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Councilors begin work on regulating ride-share services
By adamg on Mon, 12/01/2014 - 5:08pm
Daughter of a cab driver makes feelings known outside City Hall.
A City Council committee today began figuring out how to regulate ride-sharing services such as Uber and Lyft, in a hearing that overflowed from the council chambers to two other hearing rooms and the hallways on the fifth floor of City Hall as cab drivers, Lyft drivers and Uber fans sought to show their support for one mode of transportation over the other.
Committee members, who include Tim McCarthy (Hyde Park, Roslindale and Mattapan), Bill Linehan (South Boston, South End, Chinatown) and Tito Jackson (Roxbury) will now convene working sessions to prepare a draft ordinance or regulations that will then go to the City Council for consideration. Among the top issues: Safety, both in terms of who's driving the cars and what happens in accidents, and what oversight Boston Police would have over the services. Currently, BPD has no regulatory oversight.
At today's hearing, some councilors, notably Frank Baker (Dorchester) and Steve Murphy (at large) said Uber, Lyft and their ilk should follow the same regulations as medallion cabs. Others, however, such as Jackson, said, if anything, some regulations on medallion cab drivers - such as the requirement to pay 5% or 6% on credit-card transactions - should be reduced or eliminated.
In general, the younger the councilor, the more likely they were to prefer a lighter touch on the new services. However, veteran Councilor Sal LaMattina (East Boston, Charlestown, North End) declared himself an unabashed Uber fan, because he is sick to death of arguing with cabbies who try to refuse to take him to his East Boston home and because he now knows his 22-year-old daughter can get home safe at night rather than risk being stranded downtown by a surly cabbie who doesn't want to go across the harbor.
Meghan Joyce, Uber's Boston general manager, said the company would be "very supportive" of "reasonable regulations."
Katie Kincaid, a Lyft government-affairs manager, annoyed councilors by saying she had no idea how many drivers or riders her company has in the Boston area, let alone how many complaints they get, and then by adding that even if she did, company officials would have to concur first to decide how to give Boston some idea of the numbers without disclosing proprietary information. However, she said a world-class city like Boston needs a service like Lyft.
Joyce did not give specific figures when asked the same questions, but said Uber has "tens of thousands" of drivers registered in the Boston area and that they have completed millions of trips over the past few months. However, she declined to comment on the $8.75 fee Uber users get charged on trips to and from the airport because of a recently filed lawsuit.
The two senior officers in the BPD hackney division, which regulates licensed cabs, said they are concerned about safety because they currently don't know the background any of the ride-share drivers have. In contrast, medallion drivers go through an annual police check.
Capt. John Gaughan, head of the hackney division, referred to LaMattina's 22-year-old daughter, who now uses Uber to get home late at night rather than risking rejection by a surly cab driver. "We have no idea who's driving," he said.
Joyce replied by saying that Uber's screening is so tough that 10% of the Boston cab drivers who applied to be Uber drivers were rejected.
Before the hearing, cab drivers, medallion owners and radio dispatchers held a protest outside City Hall, chanting "Uber is Wall Street, Boston's our street!"
Uber set up a a tent - once Uber's staffers found objects with which to weigh it down in the wind - at which they gave out hot chocolate and coffee to supporters. One harried staffer juggled several devices as he tried to get things set up:
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Comments
Thanks for covering this, Gaffin
I left at 3 because I'm busy today and my meter was out.
1) Stephen Murphy talked about how the city sold medallions for 200-400K in 1998 to help pay for a convention center. One, I didn't tell anybody to build a convention center, and two, if you're so interested in fairness, why is there a cap on medallions at all?
2) We should have more police oversight of drivers? Yeah, somebody go read the news and see what cops are up to and then ask again if additional duties should be delegated to them.
3) To the kid worried about people stealing her dad's job: Uber, while somewhat replacing cabs, is also creating a market for rides for people who wouldn't take a cab anyway (i.e, the BU girls who aren't walking to the other end of Gardner in the cold), and is frankly doing the jobs your dad and his ilk won't do (i.e, rides to Eastie.)
I'm disappointed that I didn't get to speak, and that I didn't even get to hear rideshare folks give their side. I wanted to watch the rest of the hearing online, but the live video is Real Media format. I (expletive) you not. Real (expletive) Player required. It's 1998!
