Uber Sheffield suspended from 16th December.

[onewheeldave 22]

no it isnt! its a more convenient way of getting a taxi, unfortunately last night we couldnt get an UBER out in the sticks so had to get a "network" cab wow what a difference dirty cab driver not communicative and dangerous fast driving on icy roads and road humps 45 in a 20 zone had to ask twice to slow down and complained to the telephone operator who brushed it off:loopy:

 

I use City taxis a lot, and, they are fine. I'm sure there's the odd driver who's below standard, but that applies to all firms, including Uber. In general I find the majority of City drivers to be communicative (if you want to converse), polite and helpful.

 

The difference with Uber, as many have already mentioned, is that it's business model is to heavily subsidise ('loss leading') when trying to gain new territory, then, when the competition is killed off, the fares rise, and, people have to pay it, because there is then no alternative option.

[mafya 251]

I use City taxis a lot, and, they are fine. I'm sure there's the odd driver who's below standard, but that applies to all firms, including Uber. In general I find the majority of City drivers to be communicative (if you want to converse), polite and helpful.

 

The difference with Uber, as many have already mentioned, is that it's business model is to heavily subsidise ('loss leading') when trying to gain new territory, then, when the competition is killed off, the fares rise, and, people have to pay it, because there is then no alternative option.

 

City does the same by buying up the smaller firms....

[onewheeldave 22]

City does the same by buying up the smaller firms....

 

Buying up smaller firms is not the same as global corporations throwing money at new territory, enabling their cabs to charge artificially low fares (loss-leading) that are unsustainable long term, in order to kill off existing competition; at which point, they charge higher fares to recoup their loss.

 

The key difference in the model is that, once the competition is dead, the customers lose out, because, from that point on, they have to pay fares considerably higher than the fares when there was competition.

[Cyclone 10]

As soon as Uber start charging higher fares, local competition would reappear. There are very low barriers to entry in the taxi'ing market.

 

---------- Post added 29-12-2017 at 15:02 ----------

 

no it isnt! its a more convenient way of getting a taxi, unfortunately last night we couldnt get an UBER out in the sticks so had to get a "network" cab wow what a difference dirty cab driver not communicative and dangerous fast driving on icy roads and road humps 45 in a 20 zone had to ask twice to slow down and complained to the telephone operator who brushed it off:loopy:

 

This is the 2nd comment along these lines, but the uber drivers are just the same as network taxi drivers, there are good and bad.

[*_ash_* 88]

As soon as Uber start charging higher fares, local competition would reappear. There are very low barriers to entry in the taxi'ing market.

 

This is the 2nd comment along these lines, but the uber drivers are just the same as network taxi drivers, there are good and bad.

 

They can charge lower fares because they use the new law, which means they use out of town drivers, who pay less insurance, less council costs, and lower vehicle maintenance costs.

 

The local competition (i.e City) would eventually have to do the same.

 

The only difference in these things, is that SCC no longer has any control about who drives in their own city.

[rayggb 13]

As I have said before iam not against the technology of poober but their predatory loss making driver flooding model which will and does lower drivers income.

[Cyclone 10]

They can charge lower fares because they use the new law, which means they use out of town drivers, who pay less insurance, less council costs, and lower vehicle maintenance costs.

 

The local competition (i.e City) would eventually have to do the same.

 

The only difference in these things, is that SCC no longer has any control about who drives in their own city.

 

So blame the change in the law and not the company then.

 

Someone else though said that they would increase charges once the local competition was out of business. At which point local competition would come back into being.

 

Why is insurance cheaper for an driver from outside Sheffield?

[The Joker 10]

Someone else though said that they would increase charges once the local competition was out of business. At which point local competition would come back into being.

 

but how likely is it that (for example) if City taxis are put out of business by Uber, then another taxi company can enter the local market and compete with Uber, what with the costs and overheads of brick & mortar offices, advertising, licenses, driver recruitment etc?

 

Genuine question, because I don’t know. Perhaps one of the taxi drivers can answer as well.

[onlineo 10]

I would not worry about Uber. I would worry about the self driving taxis and car shares. That will decimate the professional driving services as with no driver to pay they could operate any time of the day at prices cheaper than bus fares. But it is probably 5 to 10 years away and I doubt Uber will be the first self drive taxis in Sheffield.

[The Joker 10]

I would not worry about Uber. I would worry about the self driving taxis and car shares. That will decimate the professional driving services as with no driver to pay they could operate any time of the day at prices cheaper than bus fares.

 

will that really happen? taxi fares as low as bus fares?

 

I’d love to see taxi fares as low as a typical £1.80 bus fare; I could leave the car at home and cut congestion and save on parking fees.

 

But the huge demand from the tens of thousands of daily bus passengers all wanting a taxi would lead to increased taxi fares, and worse congestion since 60 bus passengers are now travelling in 60 taxis.

[Cyclone 10]

Even if it's not that cheap, it will still decimate the industry.

For example, if my car can drive itself, I won't need a self drive taxi, I already own one that can drop me off, then park (or go home on its own), then drive me home later.

 

I'm not sure that taking a taxi in any way cuts congestion though, leaving your car at home is just replacing it with another car surely.

[*_ash_* 88]

So blame the change in the law and not the company then.

 

?

 

I was merely pointing out some information.

 

-

 

As for the law, I do and have blamed it numerous times in here, and the answer normally is just 'that's competition, deal with it'.

 

Someone else though said that they would increase charges once the local competition was out of business. At which point local competition would come back into being.

 

If they had all the work, they wouldn't need/want to increase the cost in order to keep it. The more likely scenario is up the % that the drivers pay. That's already happened.

 

Why is insurance cheaper for an driver from outside Sheffield?

 

The first question insurers ask for taxi insurance, is 'who are you licensed with?'... small villages and towns are cheaper to insure than the big cities.

 

Not too unlike your premium would likely go up if your postcode was different.