Free Now Gone to Shite?

[Rat Catcher]

I'm getting nothing off it since deciding to opt out of the enhanced commission Taxis Saver jobs.

I voted in favour of switching to a % based discount system but what they implemented is quite different to that proposal as presented to drivers in their survey. What they have done makes no sense to me. Instead of forcing drivers to give 10% discount to their clients they decided to charge drivers an additional 10% commission. That means that for every €1,000 extra they charge drivers they get €813 and the VATman gets €187... so they have €813 out of the bag of sand they take from the driver to finance discounts instead of using the full €1,000 to lower fares for no good reason other than complete and utter incompetence in their management.

I appreciate that drivers prefer to pay more commission than to charge clients less but - to paraphrase FDS - there's a reason taxi drivers drive taxis for a living. The incompetence / financial mismanagement on display from Free Now probably isn't a million miles away from explaining why Uber were happy enough to let Lyft buy it, perhaps in the knowledge that it can put it out of business for a fraction of what Lyft paid at the stroke of a pen.

[Octavia1]

I'm getting nothing off it since deciding to opt out of the enhanced commission Taxis Saver jobs.

I voted in favour of switching to a % based discount system but what they implemented is quite different to that proposal as presented to drivers in their survey. What they have done makes no sense to me. Instead of forcing drivers to give 10% discount to their clients they decided to charge drivers an additional 10% commission. That means that for every €1,000 extra they charge drivers they get €813 and the VATman gets €187... so they have €813 out of the bag of sand they take from the driver to finance discounts instead of using the full €1,000 to lower fares for no good reason other than complete and utter incompetence in their management.

I appreciate that drivers prefer to pay more commission than to charge clients less but - to paraphrase FDS - there's a reason taxi drivers drive taxis for a living. The incompetence / financial mismanagement on display from Free Now probably isn't a million miles away from explaining why Uber were happy enough to let Lyft buy it, perhaps in the knowledge that it can put it out of business for a fraction of what Lyft paid at the stroke of a pen.

The hole app ting now is a game o " whack a mole " ..... the end game is obviously that the taxi business has a shelf life
Ken jus baut a new car ....  i hope he paid cash for it ..... rat is promotin uber an knockin the other apps wir great gusto .... I fail to see why ... the fact o the matter is we will all be replaced by technology.... robotaxis bean the end game an uber ride share before that an yis wont stop it ..  .... I still rekon theyll be here within 18 months   .... wat i do know is that this job is finished.... an none o the apps hav yur future as a priority an that the authorities are more corrupt than an African gospel choir preacher ... I told yiz probbly bout a yer ago now .... to start listenin to big dommo an move towards the welfare system.... take yur savins ou o the bank an put yur wealth in the fringe .... exclude yurself .... empty yur bank account.. an plead poverty.... go inta yur doctors an ask em does he want ta play a game o marbles ...if ya think you actually are goin to be allowed much longer to feel like yu contribute or are rewarded for " work " or " effort"  your livin in the past ... this new oirland wants ya to be a "  dependent " ... to embrace the party ... to relinquish control to the state .... you wont survive by tinkin your winning by promoting one app over the other or workin nites to all hours puttin worthless euros in yur bank .... yur jus so far down the rabbit hole that yuv lost  all sense o reality....
Uber will dominate the market ... freenow lyft wont be able to compete .an bolt will be resigned to some village in Estonia transportin european knackers to ther next shoplift .....
The ritein is on the wall .... 2 yers im predictin .. im open to bets ?

 .... Listen, and understand! That Terminator is out there! It can't be bargained with. It can't be reasoned with. It doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And it absolutely will not stop... ever, until you are dead!".
Poor cnuts

 

[Rat Catcher]

I thought you retired, Octy?