Twitter
yeah I was following the play by play from Adam on Twitter all day. He was slipping on here because boy that meeting was blow after blow (according to twitter). But thanks, enjoyed reading it and helped make this nasty linux box issue seem marginally better.
I thought what Lyft said was kinda pointless. Mainly because they couldn't answer standard questions about its customer base.
Uber is full of sh*t, along with the BPD hackney (they both are liars in this respect) about screening drivers. Sorry, I don't believe Uber (and if you saw my tweet, you'll know why), nor do I believe BPD. Some of these cabbie drivers, I fear for my life getting into their cabs.
And loved Sal's comment about Logan. I've had the same issues. I've been downright been refused once I say I either need to pay with a CC or that I am going to Chelsea.
Wrote to the City about RealMedia
I wrote to the email address regarding the need to replace RealMedia formats. The TV Operations Director was very fast to respond and agreed with you and I, Will. They just got new hardware/software recently and they are going to be updating their streaming technology very soon I was told.
What do you mean I have to install Real Player 7?
I don't know WHY I thought of this clip from Family Guy.. but some how I think it fits and its probably what you have to do view the stream..
FF to :10 to avoid the Hulu Commercial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9j6Og1QcpMU
The Realplayer thing is
The Realplayer thing is ridiculous.
oops
Sorry I accosted you when you were leaving. Thanks for the great coverage!
I am also a "Taxi Kid"
My father was a life long cab driver. 50+ years. He was smart enough and fortunate enough to purchase his medallion before they became more expensive than a nice condo in the south end.
Every day he wore a shirt and tie to work. Every day he cleaned his cab and cleaned it again during his lunch break. He spoke to his customers and only played the radio if requested.
Even he cannot believe the current state of the taxi drivers and cabs. He perfectly understands why people use services like Uber and Lyft. As a taxi drivers kid I use the services myself.
If cab owners want to compete they have plenty of options. Form their own local services similar to Uber. Hire people that speak ENGLISH and not Russian. Hire drivers that clean their cabs. Hire people that do not spend their entire trip with a cell phone glued to their ear and having a conversation with mom back in Uzbekistan or whoever else they spend their entire time talking to.
Competition is a good thing. Its not rocket science. Give people a reason to want to use your service and they will. When your competition can charge double and triple the going rate during surge period, you have to ask yourself why?
Embrace competition or die.
THANK YOU!
*STANDS UP AND CLAPS LOUDY*
My husband
was in a cab, 2012-2013ish, where the cabbie was swerving in and out of traffic because he was on the phone pleading with his bookie to give him a few extra weeks to pay back the debt. The cabbie then proceeded to hang up with the bookie and explain to my husband how he was working triple shifts to pay off the bookie so he wouldn't get kneecapped.
He said it felt like he was on a mission in Grand Theft Auto- not in a legitimate mode of transportation.
Aren't we allowed to walk and
Aren't we allowed to walk and chew gum at the same time? To agree wholeheartedly that the cab industry in Boston is severely broken, but also have concerns about Uber and Lyft operating outside of any oversight or normal insurance requirements? Michelle Wu was quoted in the Globe as saying this doesn't have to be an "either or" scenario and I think she gets it right.
I am concerned about TAXI
I am concerned about TAXI insurance.
The Boston Globe Spotlight Team has published a multi-part series investigating the need for reform and regulation of Massachusetts taxis. As any experienced personal injury lawyer knows, a person seriously injured by a negligent taxi cab driver in most cases be limited to the $20,000 state minimum bodily insurance limits currently required under Massachusetts law. Because there are many layers involved in the operation of a taxi cab in Massachusetts, it is very difficult to go beyond the negligent driver of the taxi cab. That’s because the driver most often is an individual who leases or rents the taxi cab from the owner of the taxi medallion, which is the cab license issued by the city or town allowing the cab to operate. The driver is typically treated by the medallion owner as an independent contractor — not an employee. Besides income tax and workers compensation considerations, this arrangement is used to shield the taxi medallion owner from legal liability in the event that the driver of the taxi cab injures someone in an accident.
http://www.attorneysheehan.com/2013/04/01/massachusetts-taxis-should-be-...
