Uber's Toughest Year Yet

"MojoMotors.com" (MojoMotors)
12/30/2014 at 10:45 • Filed to: uber, ridesharing, public relations, mojo motors, 2014, infographic, taxi, livery service, black car, startup, tech, silicon valley

There are many ride sharing services that provide an alternative to traditional taxi cabs, but none larger than Uber. With backing from big names like Google Ventures, Goldman Sachs and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Uber has expanded globally and !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! They're now worth an estimated $40 billion and still growing. But monumental growth does not come without growing pains.

The same aggressive business and marketing strategies that made Uber a success have also got them into trouble several times this year. From shady business tactics, to neglecting passenger safety, to privacy issues, Uber has gotten almost as much bad publicity in 2014 as !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! That's why we've put together this infographic that shows the company's public relations missteps throughout 2014.

Marketing Stunts Gone Wrong

JUNE: UBER USES GAY MARRIAGE TO GAIN PUBLICITY: Uber is known for capitalizing on current events to gain publicity, such as when Uber delivered kittens so customers could enjoy a 15 minute cuddling session in honor of National Cat Day. That was cute. But during Gay Pride Week in June, Uber offered "weddings on demand", where Uber picked up couples and expedited the paperwork and marriage ceremony in under an hour. Critics felt that Uber's stunt was in bad taste and discounted marriage altogether.

OCTOBER 20th: UBER PARTNERS WITH AVIONS DE CHASSE: In Lyon, France, Uber partnered with a local company called Avion de chasse to provide Uber customers with attractive female drivers. The promotion was deemed sexist and prompted this article from !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

Aggressive and Careless Business Practices

AUGUST: LYFT CLAIMS UBER EMPLOYEES CANCELLED OVER 5,000 RIDES: Back in August, rival ridesharing company Lyft claimed Uber employees ordered and then cancelled over 5,000 rides over the course of a year to disrupt their service. They also claimed Uber recruiters would take short (and unprofitable) Lyft rides to lure drivers into joining Uber. Lyft claims 177 employees, some high ranking, were involved in the effort known internally as Operation SLOG.

NOVEMBER 14TH: UBER'S VP OF BUSINESS SAYS UBER SHOULD INVESTIGATE UBER CRITICS: At a dinner event in mid-November, Uber's VP of Business Emil Michael suggested that Uber should consider hiring researchers to investigate personal lives of journalists who write critically of the company. The remarks were officially "off the record", but as any senior executive should know, there is no such thing, especially when representatives of the media (including a BuzzFeed editor) are there to hear the remarks. Needless to say, the media backlash was severe.

NOVEMBER 18TH: UBER INVESTIGATING NYC EXECUTIVE FOR MISUSE OF "GOD VIEW": Right on the heels of Emil Michael's remarks, Uber announced that it was investigating its top NYC Exec for using "God View" to track a journalist without permission. It's long been suggested that Uber abuses the private information it collects, even touting its God View at company parties. God View, for those of you that don't know, is a program that Uber Executives (although some claim employees had access as well) use to see Uber drivers and passengers in real-time. Uber claims it only accesses data for legitimate business purposes, but multiple accounts suggest otherwise. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , data privacy is becoming a bigger issue.

DECEMBER 15TH: UBER'S RATES SURGE DURING HOSTAGE CRISIS IN SYDNEY, AU: Surge pricing has plagued Uber from the very beginning. During times of high demand, Uber increases its rates to incentivize more drivers to accept Uber rides. Although the premise is built in concrete economics, it doesn't make explaining a $200+ Uber charge any easier. The latest surge-pricing PR disaster came during the hostage situation in Sydney, Australia, where citizens fleeing the city were hit with the exorbitant rates. Uber was shamed into apologizing and offered refunds and reduced rates to some users. Uber's automated surge pricing is just another example of !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

Passenger Safety Issues

DECEMBER 31ST, 2013: UBER DRIVER KILLS 6 YEAR OLD GIRL AFTER FAILING TO YEILD IN CROSSWALK: On New Years Eve 2013, an Uber driver struck and killed a 6 year old girl named Sophia Liu while walking in a crosswalk with her mother and brother. Uber was quick to deny any liability, due to the fact that the driver was not giving a ride for Uber at that time, and Uber's insurance only covers drivers while giving a ride. This later led to change in Uber's insurance, but couldn't remove the bad taste in the public's mouth. The driver, Syed Muzaffar was charged with vehicular manslaughter in December 2014.

