Can anyone tell me what is the difference between Uber and a regular taxi?

LilacTree · ‎03-25-2012

Is it that they own their own cars?

Formerly Ford1224
We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Elie Wiesel 1986

makena · ‎10-29-2016

http://uberestimate.com/about-uber/

ValuSkr · ‎03-15-2014

Taxi drivers can also own their own cars, or they work for a business that owns them.

The main difference is that taxis are regulated but Uber (and Lyft and others) are not. They need to be licensed and they pay an annual fee, oftentimes large amounts, to the regulatory authority. They may also be required to perform background checks on their drivers (not sure about that!). There may be caps on how much they can charge. On the other hand, Uber isn't regulated so anything goes. But, obviously, it's going well and people are generally happy with thm.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

I my small town there is no cab company so UBER is all there is.

ChynnaBlue · ‎05-22-2012

@ValuSkr wrote:
Taxi drivers can also own their own cars, or they work for a business that owns them.

The main difference is that taxis are regulated but Uber (and Lyft and others) are not. They need to be licensed and they pay an annual fee, oftentimes large amounts, to the regulatory authority. They may also be required to perform background checks on their drivers (not sure about that!). There may be caps on how much they can charge. On the other hand, Uber isn't regulated so anything goes. But, obviously, it's going well and people are generally happy with thm.

The many lawsuits Uber has lost say otherwise, as do the rape charges against their drivers and the horrible sexual harassment allegations to come out of their offices.

Uber takes advantage of their drivers and has lost a $100 million lawsuit because of the way they misclassified drivers. They also make all kinds of cuts to fares that eat away at how much drivers earn. Drivers have held protests across the country and there have been other lawsuits, as well.

Uber and Lyft both refused to have their drivers fingerprinted in my city. Things got uglier than you could possibly believe. Uber attempted to have a sitting city councilwoman recalled because she supported the fingerprinting rule. The council had it put on the ballot as a proposition and Uber and Lyft spent over 10 million dollars to try and get the fingerprint rule tossed. They had some of the most misleading advertising I have ever seen in a political campaign. They had people going door to door and there were videos of people harassing homeowners who did not support the initiative. The city even offered to pay for the fingerprinting, but Uber and Lyft just didn't want to. They said it might scare potential drivers away. They said that if the outcome wasn't what they wanted - no fingerprinting - they would leave the city. They lost and they left, leaving all their drivers without job. Uber spent more on trying to prevent their drivers from being fingerprinted than they would have on fingerprinting all their drivers. They tried to buy an election and we said no.

Both Uber and Lyft have had drivers charged with rape here in Austin, so yeah, we wanted them fingerprinted. Uber, meanwhile, has made news for covering up rape allegations against their drivers.

And now Uber is under fire for sexual harassment charges by many former female employees who have very compelling and distressing stories.

Uber has a serious ethics problem.

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ValuSkr · ‎03-15-2014

It's true of course, Uber has a few issues and faces push-back from the establishment and taxi companies at every turn (e.g. see Wikipedia). But it's done extremely well for a company that was founded only eight years ago. They must be doing something right. My friends and relatives using Uber have nothing but good to say.

Noel7 · ‎03-09-2010

Uber has recently had an in-house sexual harassment scandal, a very bad situation.

Where I live, there are ongoing reports of illegal activity with Uber, using their cars without permits, etc.

There have also been numerous crimes committed against women by several Uber drivers. One Uber driver made an illegal turn and killed a small child, injuring her mother for life.

I would rather walk than take Uber.

Noel7 · ‎03-09-2010

@ValuSkr wrote:
It's true of course, Uber has a few issues and faces push-back from the establishment and taxi companies at every turn (e.g. see Wikipedia). But it's done extremely well for a company that was founded only eight years ago. They must be doing something right. My friends and relatives using Uber have nothing but good to say.

****************************

One thing they're doing right FOR THEMSELVES is upping a fare without notice on many, many occasions.

Especially if someone is stuck trying to get to or from a major event. They think nothing of adding HUNDREDS of dollars to the fare.

RedTop · ‎09-01-2010

My area has neither, only a local bus service.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

@ValuSkr wrote:
It's true of course, Uber has a few issues and faces push-back from the establishment and taxi companies at every turn (e.g. see Wikipedia). But it's done extremely well for a company that was founded only eight years ago. They must be doing something right. My friends and relatives using Uber have nothing but good to say.

In our small town where uber or the bus are the only choices people speak highly of them.