I don't know if this true but this is from the Uber blog
From the time a driver accepts a trip request through our app until the completion of the ride, our partners have $1 million of coverage for driver liability. We were also the first ridesharing request service to include $1 million of coverage for uninsured/underinsured motorists, meaning that passengers and drivers are also covered for injuries when another party is at fault and lacks sufficient insurance. This $1 million coverage from trip acceptance to drop-off is consistent across cities. This coverage kicks in regardless of whether the driver’s personal insurance applies to the trip. We have also added contingent comprehensive and collision insurance during trips, up to $50,000/incident with a $1,000 deductible.
http://blog.uber.com/uberXridesharinginsurance
Yes, and you're making my
Yes, and you're making my exact point by immediately changing the focus to "either or." The first quote is accurate and a reason, among others, the taxi industry here is broken - there's no way around that one. As for the second, you're selectively posting what suits your argument from that link. Read more closely and notice the "from acceptance to drop off" piece. The biggest problem is the so-called "insurance gap" (when a driver is logged in but awaiting the next fare). Uber will pick up coverage only when an individual driver's insurance does not and the coverage is far below what they cover when a fare is in progress. They're trying to say a driver is not really driving for Uber when he/she has the app open and is driving around waiting for a call. That's better than was the case in San Francisco where at that time Uber covered none of that period, but still not where it should be, imo.
Not saying "either or." I
Not saying "either or." I have a problem with TAXI insurance. It is quite low
But I carry more insurance on my personal policy then what a commercial driver does...
The Uber driver can do the same. And while I am in an Uber? I am better protected as a passenger.
I have had friends that have been in accidents while being in a taxi. They were screwed with trying to get someone to pay their medical bills and lost wages.
With increased competion, perhaps the TAXI insurance will increase.
Baloney
I call bullshit on city's claim that it checks out taxi drivers once per year. This is the same city that claims it checks elevators, restaurants, and landlords out every year.
BUT MAYBE I'M WRONG.
Well actually..
I get an elevator inspection yearly. $400 each time to the dept of public safety.
I also get a few visits from the health dept (Another $280)
And about 4 visits a year from the fire dept. (Another $190)
So yes, they do em. There is money to be made.
Exception to the rule ..
Not sure who does what - do both the state and city inspect elevators?
There continues to be problems with the state inspecting elevators in a timely manner, according to Boston.com
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/2014/11/21/massachusetts-...
I hope they read that…
Since Uber and Lyft came to town medallion prices have started dropping precipitously (17% in NYC alone! http://nyti.ms/11Z7jOa
You may as well drop the mic, because if that's not good for cab drivers long term I don't know what is. I have no sympathy about people asking the government to regulate a much better system out of existence. None of us are entitled to our job, we have to work for them and prove them valuable to society.
We already have a regulatory structure
Uber is not a new business model.
Is this not exactly the way pretty much every car service company in the Yellow Pages does business?
Massachusetts does not require special drivers licenses for livery drivers - an ordinary class D drivers' license is fine.
Livery vehicles are required to have commercial (livery) registration, and to carry commercial insurance, since they are carrying passengers for hire. They are not required to buy into the taxi medallion racket.
It seems entirely reasonable that the same set of rules would apply to Uber, no?
They do....with Uber Black
UberX and Lyft drivers are all over the airport and city without livery plates and proper insurance. Go by any club in this town at bar break and watch the Lyft and UberX drivers picking up off of the street illegally. Go down to South Station when an Acela comes in and watch the Uber drivers actively solicit passengers right in front of the cab drivers. This is the nonsense taxi drivers and livery companies want stopped.
I am not against TNC's. They provide a decent alternative to the end user that they obviously want. What I don't like is the disgusting tactics that Uber has been documented using against journalists, it's own riders who complain and their drivers, who have seen Uber's commission rate raise from 8% to 28% with no raise in rates that has forced some of their drivers into the aggressive and illegal activities. The shit Uber pulls borders on racketeering.
Yes
Uber Black seems like legit competition forcing down the cost of getting a licensed town car but UberX is actively undercutting an existing regulatory structure in a bad way.
What's wrong with undercutting the regulatory structure?
.... since just about everyone here agrees that the taxi regulatory structure is outdated and broken and doesn't really serve any legitimate purpose anymore?
There are more than one regulatory structure
Undercutting the taxi regulatory structure is good.
Undercutting the livery regulatory structure (which does not involve medallions and is pretty straightforward: in order to run a livery business you have to have insurance and register your vehicles as commercial vehicles) is bad.