SEPTEMBER: UBER DRIVER ATTACKS PASSENGER WITH A HAMMER: In late September of 2014, Roberto Chicas and his friends ordered a ride from UberX. While some details of the ride are unclear, Chicas woke up in a hospital surrounded by doctors, lucky to be alive. The UberX driver attacked Chicas with a hammer and Chicas sustained a concussion and multiple face fractures that would require facial reconstructive surgery. It's possible that Mr. Chicas could lose eyesight in his left eye, or possibly the eye entirely. Uber claims their drivers are not employees and thus not responsible for their actions. However, Uber claims to run background checks on all of their drivers, and although Patrick Karajah (the driver) had no criminal history, perhaps a face-to-face meeting would have changed Uber's decision to hire him. Maybe !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

DECEMBER 6TH: UBER DRIVER WITH CRIMINAL PAST ALLEGEDLY RAPES PASSENGER NEW DELHI, INDIA: According to reports, a woman in India's capital of New Delhi used the Uber app to secure a ride home. During the trip, the woman fell asleep in the back of the cab and awoke to find herself in an unknown area. The driver then proceeded to assault and rape her inside of the car with the doors locked. Afterwards the driver brought the woman home and threatened her not to speak of the incident. Thankfully, she contacted the police and the driver was found and arrested by New Delhi police. The driver, Shiv Kumar Yadav, already spent time in jail for rape, but Uber's failure to perform a background check allowed him to drive for the service. After the assault, New Delhi banned all ride sharing services in the city, but lifted the ban at the end of December.

Looking Ahead

Not only does Uber operate in uncharted territory, it also disrupts existing services. That's why it's no wonder that they have run into so many obstacles in 2014. Uber has succeeded at making transportation seem fun and sexy, but the bottom line is that Uber needs to solidify its reputation as safe and reliable in 2015. This is not only for the livelihood of the 4 year old company, but for the safety of its users.

With a value estimation of $40 Billion and a global presence, Uber can no longer make mistakes under the guise of being a small start-up. The question is, will things keep getting worse in 2015. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! hasn't been granted access to "God View," so we'll just have to wait and see.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Original article here

Follow Mojo Motors

Mojo Motors is a website where shoppers Follow used cars and trucks to get alerts when dealers drop prices, sell cars and bring similar vehicles into inventory.

DISCUSSION (58)

Coty > MojoMotors.com
12/30/2014 at 10:53

Kinja'd!!!

Uber's Best March Ever.

MojoMotors.com > Coty
12/30/2014 at 10:56

Yeah, they crushed it in March.

Tobytoby > Coty
12/30/2014 at 13:06

At least two of three women who police said were indecently assaulted Sunday while using ride- sharing services in Boston had ordered vehicles through Uber, according to authorities.

The attacks were reported between 12 and 3 a.m. and occurred in Dorchester, the Allston-Brighton area, and an unspecified location between Faneuil Hall and Dorchester, Boston police said in a statement on their blog Monday night.

"The victims in two or more of the cases indicated that they had utilized the Uber app to secure transportation," said Officer James Kenneally, a police spokesman.

An UBER driver allegedly picked up a female passenger on the evening of December 6th this month and asked her to get cash out of an ATM, and took her to a secluded area where he beat and raped her. Police Commissioner Robert Haas and Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan have identified the suspect as Alejandro Done, 46, through Uber records.

We've also confirmed that Done passed the lax background check that Uber requires of its drivers.

To make matters worse, this is not the only recent rape allegation made against an Uber driver in Boston this month. The Boston Globe reports that at least two of three women who were assaulted Sunday night in Boston believe their attacker was an Uber driver.

