UBER gone...

[moogie]

Thanks, I understand it now. Put into my terms, Uber are China, you are a UK company. I'll now join you in disliking them.

I understand how people prefer them to London black cabs, I've been ripped off in London before, but if other companies are offering a similar service with similar benefits but with regulated drivers then losing Uber is no loss. They've shaken up the market, now exit stage left or regulate like other companies.

Just to clarify though
In Newcastle , all uber drivers are licensed through the correct authority, the same as any other private hire driver
There's no issue here like in some other districts......

The axe to grind in Newcastle was , uber announce they want to come to Newcastle, it was almost like the authorities threw down the red carpet.
They dropped the locality test at this point, gaining uber overnight manning as most new drivers joined, the council practically gave them a workforce.
More taxi drivers, more licences, equals greater revenue. For council

But since uber arrived and the locality test being axed, there's literally an extra 1000 cars on the road
So if joe publics spare cash equals £z
Between 1100 or so drivers ( 2013 )
The pot size of joe publics cash is still pretty similar £z
But now 2300 or so cars/drivers trying to take a share of this same pot.......

 

[Blue in Munich]

I know i said no more posts from me but this article makes interesting reading, particularly for those who dont know all the ins and outs

https://www.theguardian.com/comment...don-driver-fares-rivals-work?CMP=share_btn_fb

Thanks mate, didn't know all the ins & outs about Uber, now a little wiser. Personally hope that TfL stick to their decision as in my one dealing with Uber I found them to be scum; if anyone's wondering I caught them trespassing on my property (having told them it was private and instructing them not to enter it) & filming the back of my house & my garage for a mapping system on the net (I'm presuming something similar to Google Maps). They wouldn't back down until the Transport Secretary got involved. Come to think of it I actually him asked if they were fit to be licensed………..

 

[Deleted member 1740]

It's not quite that straight forward mate
I can't speak of other areas, but will give you an insight into what happened in Newcastle

There was always a "locality" test, not quite the London knowledge, but a pretty thorough in depth test of your knowledge of routes, areas, pubs, clubs, hotels, local attractions, churches, civic buildings , etc...etc....

Uber announce they want to come to Newcastle
Apply for licenses
Newcastle decides to drop this locality test......

Now anybody that can pass a medical and DBS can walk in and get a private hire taxi badge.
Possibly many whom previously couldn't pass the locality test.

Uber is granted licences , now with a huge influx of new drivers , they have a ready made workforce.
Many rumours and stories surround these decisions, none of which I'd type on here.

I got my redundancy in March 2013, after being in the same trade all my life, need to work, thought I'd apply.
Passed the locality test that was in place at the council at the time, been driving ever since.
At this point in time, my car plate that was issued was in the 1100's
Now in 2017
There are now cars plated up in the 2300's......!!!
More than double the cars/drivers now on the road plated up, since über landed in Newcastle.
When uber landed in Newcastle, and it was announced there was no longer a locality, there was a Q out the door and round the corner at the local licensing office.

This isn't a case of healthy competition, they've made a mockery of the job.
It hasn't been good for the customer either, as there's plenty horror stories, they have little to no knowledge, follow an arrow on a smartphone, they have no plan B, or plan C, should there be traffic and you're in a hurry, or diversions etc....

I also can't believe more people don't take issue with the surge pricing...??
If I took a customer to town for example and charged £15 going down, but picked them up on the way back and charged them £45, I'd be accused of ripping them off and reported, yet this is exactly what über do.

The surge pricing can be manipulated all too easy, more customers than cars, then you're going to pay a premium.
I wish I could charge, 2 or 3 times the price during busy peak times, I'd be laughing.
This isn't the same as London where the uber prices are way cheaper than black cabs.
But in Newcastle, their tariff is very similar to most other private hire companies, but with regular peak time surges which make those fares far more expensive.

As for not needing cash, as has been said, and that convenience, well....my company and many others in our area, all have very similar apps, where you can upload card details, pay direct via this system, book your car through the app, or even pay via a card machine in the cars.

Uber also takes a cut of 25% off their drivers, off the fare of every job they do.
Every city or country they have landed in, there are stories, not to mention the tax issues that are common knowledge, so they aren't even giving anything back.

Bloody hell thats excessive. Take 30% out for running costs per job and those drivers aren't making no profit.

 

[Hobbit]

I thought UBER were licenced and audited every year by Tfl, and in their last audit they got zero errors.