Uber Has Even More Questionable And/Or Disturbing Practices
In addition to what Dvdoff mentioned, reports about Uber's data collection practices cast the company in an even darker light. There's the notorious "Rides of Glory" company blog post:
In addition, the Uber app for Android collects a lot more information than is needed for the primary function it performs; things like recent phone calls and text messages:
Although these revelations aren't necessarily deal breakers, they're indicative of a company that doesn't place the best interests and privacy of its customers, above the chance to make a profit any way they can. It also shows that the market is ripe for more competition. Uber may be gone tomorrow, made irrelevant by the next generation of ride share app.
Something no service offers right now is the ability to reserve a ride in advance, between two specified points, at a specific time, for a known price.
You really think Google
gave Uber all that money because they weren't going to use their data mining on Uber's customers?
And every livery service in this town will give you a ride in advance at a specific time and with the fare known up front. And a fully vetted driver who has workman's comp and the proper insurance. And bottled water. And a newspaper and your choice of magazines. And will not speak unless spoken to.See where I'm going with this...?
I'm with you.
It seems that the problem is not Uber and Lyft per se, so much as it is people who aren't licensed and insured to carry passengers for hire, doing so.
The analogy might be someone who says, "We'll fly you from Boston to Florida, but we don't do all that government-mandated safety stuff that the airlines do."
Hard-core libertarians would probably say, "that's OK, the market knows the difference between 'United Airlines' and 'some guy with a plane'," but most of us expect that if we buy air travel, or beef at the butcher, or a ride from a livery operator, we're getting a government-inspected product that meets certain minimum standards.
UberX and Lyft should not be accepting drivers whose vehicles are not registered and insured to carry passengers for hire. Period.
And, unlicensed drivers shouldn't be soliciting fares at the train station, etc.... that's some third world shit right there.
There are also significant
There are also significant concerns about the liability, or lack thereof, of Uber for the conduct of its drivers in the event of accidents. This is specific to UberX. The big lawsuit out in San Francisco will go a long way to determining what happens here. An Uber driver struck and killed a 6 year old girl in a crosswalk. Uber claims the driver was an independent contractor as opposed to an employee so they weren't required to insure the driver and cannot be liable in a wrongful death suit. Uber also says because the driver was awaiting his next fare as opposed to being on the way to pick someone up, that he wasn't conducting Uber business at the time. In the wake of the obvious bad publicity with this, Uber changed their insurance policies going forward but they still only provide coverage in the absence of a driver's personal insurance and still claim they're not liable for drivers' actions pretty much. This is my biggest concern with Uber - a lot of regular customers have no knowledge of any of this. I love Uber's product but wish the company was not so sketchy at every turn.
The right answer here is not obvious to me
It's not at all obvious to me that Uber ought to have any liability for the actions of its drivers when they're not "on the clock," so to speak.
Easier said than done
When an Uber driver is waiting for a fare, they have to cruise the areas they think are likely to have the most fares. In this way, they are most likely to be the "next closest ride" when a client opens their Uber app to look for a ride. As more drivers join Uber, this becomes more and more true.
However, if they don't have a fare, are they "on the clock"? They aren't getting paid by Uber for that time. Uber only cares that they exist in terms of availability to set surge/non-surge pricing and eventually to match them up with a passenger.
So, are they "on the clock" any time they have their Uber app open? Can Uber program around this by making it more of a background application for a waiting driver? And you could keep finagling with this until Uber is only liable when there's a passenger in the car or something...however the rest of that time benefits Uber for the person to be driving around potentially causing incidents.
Taxi girl never takes cabs, I bet
And I bet she doesn't because her daddy would not want her to be treated like many of the cabbies in the area treat their fares.
I don't drive there.
That's too short a trip.
My credit card reader is broken.
Bonus: "You little bitch" appended to any and all of these in a threatening manner. (has happened to a couple of coworkers)
Not to mention that many have broken seat belts and seats, drive aggressively, drive while on the phone, drive via long out of the way paths, etc.
oh, you forgot the assaults
Roommate of mine once got assaulted by a taxi driver. She and her friends wanted to go to an address and the driver didn't like that address, so he demanded a bribe.
When they refused, he slammed on the brakes suddenly and hard, throwing all three of them into the partition, giving one of the women a bloody nose. They called 911. He dragged them out of the cab and drove off.
