Best week ever??

[Cab2017]

7 years of driving a taxi in Dublin, whenever I see a story about taxis in the media, it is usually negative and completely demoralising...
The news this week so far has been fare increase coming next spring, Mytaxi pick up fee reinstated, 20,000 less drivers than in 2009, 3 drivers leaving the industry for every 1 that joins,  uber losing their licence in London....
For the first time in 7 years, I'm feeling pretty good about the future!

[Cab2017]

now that the pick up charge is reinstated, the only other incentive Mytaxi can offer drivers is to reduce commission back to at least 10%. Crazy today the jobs I was getting offered, driving through donnybrook I was getting offers in east wall. If I was the nearest available driver, Mytaxi have lost a huge amount of drivers. I'd be surprised if they're still alive in 6 months unless they bring in further sweeteners for drivers. I've no interest in the bonus work, I just want cheap commission.

[Rat Catcher]

Uber losing it's London licence isn't great news for Dublin taximen. A lot of Uber's taxi business here comes from it's London PH clients. In any event, Uber have plenty of options to exhaust before it throws in the towel. First, it will challenge TfL in court. On the face of it, Uber ought to win as all the drivers subject to complaints were, in fact, licensed and vetted by TfL and, as far as reporting crimes to the old bill goes, that's a matter for the victims. Even if Uber loses it's legal challenge it's unlikely that the service will cease, it's more likely that the service will be subcontracted to another licensed PH firm or it might even be sold to the Carlyle Group/Addison Lee. Even failing any of that, there'd be 40,000 drivers looking for a rideshre firm to work for. I doubt they'd be looking for very long. Who knows, mytaxi might even fancy having another go at the PH market in London?

Bit early to look for 10% commission from mytaxi. It's taken a huge risk in reinstating PUC so it seems fair to allow it some time to assess the impact of that on it's bottom line.

[Belker]

Uber losing it's London licence isn't great news for Dublin taximen.....

I'm delighted Uber lost it's London licence.
The NTA took a strong decision not to allow Uber rideshare in Eire.
Undoubtedly Uber will again come knocking at the Irish door another day,
but at least next time the NTA will have a strong ally in London.

[The Liffey Lip]

I don't think it's over yet by a long shot.

[Rat Catcher]

TfL never allowed UberPop either, Ken. UberX in London uses licensed minicabs, similar to mytaxi using hackneys over here except Uber doesn't dispatch minicabs as substitutes for taxis. As Hippo notes, it has a way to run yet, TfL seem to be on the back foot if anything.

[Belker]

TfL never allowed UberPop either, Ken. UberX in London uses licensed minicabs, similar to mytaxi using hackneys over here except Uber doesn't dispatch minicabs as substitutes for taxis. As Hippo notes, it has a way to run yet, TfL seem to be on the back foot if anything.

It will be a very interesting battle, personally my money would be on TfL.
Brits have long memories, their defeat in the 1812 war between themselves
and the USA still harbours sour thoughts.

As Hippo notes.......

And here was me thinking that I was the only one that spotted that !
 

[Rat Catcher]

I don't think there'll be much of a battle. I reckon it'll be settled out of court with Uber agreeing to some meaningless nonsense, in essence TfL just need to save face.

[The Liffey Lip]

Chief Inspector Dreyfus is back at work, I see....every day....I'm getting better and better...

[Belker]

I don't think there'll be much of a battle. I reckon it'll be settled out of court with Uber agreeing to some meaningless nonsense, in essence TfL just need to save face.

Maybe so, either way the NTA now have an ally in TfL when Uber next come a calling to our door.

[Rat Catcher]

Not really, NTA has no problem with mytaxi using Hackneys, Uber could do likewise if it so desired.

[Rat Catcher]

Interesting piece from the Independent:

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/uber-london-ban-driver-employee-rights-money-passenger-safety-women-a7969516.html

Transport for London have announced that they do not intend to renew Uber’s private hire operator licence when it expires at the end of this week.