Los Angeles : An Uber driver kidnapped a drunken woman and took her to a Motel where he against her will raped her .

Another of a long growing list of charges against Uber drivers we found this : Police did not arrest Whitmire at the time of the incident, but prosecutors followed up and determined they had enough evidence to charge him. Whitmire's second misdemeanor battery charge stems from an incident in March unrelated to Uber in which he allegedly pulled a victim by her ponytail onto the ground on Haight Street, said San Francisco district attorney spokesman Alex Bastian.

Whitmire's alleged assault is made worse because he shouldn't have been driving for Uber at all. As first reported by PandoDaily , Whitmire has a felony charge from 2012 for selling cocaine and is currently on probation for a battery charge. Uber has always said it had a "zero-tolerance" policy for alcohol and drug-related offenses, though the definition of that policy has changed over time. Uber's most recent background check criteria forbid drivers from having, among other things, drug-related charges or felony convictions within the last seven years, both of which Whitmire has.

NBC5 Investigates went undercover, hiring UberX drivers to take us to some of Chicago's most popular landmarks — and found not a single driver knew his way around the city.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

NBC5 then ran background checks on each of the drivers and discovered ticket after ticket — for speeding, illegal stops and running lights. One driver had 26 traffic tickets, yet still passed Uber's background check.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

"I have a three-page rap sheet," said California reformed criminal Beverly Locke, who agreed to help NBC test the system.

Other than that, Uber faced another case of rape in New Delhi, India, where the service was banned. Then, a number of markets brought down the hammer for various issues with ride-sharing, holding up the service in the Netherlands, Portland, France, and Brussels. Even in the company's home city of San Francisco, Uber was hit with a civil suit for making "misleading statements" and other unlawful activity.

And this is just the recent news. There was also the UberX driver who hit his passenger over the head with a hammer, and the Uber driver who struck and killed a young girl in San Francisco. The company denied responsibility, but the driver was charged this month.

In Los Angeles, LA Weekly reports that a 26-year-old clubgoer woke up in a motel room with an Uber driver shirtless next to her on the bed.

And in a separate incident in San Francisco, an UberX driver has been accused of shouting slurs at a customer and striking him when he tried to photograph the driver's car's license plate.

LA: Alleged Kidnapped by Uber Driver

Here's what happened in the Los Angeles case: An unidentified woman was drunk outside of Greystone Manor early Monday when a nightclub worker asked an Uber driver to take her home.

Typical Uber rides require a rider to request a ride via Uber's app, but LA Weekly reports that Uber

driver Frederick Dencer, 32, kept this ride "off-the-books." Final destination: a nearby motel.

Dencer's motives may have been partially pure — the woman did claim he tried to fondle her over her clothes — but his actions likely constitute kidnapping. Intoxicated or not, the victim probably didn't ask Dencer to take her to a motel with him — she wanted to go home. In California, kidnapping is serious felony which can carry a minimum sentence of three years in prison .

Uber's bad PR streak continues.

Nikki Williams, a South African singer-songwriter, tweeted on Saturday that she had reported an Uber driver for sexual harassment after he allegedly tried to "grab and kiss" Williams in her driveway.

Uber said it has since deactivated the driver, and apologized for the incident.

"Uber has zero tolerance for this behavior, and we apologize to Ms. Williams for this terrible experience. We immediately deactivated the driver, and have begun an investigation," Kaitlin Durkosh, a spokesperson for Uber, told Mashable.

Coty > Tobytoby
12/30/2014 at 13:25

I think it's cute how you want me to read all of that without any input from yourself.

StevenG > Coty
12/30/2014 at 13:31

I think it is cute that you are so quick to point out how short your own attention span is.

Tobytoby > MojoMotors.com
12/30/2014 at 13:33

At least two of three women who police said were indecently assaulted Sunday while using ride- sharing services in Boston had ordered vehicles through Uber, according to authorities.