The "knowledge;" wish I had a pound for every time a PH cab put the destination into a sat nav. Wish I had a pound for every time a PH driver asked me if I knew the route. And I've twice had a PH cab go well off route in an area I know very well and tried to charge me - I reported one of them after he went several miles off route. He'd avoided a straight dual carriage way which we crossed which obviously didn't have any traffic on it. I'd lived there for 10 years but with a not local accent he thought he had a visitor.

Dodgy taxi firms; there's been a few. Rochdale taxi firm involved in massive grooming for sex scandal. Another firm there offers white only drivers.

Been in some very dodgy, creaking cars too. Add to that a few guys that I would put through their driving test again.

The vast majority of PH cabs have been great, certainly the 4 this week. And I've never had a problem with UBER either.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

I thought UBER were licenced and audited every year by Tfl, and in their last audit they got zero errors.

The "knowledge;" wish I had a pound for every time a PH cab put the destination into a sat nav. Wish I had a pound for every time a PH driver asked me if I knew the route. And I've twice had a PH cab go well off route in an area I know very well and tried to charge me - I reported one of them after he went several miles off route. He'd avoided a straight dual carriage way which we crossed which obviously didn't have any traffic on it. I'd lived there for 10 years but with a not local accent he thought he had a visitor.

Dodgy taxi firms; there's been a few. Rochdale taxi firm involved in massive grooming for sex scandal. Another firm there offers white only drivers.

Been in some very dodgy, creaking cars too. Add to that a few guys that I would put through their driving test again.

The vast majority of PH cabs have been great, certainly the 4 this week. And I've never had a problem with UBER either.

Private hire cars dont have to do the "knowledge", it's black cab taxi's that have to do it as only they are allowed to be hailed on the street. Black cabs are highly regulated, can have the police or related black cab authorities turn up at any time and inspect the cab and just as an added aside...if you happen to have an accident with a black cab the police HAVE to be called.
As I have said previous, I am no lover of the black cabs, but Uber cars are a nightmare for everyone else on the road.

 

[Hobbit]

As I have said previous, I am no lover of the black cabs, but Uber cars are a nightmare for everyone else on the road.

Bit melodramatic? Nightmare? Has there been a surge in accidents and near misses attributed to UBER drivers?

Police have to be called every time there's a black cab involved in an accident! What a waste of Police time.

If UBER were rubbish customers would go elsewhere. Customers decide if a business is acceptable.

 

[SaintHacker]

Private hire cars dont have to do the "knowledge".

That depends on the licensing authority. In Southampton both PH and hackney drivers have to do the same knowledge test.

 

[larmen]

And I've twice had a PH cab go well off route in an area I know very well and tried to charge me - I reported one of them after he went several miles off route. He'd avoided a straight dual carriage way which we crossed which obviously didn't have any traffic on it. I'd lived there for 10 years but with a not local accent he thought he had a visitor.

I never used an UBER but I thought as a customer you know the fair in advance and therefore it doesn't make sense for the driver to do a detour?

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Bit melodramatic? Nightmare? Has there been a surge in accidents and near misses attributed to UBER drivers?

Police have to be called every time there's a black cab involved in an accident! What a waste of Police time.

If UBER were rubbish customers would go elsewhere. Customers decide if a business is acceptable.

Sit behind an Uber driver looking for his next ride regularly and then you will understand the frustration they create.
The police have to be called because they are party to the black cab licensing.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

That depends on the licensing authority. In Southampton both PH and hackney drivers have to do the same knowledge test.

I was referring to London, as that is where I have to deal with them and the black cabs.

 

[Kellfire]

I never used an UBER but I thought as a customer you know the fair in advance and therefore it doesn't make sense for the driver to do a detour?

You get an estimate.

 

[SaintHacker]

Reports now emerging that quite a few users haven't signed the petition, but instead Uber have used their collected personal data and done it for them. I'm not surprised in the slightest

 

[Blue in Munich]

Reports now emerging that quite a few users haven't signed the petition, but instead Uber have used their collected personal data and done it for them. I'm not surprised in the slightest

If true then that should see them never working in London again.

 

[Jensen]

Mate of mine is an Uber driver and thinks it fair.
1. No weekly charge for radio/meter @ £100.
2. No concerns about "best" jobs being given to favourites or the click.
3. Money paid direct into bank accounts following week.
4. No worries about handling cash/being mugged.
5. No worries about people doing a "runner".
6. Lost money through no shows.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Uber wanting to come to the table with changes.

They wouldn't have done that off their own back an d on their own accord. Well done TfL.