerous and scary. Just think of all the stuff they could do with all the data they collect.

As if apple, google isn't doing the same. Or any apps that you give permission to allow that to happen.

Haven't voted for the Liberals in ages will do so again this year. Doesn't matter if they win but vote are set.

My buddy who lives in TO says he's asked a few drivers who work "full time" for uber and he said the general answer is 80-100k a year

80-100k in revenue or profits though? Makes a huge difference if you haven't factored in costs to run things legitimately.

And also, how many hours? I doubt you're rolling that kinda money working 8hrs a day.

There's no way they are making $80-$100k as net profit.

My biggest fucking question is, why the fuck are we paying for the following?

"The government will give the taxi industry $1 million to help it develop an app to compete with Uber and ICBC will spend $3.5 million to equip the taxi industry with crash avoidance technology in all taxis, as well as improve the insurance system for ride sharing, announced the government."

The public will fund the fucking incompetency of the taxi industry for failure to innovate and compete? Fuck right off.

Stay away from driving for Uber. Most people actually make around minimum wage after all expenses when I was researching on Uber and Lyft a while back.

It might work if you do a part-time gig on Friday and Saturday night downtown, but that's about it. Vancouver is too sparse to make consistent income driving.

I know there's a Chinese one that mainlanders use. Friend showed it to me on Wechat. Apparently it's a bunch of dudes driving around in BMWs and Ferraris that try to pick up female passengers :lol

80-100 before everything else I'm sure.

There already is that stupid fucking taxi app that doesn't work worth shit. So now paying private entities to develop an app for cab companies cause they are butt hurt and in gregors pockets? Ffs..

Quote:

Originally Posted by Razor Ramon HG (Post 8827655)

I know there's a Chinese one that mainlanders use. Friend showed it to me on Wechat. Apparently it's a bunch of dudes driving around in BMWs and Ferraris that try to pick up female passengers :lol

reminds me of these types of articles i recently read about uber's troubles of guys preying on girls

Spoiler!

Quote:

Originally Posted by murd0c (Post 8827610)

I guess that means most of Surrey won't be voting for Crusty Clark :troll:

http://i.imgur.com/Po3wcH4.gif

Quote:

Originally Posted by flagella (Post 8827654)

My biggest fucking question is, why the fuck are we paying for the following?

"The government will give the taxi industry $1 million to help it develop an app to compete with Uber and ICBC will spend $3.5 million to equip the taxi industry with crash avoidance technology in all taxis, as well as improve the insurance system for ride sharing, announced the government."

The public will fund the fucking incompetency of the taxi industry for failure to innovate and compete? Fuck right off.

The public is paying the outdated taxi industry because that's the only way the government can get buy-in from them as a lobby group. Think of it as a bribe to shut them up. Similar tactics has always been used in government negotiations in the past, and will continue to be used in the future when the government wants to get something done. A "recent" example that I can think of was how Drunk Driving Campbell dangled a huge signing bonus for the various public unions' CBA prior to the 2010 Olympics.

What I don't understand is, how can the Liberals consider this to be an effective vote-buying strategy? Even with the $3.5M carrot dangling in front of the taxi industry, I bet a lot of taxi drivers are still going to reject it simply because they hear Uber will be allowed to operate. On the other hand, the move can easily be countered by the NDP by simply coming out to say that they will also approve Uber / Lyft to operate in BC if they win the election.

Politically, I certainly consider myself closer to the Liberals on the political spectrum. But these suckers have long overstayed their welcome in the office, so I am going to try everything I can to get them thrown out in May.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Traum (Post 8827663)

Politically, I certainly consider myself closer to the Liberals on the political spectrum. But these suckers have long overstayed their welcome in the office, so I am going to try everything I can to get them thrown out in May.

Yup, I've always considered myself to be more on the Liberal side of things than NDP, but the Libs have become too lazy and complacent. The fact that they've been in power for so long has gotten to them and they think they're invincible.