"The victims in two or more of the cases indicated that they had utilized the Uber app to secure transportation," said Officer James Kenneally, a police spokesman.

We've also confirmed that Done passed the lax background check that Uber requires of its drivers.

Los Angeles : An Uber driver kidnapped a drunken woman and took her to a Motel where he against her will raped her .

NBC5 Investigates went undercover, hiring UberX drivers to take us to some of Chicago's most popular landmarks — and found not a single driver knew his way around the city.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

"I have a three-page rap sheet," said California reformed criminal Beverly Locke, who agreed to help NBC test the system.

In Los Angeles, LA Weekly reports that a 26-year-old clubgoer woke up in a motel room with an Uber driver shirtless next to her on the bed.

And in a separate incident in San Francisco, an UberX driver has been accused of shouting slurs at a customer and striking him when he tried to photograph the driver's car's license plate.

LA: Alleged Kidnapped by Uber Driver

Here's what happened in the Los Angeles case: An unidentified woman was drunk outside of Greystone Manor early Monday when a nightclub worker asked an Uber driver to take her home.

Typical Uber rides require a rider to request a ride via Uber's app, but LA Weekly reports that Uber

driver Frederick Dencer, 32, kept this ride "off-the-books." Final destination: a nearby motel.

Uber's bad PR streak continues.

Nikki Williams, a South African singer-songwriter, tweeted on Saturday that she had reported an Uber driver for sexual harassment after he allegedly tried to "grab and kiss" Williams in her driveway.

Uber said it has since deactivated the driver, and apologized for the incident.

Coty > StevenG
12/30/2014 at 13:33

Me too.

macanamera > StevenG
12/30/2014 at 13:34

I think it is cute tha

MojoMotors.com > Coty
12/30/2014 at 13:39

I think the Hello Kitty Smart Car is cute.

Kinja'd!!!

Coty > MojoMotors.com
12/30/2014 at 13:44

Needs Busa swap. HELLO KITTY SPAWN OF SATAN.

G42dog > MojoMotors.com
12/30/2014 at 13:47

When a company's business strategy is largely based on skirting laws (taxi service pretending to be "ride sharing"), you've got yourself an interesting situation. When they escalate that into downright breaking the law (i.e., continuing to operate in places where they were told to stop - as they have done in a few cities, apparently to see just how determined the authorities were), it becomes a bit sketchy. As an investor, that would give me pause.

But it's the jerk factor that really is going to kill them. They exploit their drivers (and it won't be long until they get called on it - they keep making ridiculous claims about earnings potential to lure in drivers, so sooner or later there'll be a class action and full legal discovery of all their business records). They piss off customers with surge pricing. But it's the safety thing that will be damaging beyhond repair - if people are afraid to arrange an Uber ride for fear of being assaulted, it doesn't matter how "disruptive" they are.

MojoMotors.com > G42dog
12/30/2014 at 13:49

Totally agree about the jerk factor. It isn't 'cute' to be a jerk when you have a $40b valuation.

PragmaticPanda > MojoMotors.com
12/30/2014 at 13:55

I think Hello Kitty Chainsaw is cute.

Kinja'd!!!

MFEJAL grey because who knows... > MojoMotors.com
12/30/2014 at 13:55

I don't understand why all the fuss about Uber. They are a tech company!

Where I work, we are creators of a revolution, using and creating new technologies, like GPS tracking, pneumatic braking, radio-assisted orientation, automatic billing, pre and post trips completely digitalized thanks to our innovative use of paper sheets with check boxes to avoid any mistakes, and robotized transmissions on all our units.

We also created a marriage between Google Earth, historic maps (creation of former pioneers, going to locations and writing maps by hand) and laser printing to handle state-of-the-art maps with clear marks for our partners.

By the way, we go to rigs, batteries, disposal wells, water pits and haul water, mud, brine, but we are NOT a trucking company servicing the oilfields, we are a technology company, same as UBER.

asspennies > MFEJAL grey because who knows...
12/30/2014 at 14:06

I guess you haven't realized that there sure are a lot of people getting persecuted, hurt, and killed by the direct and indirect actions of this particular "technology company".

the_valve_tapper > Coty
12/30/2014 at 14:16

How do you know it doesn't already have one?