Cops showed up, acted really bored, didn't give a shit, and then when the women asked for some help in the middle of February at ~3AM, getting somewhere...the cops stared at them like they were from Mars. No "well, the nearest bus/subway stop is...", no "we can drop you at _____" or "you're welcome to a ride to the stationhouse until friends can get you." Just stares.
Furthermore, be warned that
Furthermore, be warned that if you ever complain about a cabbie to the taxi co., you could face retaliation. A drunk cabbie who had just gotten fired because of a complaint from my former employer showed up at our place of business drunk and threatened the receptionist. It was scary. We had to call the cops.
When the initial complaint was filed against the driver, we begged them not to fire the guy. However, when a driver screaming obscenities, kicks a 7-month pregnant woman out of his cab in downtown Boston in the middle of winter because he refuses to take a credit card and she doesn't have cash, then you can't let that go without saying something.
I'd rather walk a mile in freezing sleet and rain in sub-zero temperatures than get in a cab. Boston taxis are the worst. NYC taxis while crazy expensive are at least clean and professionally operated.
I was at the hearing
I was at the hearing yesterday partly because of the email Uber sent inviting me to speak, but moreso because on Sunday I was damn near run off the road on my bicycle by a cab driver. He didn't understand the concept of a bike lane, specifically the brown painted bike/bus lane on Essex Street in Chinatown. That road is bumpy and dangerous enough but a Metrocab van was honking at me the entire time from behind, then sped along side side and purposely came so close I had to skid in the middle of traffic to stop to avoid him hitting me. I called the dispatcher to report the incident and was told "if you didn't get his driver number, we can't do anything" (because I only had the cab number). I became belligerent because of this lack of professionalism and was told to "stay off the road and maybe this wouldn't happen, people with jobs have to work."
Gotta say that I have
Gotta say that I have witnessed cabs 'squeezing' cyclists in the bike lane on Comm. Ave. on several occasions. Scary.
5-6% for cc transactions?!
What the hell is this? In my business, we process precious few credit card transactions (often times the fewer transactions you do, the more you pay), and we don't pay nearly this much (or we would never accept cards). We top out at something a little over 4% for a super-duper rewards card.
How in the world can cabs be paying 5-6%?!? Is there some kind of surcharge? If so, who is pocketing that? Also, so far as I know, the banks issuing the cards and the merchant's bank who allows them to accept the card set the rates - how does the City even have a say here? Did they allow the medallion owners to get some kind of bs surcharge in perpetuity to recover the negligible cost of initial setup and minimal monthly fee for accepting card payments?
Anyone?
payment system
Do you think those payment terminals, the hardware used to connect them to the meters, the cellular modems, and their data plan, grows on trees?
Someone's gotta keep that running. Also, credit card fees are a total bullshit excuse. When the credit card machines were implemented, DRIVERS GOT A FARE BOOST GREATER THAN THE CREDIT CARD OVERHEAD.
Think about that the next time the cabbie tells you he wants cash because "the fees are really high." Think about how they've made out like bandits, because they're getting that extra fare boost even for cash fares.
I've always wondered about
I've always wondered about that too...
the other line I get from cabbies is that they don't get paid until later for cc transactions. I usually get this line when I'm heading home from a business trip, in my 15th hour of the day, the first 8 of which I will only be paid for, and not for 2-3 weeks. Also the $500 of reimbursable receipts in my pocket I may be carrying for a month or more before I'm reimbursed.
Boo hoo, you'll have to wait a couple of weeks to be paid $35 dollars to drive me for 20 minutes while you mutter into your headset in another language.
I have no sympathy at all for the "taxi kid", Uber is a godsend for providing a need for a bit of accountability from the cab industry.
Have you ever stopped to think...
...that perhaps so many of them are rude and confontational is because people like you treat them like "the help". Maybe they're "muttering" in their head set because their family lives in a time zone that is 6+ hours ahead of us, and the only opportunity they have to talk with them is when you're shit faced and confontational at 2 in the morning. Of course you're never rude to an Uber driver. You get to ride in a "black car", and pretend you're the elite of society. Cabbies just give you an oppotunity to be a dick to someone.
Alternative explanation
The cabbies want their money NOW because they have a "transaction" to accomplish around the corner.
Assumptions are easy, eh?