I'm hardly promoting Uber. In fact I was the only driver on here to delete Uber in support of Derek's appeal, only logging back on when it became apparent that Derek's union had no support from the other unions or drivers in general. I also supported the Indian lads' boycott of Uber, Free Now and Bolt on the Saturday of St. Brigid's weekend. In fact, I even tried their app to hire a car that evening but they had nothing available so I had to phone Lynk and pay full fare. I've told you on many occasions that Uber doesn't care about drivers and told you on many occasions that you will not hear a good word about Uber from taxi drivers anywhere in the world. However, it's clear that drivers in Ireland love it and will continue to support it. Given the alternatives that's probably understandable.

Free Now's 25% commission isn't for me while cheaper alternatives are available. In any event, Free Now has very little work where I am. I still turn it on though restricted to the cheaper work as I've opted out from the enhanced commission Taxi Saver work. Who knows, next year 25% might be the cheapest option so there's no point to burning bridges. Bolt currently offers work at 10% commission but it has very little work and it's driver app is built on a budget which results in it being the most distracting of the three I use. In particular it's in-app navigation is pure shite. To be fair to Free Now it spends money on providing proper navigation through Google's Navigation APIs. Uber for it's part, is technically streets ahead of all the others with it's native in-app navigation. I guess that's also evident in it's ability to calculate fare estimates that are extremely accurate. I don't know if Lyft has similar expertise to Uber but, to date, it hasn't moved Free Now from using Google APIs.... maybe better is to come?

From a rider perspective Uber generally offers the lowest fares and pays it's drivers the highest wage although Hola (primarily focussed on the Indian ex-pat community up above in Dublin) offers competitive discounts and only charges it's drivers €1 per job. I've tried that as a rider a few times but it's never had a car available... damn lazy, good for nothing immigrants too busy scrounging off the State, I guess!

The only option I've actively promoted is T.D. Paul Murphy's proposing a not for profit app to be facilitated by NTA/Govt, however (un)realistic that might be.

As far as the trade being fucked goes the writing has been on the wall since Minister Molloy faced us down back at the turn of the century. We've got a decent enough run at it since so we can't complain or suggest we had no warning. It mightn't be as bad as you think!

[Rat Catcher]

Should have mentioned another issue with Bolt doing things on the cheap is the wholly inaccurate ETA on job offers. While Uber and Free Now both use the Google Directions API to improve the accuracy of that information Bolt clearly extrapolates it's formula from straight line distance resulting in often ridiculous lead times.

[mercenary for hire]

Freenow has been shit for a long time for me.I am also opted out of taxi saver work so usually I get no more than two job offers per shift.My problem is now Uber is getting quieter with all the Freenow drivers moving over to avoid that discount work.I'd be fairly sure Uber might try some discounting of their own now that we have nowhere else to go.

I know it's the time of year but it does feel a bit slower than previous years.

[Rat Catcher]

They all offer discounts. On my rider apps Uber is currently offering me 20% discount, Bolt is offering me 10% discount, Hola is offering me 10% discount plus no technology fee so as close as makes no difference to Uber's 20% on aggregate but, as above, it never has drivers available where I am.

It's how they finance the discounts that differs. Uber, Bolt and Hola are currently engaged in below cost selling i.e. charging riders significantly less than they pay drivers. You don't have to be Einstein to conclude that won't last. They will all follow Free Now's lead in making drivers finance the discounts in the fullness of time. How they do that is obviously important. One would assume Uber will use dynamic pricing through it's so-called "Fixed Fare" model.

Free Now made a good case for having to give discounts to compete with Hola, Uber and Bolt and asked drivers how to go about that. That all seemed fair enough to me, they seemed like a great bunch of lads.... but they lost me when they decided to increase commission to finance discounts thereby increasing the amount they need from drivers by 23%. To me, that's pure stupidity.

Another interesting point with the discounts Uber, Bolt and Hola offer riders is how they use those discounts to manipulate demand in line with perception. Uber, in particular, offered 30% throughout December and dropped it to 10-20% in January. I know this is quite complex and well beyond the scope of our discussions but Uber clearly increased demand through manipulation of the price variable more in December than January to push perception into reality... quite interesting stuff in economic terms which suggests there's considerable scope for what might be considered devious market manipulation with an obvious view to variable rates of commission going forward.