Coty > the_valve_tapper
12/30/2014 at 14:16

We can hope, ja?

the_valve_tapper > Coty
12/30/2014 at 14:16

How do you know it doesn't already have one?

Coty > StevenG
12/30/2014 at 14:26

"Whitmire's second misdemeanor battery charge stems from an incident in March unrelated to Uber..."

I also think it's cute how you have no reading comprehension whatsoever.

readyset > MojoMotors.com
12/30/2014 at 14:28

12/29/14 : Uber carjacking NYC

Coty > Tobytoby
12/30/2014 at 14:29

"Whitmire's second misdemeanor battery charge stems from an incident in March unrelated to Uber..." lolwut, how is that relevant to anything?

canBitmap > MFEJAL grey because who knows...
12/30/2014 at 14:53

Something tells me if you and your co-workers beat and raped your customers, your company lied to you, had sleazy business practices, and took no responsibility for any wrong-doing, being a "tech company" would have nothing to do with public opinion.

Kaufmania: Mark Webber's Stunt Double > Coty
12/30/2014 at 15:05

May too!!

Coty > Kaufmania: Mark Webber's Stunt Double
12/30/2014 at 15:07

If you're gonna ride Uber, make sure it's an "M" month, first.

Kaufmania: Mark Webber's Stunt Double > Coty
12/30/2014 at 15:15

Movember doesn't count apparently.

HillaryClintonsSaggingBewbs > G42dog
12/30/2014 at 15:16

Do you have any statistics from credible sources that show Uber to be any less safe than a regular taxi?

radderar > Tobytoby
12/30/2014 at 15:17

Really weak article that managed to miss at least half of the times that Uber failed everyone, thanks for filling in the blanks.

HillaryClintonsSaggingBewbs > MFEJAL grey because who knows...
12/30/2014 at 15:19

Some people just have a problem with choice. If they dislike Uber, it's not enough for them to stop using their service; they want to force others to do the same.

HillaryClintonsSaggingBewbs > asspennies
12/30/2014 at 15:21

Who is Uber killing and persecuting? Do tell.

MojoMotors.com > HillaryClintonsSaggingBewbs
12/30/2014 at 15:24

No we don't, nor are we suggesting that Uber is less safe than a taxi. Here's an article from Biz Insider that suggests Uber is safer.

http://www.businessinsider.com/despite-its-pr…

Then again, regardless of the statistics, this Mojohnson does believe that Uber should take responsibility for the actions of the 'independent contractors' who drive its cars.

MojoMotors.com > MFEJAL grey because who knows...
12/30/2014 at 15:26

We are a tech company too, but 'creating a revolution' doesn't give us the right to be jerks.

MojoMotors.com > HillaryClintonsSaggingBewbs
12/30/2014 at 15:27

Nice handle. NOT.

asspennies > HillaryClintonsSaggingBewbs
12/30/2014 at 15:27

Will tell! Have already told, as a matter of fact. Did you bother reading the article, or what I said about "persecuted, hurt, and killed by the direct and indirect actions of this particular "technology company""?

MojoMotors.com > radderar
12/30/2014 at 15:31

Hmm, I wonder if your opinion of the article has anything to do with the fact that you are part owner of a cab company...

HillaryClintonsSaggingBewbs > MojoMotors.com
12/30/2014 at 15:31

You have truly mastered the art of sarcasm.

MojoMotors.com > HillaryClintonsSaggingBewbs
12/30/2014 at 15:34

Thx.

radderar > MojoMotors.com
12/30/2014 at 15:39

No, my opinion of Uber has to do with the fact that I am part owner of a cab company. My opinion of the article is that you somehow have a positive bias towards the Wal Mart of transportation companies. Maybe you're just too worried about being doxxed to do your job properly?