Just responding to condescending tone - yours. I seriously doubt that you have had to take cabs enough, at times where there is no choice, to understand the concept that getting paid in a couple of weeks isn't exactly persuasive to people who 1) aren't being paid daily or hourly and 2) will be paid back a month later for the same ride if they do not use the credit card.
Fast nickels are better lost dimes
Cash now is better than a check later. Will you get your tip? When? When you work in this type of business, cash rules. Employees have learned that intermediaries often have sticky fingers.
I've asked this forever
Ever since they started taking cabs (and made their rate known), I've been asking this question.
I've worked enough in both retail and e-commerce (porn!) setups and have NEVER heard of a rate so high. Who would even negotiate that rate?!?
My last personal client was a retail store and I helped her re-negotiate her rates and get new internet POS terminals (for CC's).. and it was like (similar) to 1-2% for VISA/MasterCard, and 4-5% for Amex (yes merchants always pay more when customers use Amex). Paying anything more than that is just highway robbery.
I mean yeah some of your rate is based on your business type. For example, at the porn company we couldn't take Amex (said we were too risky), and our rates were a little bit higher than my last clients. But I'd like to think cabbies are lower risk than porn! (if risk factor is why their rates are so high).
Bottom Line: Whoever negotiated their rates, really didn't work at it very hard (if at all) and/or didn't do their homework.
The justification
First, as someone mentioned, the 2008 (2009?) fare increase included money to pay for the fee.
The BPD Hackney Division says the extra cost is due to the extra services that comes with the card processing, including a variety of tracking tools.
Jackson's answer was that Boston's a smart town and surely the city could work with some fine local institution, like, say, MIT, to come up with a cheaper system that provides all that stuff - just like Uber's system does.
I'd love to know..
I'd love to know what that extra 4% will get me. It better be gold plated card machines at that rate.
Seriously tho, I'd like to know because sorry I still smell something rank about this. Merchant Services already include many different things as a part of your Merchant account. I can't imagine what else they could add. (nor do I ever remember such a thing from my experience setting up a merchant account)
they got a raise to cover it
They didn't like that they got a raise just to cover that extra cost, though - they prefer to pocket the extra money by intimidating passengers and pretending that the box is broken, and have non-traceable income.
Actually, I wouldn't care if the standard policy was to add that 5% to the fare when using a credit card - but I still bet there would be plenty of "broken" machines due to the wait for payment (as if we all don't deal with that in just about any other type of job) and, of course, the record of that income.
Totally agree!
They don't hate the fees nearly as much as the accountability!
Maverick Square (Eastie) Cabbie Tips
YAYYY SAL! I've lived in Eastie since 2010 and trying to get a cab out here to pick you up is terrible, often impossible, and horrifically expensive. No matter which company you are forced to pay the toll. I used to work retail at a job with a time clock and would sometimes have to hail a cab quickly to get to work on time (thank you Government Center station closure). Local cab company Tunnel Taxi is the WORST. No meters, cabs that smell like smoke, rude drivers, only accept cash, force you to pay the toll, and a 10 minute drive would cost $20-25. NO THANKS keep your overpriced drama. When an Uber wasn't available immediately, which happened periodically and was always a pleasant experience, I learned to take the T to Aquarium, get off, and get a cab at the cab stand in front of the Boston Marriott. The Boston Cabs at this location were great, professional, and the trip was $10 (the only way to realistically avoid the toll!). I shudder to think how awful the transportation options out of the neighborhood would be without Uber.
And another thing...
... Why does everyone call UberX and Lyft "Ride-sharing" services?
Is Boston Coach a "ride-sharing" service?
Because you're "sharing" a
Because you're "sharing" a personal vehicle for the ride. As opposed to a taxi or livery vehicle that's really a business property.
Loophole Economy is more apt
It should be called the "loophole economy" since they thrive by avoiding the taxes and regulations of the legacy companies, or the "1099 economy" since most employees are not really employees, like the Temp Economy of the 1990s. I use Uber/Airbnb, I just wish they were honest about it, but I know the marketing buzzwords of sharing economy makes people feel good even though a guy with 10 apartments that he rents out on airbnb is not sharing any more than an innkeeper.
Speaking of loopholes and taxes ...
How much of those cash tips are actually reported?