[mercenary for hire]

There are some smart kids behind the app algorithms and manipulation is what Uber does best.

[Rat Catcher]

Indeed. You often hear the value of perceived scarcity in discussions on the property market but Uber clearly have the expertise to capitalize on such concepts in our trade. Conversely, it's hard to see what Lyft saw in Free Now. 64% of it's drivers wanted a % based discount model so it came up with a way of increasing it's VAT bill very substantially instead. You couldn't make it up!

[markmiwurdz]

FN is no stickers-no work for a good while now -particularly if you've opted out of yellow pack.

Uber loads of Fixed price shite

Bolt loads of risky cash jobs and fuck all decent work

What a clusterfuck.

[Octavia1]

I thought you retired, Octy?


I'm hardly promoting Uber. In fact I was the only driver on here to delete Uber in support of Derek's appeal, only logging back on when it became apparent that Derek's union had no support from the other unions or drivers in general. I also supported the Indian lads' boycott of Uber, Free Now and Bolt on the Saturday of St. Brigid's weekend. In fact, I even tried their app to hire a car that evening but they had nothing available so I had to phone Lynk and pay full fare. I've told you on many occasions that Uber doesn't care about drivers and told you on many occasions that you will not hear a good word about Uber from taxi drivers anywhere in the world. However, it's clear that drivers in Ireland love it and will continue to support it. Given the alternatives that's probably understandable.

Free Now's 25% commission isn't for me while cheaper alternatives are available. In any event, Free Now has very little work where I am. I still turn it on though restricted to the cheaper work as I've opted out from the enhanced commission Taxi Saver work. Who knows, next year 25% might be the cheapest option so there's no point to burning bridges. Bolt currently offers work at 10% commission but it has very little work and it's driver app is built on a budget which results in it being the most distracting of the three I use. In particular it's in-app navigation is pure shite. To be fair to Free Now it spends money on providing proper navigation through Google's Navigation APIs. Uber for it's part, is technically streets ahead of all the others with it's native in-app navigation. I guess that's also evident in it's ability to calculate fare estimates that are extremely accurate. I don't know if Lyft has similar expertise to Uber but, to date, it hasn't moved Free Now from using Google APIs.... maybe better is to come?

From a rider perspective Uber generally offers the lowest fares and pays it's drivers the highest wage although Hola (primarily focussed on the Indian ex-pat community up above in Dublin) offers competitive discounts and only charges it's drivers €1 per job. I've tried that as a rider a few times but it's never had a car available... damn lazy, good for nothing immigrants too busy scrounging off the State, I guess!

The only option I've actively promoted is T.D. Paul Murphy's proposing a not for profit app to be facilitated by NTA/Govt, however (un)realistic that might be.

As far as the trade being fucked goes the writing has been on the wall since Minister Molloy faced us down back at the turn of the century. We've got a decent enough run at it since so we can't complain or suggest we had no warning. It mightn't be as bad as you think!

Is not frenows " 25% commission " only for airport ?  Im bean charged 15% as usual ..... its up to drivers to decide if they want to do them but accepting 25% airport jobs  means yur a complete an utter idiot wit zero self respect or self worth .. again yu slate fn an bolt an are singin on about ubers discounts bean only a cople of cents ..... I just dont get it that you cant see or wont admit that them fixed fares are  very low for now but as they become adopted by drivers and then apes ..... those discounts will increase to levels wer driving becomes non profitable ..... this will happen if drivers are dumb enough to think these fixed fares will stay as they are ....
This is ubers MO worldwide and well documented.... whilst it mite suit part time uber drivers as a second job who give up  after realising thers no profit to be made... it will not suit full time taxi drivers who depend on ther taxi income to pay mortgages ,rent and bills etcetera ... to think they will operate uniquely in ireland  is again extremely dumb .
I dont know who Derek is an I dont care ...I do know that by allowing uber to dictate the fare and for you to dispense with the metered fare is  the end game for taxi driving in ireland .....
Ive said this 5 or 6 times to you so I know  we will never agree and wer both wasting our time