MFEJAL grey because who knows... > MojoMotors.com
12/30/2014 at 15:40

Our revolution is not having drivers lost in the middle of nowhere because the maps was written by someone who put a deer as reference to make a turn.

radderar > MojoMotors.com
12/30/2014 at 15:44

" Mojo Motors is a website where shoppers Follow cars to get alerts when dealers drop prices."

So, you have one ageist article about how old people are cab drivers, and that's bad, one article about how all professional drivers should lose their jobs, because the future, and one article where you half-assedly address Uber's problems through the year. What do ANY of those things have to do with buying cars?

Unspiek Baron Bodissey > Tobytoby
12/30/2014 at 15:44

Compared to how many assaults, rapes and other crimes by "traditional" cab drivers? worldwide?

MojoMotors.com > radderar
12/30/2014 at 15:48

Kinja'd!!!

G42dog > HillaryClintonsSaggingBewbs
12/30/2014 at 16:22

Sure, it's all those evil collectivists trying to take away consumer choice. Yep, that must be it...

The taxi industry sucks and is in serious need of reform. As part of that, we should take a very careful look at which of the myriad regulations around taxis might no longer serve us. But let's not forget that regulating taxis in the first place serves some important purposes - safety being one of those.

If you let Uber provide the same service as cabs or limos (because that's what they do - you order a ride, you're driven from point a to point b, you pay for the service - whether you order your ride through an app or by calling 1-800-YELLOWCAB is irrelevant) but you don't subject them to the same requirements for insurance, driver background checks, vehicle inspection, etc., you're going to drive cabs out of business. And that, in turn, reduces choice.

G42dog > MFEJAL grey because who knows...
12/30/2014 at 16:25

Uber sells rides. You contract with Uber; they contract with drivers. That makes them just like the cab and limo companies they compete with (many of which also contract with owner/operators). You could argue that they are a tech company, in the same way that Walmart is really a logistics company (which is very much true). But that's just where they are looking to differentiate themselves - and it has no bearing on the fact that at heart, they are providing taxi and limo services.

Tobytoby > MojoMotors.com
12/30/2014 at 16:30

Hmmm, I wonder if your an Uber / Lyft driver defending your criminal activities .............

Tobytoby > MojoMotors.com
12/30/2014 at 16:34

I didn't read anything from the Business Insider since they actually are owned by Uber . Try leaving a negative comment(s) against the Uber / Lyft monopoly with the " Insider " and see how fast your comment gets deleted .

HillaryClintonsSaggingBewbs > G42dog
12/30/2014 at 16:42

That's a real stretch. If any cab companies are forced to downsize or go out of business, it's only because consumers chose to forego their services in favor of Uber.

I think we're in agreement that taxi industry regulation is in need of reform but I'm pretty sure few, if any, people would be having that discussion were it not for Uber bringing the issue to light.

Tobytoby > MojoMotors.com
12/30/2014 at 16:42

No I'm not, Uber driver . Sorry .....

BBlades > MojoMotors.com
12/30/2014 at 16:45

Uber: The answer to the question, why do we need taxi cab regulation.

Tobytoby > MojoMotors.com
12/30/2014 at 16:57

Uber owns Business Insider . Try making a negative comment(s) against Uber with the Insider and you'll find your comment(s) gets deleted .

Tobytoby > MojoMotors.com
12/30/2014 at 18:19

The Business Insider is actually Uber . Try saying anything against Uber and your comment gets deleted . Uber's most beffective tool is deception .

Rick Brasche > MojoMotors.com
12/30/2014 at 18:27

we get it. All the tech/social media bigwigs are heavily invested in Uber, and will constantly find a steady supply of "defenders" who totally are not employees, part of a "experiment" or paid shills to provide defense for this exploitative "disruptive" business model.

The same people who get butthurt about retail employees having to work holidays at time-and-a-half somehow don't see a model of foisting all risk onto the "contractors" as a problem.

It all depends on whose making money from you it seems. If the tech VC's aren't involved, it'd be considered the most evil thing ever. But when they are, no matter what the scheme, it's suddenly hailed beyond all reason.