Also, how, exactly, are cabbies not part of the "temp economy", when most don't drive their own cars and are paid nightly and not on any payroll or receiving benefits?
Did a taxi driver almost run you
off the road or something? Reading your posts, Swirls, it seems that you have a very low opinion of the profession, still rated, I believe, as one of the most dangerous.
Please don't "dis" the entire profession because you had some bad experiences (curiously, I have never had a bad experience. Lucky, I guess). I am sure many of the drivers out there are just trying to make a living, like you and me, and don't need the extra vitriol.
Or maybe you should become a part-time Uber driver (join the unregulated ranks!) and right the wrongs that you and your fellow angst mongers have experienced?
I just travel enough
I travel enough to have had to use them when flights get in at 1am and I need to get somewhere outside of Boston and have little cash on me.
I travel enough to have used cabs in different US cities and cities in other countries, and compare those experiences.
I have had experiences with cabs similar to those that WMD has had on the streets as well - and similar problems reporting them to the cops in Boston (but swift resolution in Cambridge).
How often do you take cabs? How often do you have to? How much time do you spend in the city dealing with them blasting through red lights on a short walk signal? Explain YOUR experiences and how recent they are. Otherwise, I will assume that you are just here to harass those of us who dare tell stories of our actual experiences that don't fit your tidy world view.
Note: I bike, I take the T, and I only use uber a few times a year. No more Boston cabs, however.
Boy, a bit angry today, are we not?
Please enlighten me on how I am harassing you? I just called you out at being a bit of a bully and painting a wide swath of vitriol in your comments, apparently condemning a profession in its entirety. You made the comments, not I.
And speaking of harassing, you do a pretty good job of it on you own, girlfriend, without my help.
Here is the list: Cambridge, Boston, London, Edinburgh, Wales, New York, Norwood, and a few more I am sure. Local more recent than overseas. I have taken them at various times during the day and late at night. Never had one problem. No sordid stories to tell. I guess being nice to the driver has its privileges.
And, Swirly, you presume to know me which you do not. I am far from having a "tidy" world view. Far from it. You have made assumptions about me in the past which I have called you out on as being far from the truth. Feel free to continue to dare to spew your piss and vinegar in your posts. Far from me to stop you.
Nothing beats uber. Love it
Nothing beats uber. Love it
Two phones and a tablet...
That says it all. I truly dislike our modern society.
Leave
You're free to remove yourself from it at any point you condescending jackass
If they ban Uber/Lyft...
I will probably have to quit my job and/or move! I get out of work at 5 AM in Dorchester, and the Uber/Lyft back to Allston is $11. I can afford that, and I am in bed by 5:30. When I wait for the T I don't get home until 7AM. When I take a Taxi, the cost is like $30. I really hope Uber and Lyft are allowed to continue operating. I use them several times a week, for over a year, and have NEVER had a bad experience. Ever. Try saying that about a Taxi. I can remember every pleasant taxi experience I have ever had in Boston, because they were such a surprise. Please please please use this as an opportunity to get the taxi companies to clean up their acts, adapt, and be competitive. Don't shut down the competition, which the people have voted for with their $$$.
Uber overall provides a better service
I've had positive and negative experiences with both taxis and Uber. But overall Uber drivers have been far better. They show up much more quickly than any of the cab companies. A wait for a cab in front of Mother Teresa in Dorchester during early evening will easily be 20 minutes or more. With Uber no more than 10 minutes - and yet cost much less.
Uber's payment structure is something cabs should emulate. Uber provides and estimate and the charge is then applied to a credit card (without having to add a tip). Too many taxi drivers apparently go out of their way to create conflicts where payment is concerned.
Uber cars are cleaner than many of the taxis I have ridden. Maybe because the cars are personal property while the cab companies treat their vehicles with contempt and let them deteriorate to the point of looking gross.
I believe that the opposition from taxi drivers is based solely on the fact that they now have competition. They can bark and scream about unfairness, etc. but the fundamental problem is that the near monopolity of the few taxis companies that have existed for decades is finally being challenged. While it's not at the level of the oil trusts of the 19th C it does seem that the taxi companies have created a system where they no longer actually compete against each other. Without competition they can let their services deteriorate to the lowest level of quality that they can get away with while charging the highest rates they can get away with.
Time for a Wacky Races race!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLp1JDe30rE
All that's missing is a Silver Line bus!