For me its better to tell them  ( all apps )  to shuv ther discounts up ther arse .... if others bend over an take a huge corporate cock up ther arse ... thats ther problem but theyll end up on the dole  cause o ther stupidity .... I may get ther a few months before them .... but  I wont be responsible for fukin up the business.... the dopey cunts will have it all on ther shoulders to live with an can only blame themselves....

[Octavia1]

Ive not much hope of an nta app  becoming a thing but it shud actually be a priority   for this government to save our jobs....unfortunately we are governed now by  a circus of clowns and farmers in tweed hats and scoundrels who care more about  supporting Islamic terrorists than they do  to housing our own people .....
It really is down to drivers to reject all attacks on their incomes ..... ive little faith in that happenin neither unfortunately

[Rat Catcher]

Uber gives huge discounts but just like Bolt and Hola it doesn't yet pass those on to drivers. Most Free Now work is Taxi Saver these days as far as I can ascertain. Since I opted out from Taxi Saver the day they introduced the higher rate of commission I've received less than 5 viable job offers. Of course Uber, Bolt and Hola will copy Free Now and make drivers cover the discounts in the fullness of time, they can't run at a loss forever.

I have no problem with fixed fares. We never had meters beyond Dublin Airport before entry liberalisation and the Dublin taximeter area only extended to a 15 mile radius from the GPO prior to introduction of the national taximeter area. My experience of Uber fixed fares to date is positive enough, they tend to be as close to the meter as makes no difference to me and I trust my own judgement in deciding when and where they are viable.

[Octavia1]

Uber gives huge discounts but just like Bolt and Hola it doesn't yet pass those on to drivers. Most Free Now work is Taxi Saver these days as far as I can ascertain. Since I opted out from Taxi Saver the day they introduced the higher rate of commission I've received less than 5 viable job offers. Of course Uber, Bolt and Hola will copy Free Now and make drivers cover the discounts in the fullness of time, they can't run at a loss forever.

I have no problem with fixed fares. We never had meters beyond Dublin Airport before entry liberalisation and the Dublin taximeter area only extended to a 15 mile radius from the GPO prior to introduction of the national taximeter area. My experience of Uber fixed fares to date is positive enough, they tend to be as close to the meter as makes no difference to me and I trust my own judgement in deciding when and where they are viable.

I giv up rat ... ya didnt even read wat i posted


Do yur own ting but I tried to war ya



 

[silverbullet]

Uber gives huge discounts but just like Bolt and Hola it doesn't yet pass those on to drivers. Most Free Now work is Taxi Saver these days as far as I can ascertain. Since I opted out from Taxi Saver the day they introduced the higher rate of commission I've received less than 5 viable job offers. Of course Uber, Bolt and Hola will copy Free Now and make drivers cover the discounts in the fullness of time, they can't run at a loss forever.

I have no problem with fixed fares. We never had meters beyond Dublin Airport before entry liberalisation and the Dublin taximeter area only extended to a 15 mile radius from the GPO prior to introduction of the national taximeter area. My experience of Uber fixed fares to date is positive enough, they tend to be as close to the meter as makes no difference to me and I trust my own judgement in deciding when and where they are viable.

I giv up rat ... ya didnt even read wat i posted


Do yur own ting but I tried to war ya



 

UBER: Drop your prices and you'll get more punters




RC: I'll do it if it suits me



 

[Rat Catcher]

To be fair, Free Now increased it's market share by 19% according to it's own figures with the original Taxi Saver scheme. I'm not sure why they restructured it to cut the VATman in but hey ho. I haven't experienced any significant loss on Ubers fixed fares. In fact across the 22 fixed fares I've covered my contribution to the discounts received by clients is less than 1%.