Tobytoby > MojoMotors.com
12/30/2014 at 18:32

Nice try.............Business Insider is actually Uber ! Uber's biggest tool is deception .

G42dog > HillaryClintonsSaggingBewbs
12/30/2014 at 19:12

Is that a stretch? Let's say you have government regulation regulating working conditions in widget factories. There are ten existing factories making widgets following those rules. Then an eleventh factory opens, claims the workers are all there as independent contractors, not as employees, and doesn't follow those rules. As a result, they pay their people less and don't spend money on safety gear - and are thus able to sell their widgets more cheaply.

If consumers choose to forego the more expensive widgets and buy from the new factory instead, does that make it OK because it was consumer choice? Or did the eleventh factory break the law to gain an unfair (and illegal) competitive advantage?

Taxi services are regulated as to price. That's partially to prevent gouging at peak demand (surge pricing anyone?), and partially to subsidize the taxi companies for burdens related to having to serve areas/hours they might not otherwise choose (Uber gets to cherry pick whom they serve). We can analyze all day whether the rules make a lot of sense - and probably agree that they need serious improvement. But I have a hard time seeing how allowing Uber to ignore the rules for essentially the same service wouldn't give them an unfair advantage.

Dusty Ventures > MojoMotors.com
12/30/2014 at 23:14

Kinja'd!!!

I get to use this comic again!

Justin W > MojoMotors.com
12/31/2014 at 10:54

I see exactly one negative in this entire article, which was "Operation SLOG." Everything else mentioned is WAY overblown.

HillaryClintonsSaggingBewbs > G42dog
12/31/2014 at 13:29

Deregulation would help level the playing field in this case. Competitive pricing is not Uber's only differentiator, however.

As for the surge pricing, it exists primarily to provide an incentive for drivers to come out and work during adverse conditions and emergencies. I wouldn't want to drive people around during a major blizzard and take on additional risk with no attendant increase in compensation. Would you?

I don't really see what business it is of mine what areas or hours these companies choose to serve.

davedave1111 > MojoMotors.com
12/31/2014 at 16:11

The evidence isn't just that Uber's safer than regular cabs, but orders of magnitude safer. It's very clearly a great way of preventing assaults by taxi drivers. The existing taxi cartels have been very successful in pushing a dishonest viewpoint here.

G42dog > HillaryClintonsSaggingBewbs
12/31/2014 at 17:52

Deregulation can be a double-edged sword. I think we can all agree that there needs to be a minimum of health and safety regulation. What that minimum is - well, that's a political decision, to be made in a democratic fashion in each jurisdiction. We tend to vote for people who then set those rules (and no, I don't for a minute pretend that much of that rulemaking is subject to regulatory capture by entrenched interests).

Beyond health and safety, there are other considerations. The taxi permit system gives companies the exclusive right to serve a market for rides in a particular jurisdiction. In exchange, they have to play by certain rules - pricing, equal access, etc. For example, if you catch a cab at the airport and ask for a ride to a place that's undesirable to the cabby (no return fares from there, etc.), they can't refuse you service). Think of those as public accommodation regulation. Again, there's a democratic process around that (and again, that process sometimes get subverted by entrenched interests).

My point is, yes, there's much we can do to streamline that system. Modernize the regulation, make the process (and the rules) more transparent, etc. But, this being a place where everyone is bound by laws, and where laws are made by democratically legitimate bodies, there's a process. And going around that process means breaking the law. Maybe the law is in serious need of repair - but that does not give Uber the right to operate in a manner that violates the law.

If a city (or a city's electorate - as expressed through a referendum, or though voting into power a group of representatives who run on that platform) wants to deregulate the taxi business, great - have at it. And Uber, like any citizen/company/stakeholder, has the right to vigorously engage in that process by educating the public, advertising for their position, making legal campaign contributions, engaging in legal lobbying. But they don't have the right to say this sucks, and we'll show you a better way by offering a service that is illegal under current law.