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Judge who dismissed suits by Boston cab owners over Uber, Lyft, dismisses similar suit by Cambridge cab owners
By adamg on Wed, 01/25/2017 - 5:41pm
A federal judge who has dismissed two lawsuits by Boston medallion-cab owners over ride-for-hire companies today dismissed a similar lawsuit by Cambridge taxi owners.
In his ruling today, US District Court Judge Nathaniel Gorton said the Cambridge owners no longer had any standing to sue Cambridge over the way it did or did not regulate companies such as Lyft and Uber because a new state law removes oversight of the companies from local licensing officials.
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Comments
Goodbye, rent-seeking
Goodbye, rent-seeking assholes.
Adios Cab Industry
Hope you all love Uber, Lyft et al. Because you will now see the cab companies begin to fold. They have much higher costs and regulations than "ride sharing" companies. Good luck next winter when the weather is crappy catching a cab.
We do love Uber and Lyft
That's why cabs are struggling now. PS: I actually don't like Uber the company but I digress.
Am I supposed to care?
If cab drivers and cab companies hadn't alienated, threatened, and antagonized their clientele they wouldn't have this problem, now would they?
You can't abuse your customers, and strut around crowing at how important you are for doing so, and get away with it. No sympathy.
Abuse by cab drivers?
That hasn't been my experience. My argument is that making medallions a commodity warps the business. The actually driver doesn't get a fair percentage of the compensation. The regulations make it safer but the owner absorbs little of that cost.
Yes, Abuse
As in "you aren't getting out of this cab until you pay me cash". As in "oh, my card reader miraculously doesn't work suddenly - I'll drive to an ATM but you will pay".
Yep.
I've had a few cab rides like that myself. Using the phone to transact payment for a ride is a much better approach in all ways that matter.
easy to handle.
I was picked up at the airport by one of those. When he offered to take me to an atm, I said just return me to the cab stand, I will take another cab. He took my credit card; made a rubbing with a credit card slip. All good. Not my problem if he can't get prior authorization from my credit card company.
I did have a guy that yelled at me for a short trip, and drunk cab driver. That guy said he was drinking in eastie all night and decided to "work the bar closing rush". but eh, pretty manageable stuff.
Yet, you claimed in an earlier post...
that you hadn't experienced abuse by a cab driver. Then you post again with multiple examples of your experience with abuse by cab drivers.
Abuse?
Do you leave the house? Have you ever visited the big city?
Don't hand your card over to someone who already seems sketchy
That can give the person your credit card number, expiration date, CVV number, and name. So s/he can try to charge purchases to your card, or sell the info, or give the info to someone to make trouble for you if they're mad at you.
Swipe on the electronic machine yourself, or pay cash.
um
good point.
hmm
You mean the industry that refuses to drive me across the harbor when it's 2am and cold outside? You mean all that will be left are companies that can't refuse rides? Hopefully the gap will be filled with companies that provide good competition to the new incumbents.
Uber and Lyft are just nicer Gypsy cabs
they are less regulated and less scrutinized and they can all stop doing business in Boston at any moment. Uber and lyft are not profitable, not in the least. What makes anyone think in 12-18 months they still exist. Yet we have no problem gutting the cab industry, Okay prepare for teh consequences.
ok
1. these companies came to boston in 2011 and they continue to exist fine.
2. The real consequence is that a background check without a fingerprint is worthless.
3. Uber and Lyft are making plenty of money. The question is whether the drivers can make a living wage.
UBER lost at least 1.5 Billion last year alone
the business model is not proven profitable yet. And it may never be. They are far from a lock to be around in 18 months.
Uber is a rapidly growing
Uber is a rapidly growing company, expanding into new markets and doing R&D (self driving cars, among others). They take venture money so they can expand faster than their profits alone would allow -- they likely want to spend more than they make.
As a female ...
I have never felt the least bit concerned about taking a uber, but have been threatened and hassled by cab drivers to the point of walking instead of taking one.
Sorry, but cab drivers and cab companies blew it.
What?
When have you ever seen a cab in even half as good condition as your average uber or lyft vehicle? Do you think those regulations were being followed by cab companies? If they were, they were pretty loose regulations man.
That's okay, because every
That's okay, because every single time I tried to call a cab they would say "10 minutes" and then either never show up, or else show up an hour later. Whenever I tried to call to inquire about The status of my order, the dispatcher either didn't know anything or with just again say 10 minutes. I even had rude dispatchers hang up on me before. I'm pretty sure nobody misses those days.
Rent-seeking Assholes?
That sounds like a combination of a new military weapon and my landlord.
SOOOOOO
what now
can they sue for the now worthless medallions and fees
that were extorted from them by the city.
just write them off on their tax's?
that is what this article is about.
They tried to sue in Federal Court and it was thrown out. read occasionally.