Their justification cites concerns about how criminal offences are reported, how medical certificates and background checks are obtained, and the potential use of software tools to frustrate regulatory/law enforcement duties. The strong implication is that Uber is somehow a threat to public safety. The Mayor has backed this up, saying that Uber deserved to lose its licence in the name of “protecting Londoners’ safety”.

But if it’s really just a matter of safety, then I’m struggling to understand.

Safety and security concerns

Let’s start with the points raised by TfL.

First, like any other private hire operator, Uber is required to notify TfL if a driver is deactivated for unsatisfactory conduct. There is no suggestion that Uber has failed to comply with this requirement.

Moreover, in contrast to other private hire operators, Uber has a dedicated team, process and toolset explicitly designed to support the police in conducting criminal investigations. If TfL want to make it mandatory for Uber to report more incidents to the police, then they can easily add this requirement to the operator licence conditions.

Second, medical certificates and background checks form part of the supporting documentation that individuals submit to TfL when applying for a private hire driver licence. TfL make a decision in each individual case, and only grant a licence if they are satisfied that everything is in order. Drivers must then present the licence issued by TfL before they can access the Uber app.

There is no suggestion that unlicensed drivers have been using the app (and anyone who has used Uber in London will know that their driver’s TfL licence number is displayed in the app when a trip is booked).

Finally, a software tool known as Greyball is indeed infamous for allegations that it was used to evade regulators in the US, and TfL appear to be concerned about the potential for similar use in London. But an independent review has found that Greyball has never been used – or even considered – for these purposes in the UK. The tool does have other legitimate uses, but these are mostly to do with testing new features or promotions – activities that are part and parcel of any technology business.

In response to a recent FOI request, TfL stated that they have conducted 10 compliance inspections at Uber’s headquarters in the last four years, all of which were passed.

Given this, along with TfL’s ability to attach any additional licensing conditions they see fit, a decision not to renew Uber’s licence at all feels pretty disproportionate. So although an appeals process looks set to get underway, the most important practical step must surely be to open up a proper dialogue about what needs to change.

Technology enhances safety

Across the UK, Uber operates within the regulated private hire framework, which means that every driver and vehicle using the Uber app has been checked and licensed. What’s more, the technology powering the Uber app enables numerous pioneering safety features. These include:

Short, transparent wait times. You can see an estimated ETA before you book, and follow your car’s location on the map once it’s on the way. This means you can be confident a car is coming, and wait inside until it arrives.
Detailed driver information. When you book an Uber trip the app shows you your driver’s name, photograph, and the make, model and registration plate of their car. You have access to all of this information before you get in the car.
Every trip GPS-tracked in real time. You can see the location of your car on the map at all times. You can even share your real-time location with friends and family.
Comprehensive receipts. After every trip you get a receipt showing when and where you were picked up, the route taken, when and where you were dropped off, who was driving you and how much you were charged.
Best-in-class record keeping. Records of every trip are stored securely and can be referred to if required for customer support. This information can also be shared with the authorities if there are reasonable grounds to for them to request it.
Rider and driver ratings. At the end of every trip, both the rider and the driver rate their experience, and can also leave feedback to identify any specific issues. You see your driver’s rating when you book a trip, and they also see yours.
Fully cashless operation. This means that riders can always book a trip without having to carry cash. It’s also a big deal for drivers, because it’s safer to drive without cash in the car.
Family profiles. Rider accounts for different family members can be linked together and share a payment card. This means you can be sure that everyone in your family can use Uber to get home if they ever need to.
Automatic documentation checks. Uber captures the details from every driver’s licence, insurance policies and so on, and if any of these are absent or expired then a driver will not be able to use the app to take trips.
24/7 customer support. As well as handling routine enquiries, the support team can instantly suspend access to the driver or rider app in response to incidents reported by riders, drivers or the authorities.
Rider and driver deactivations. Uber’s community guidelines make it clear that both riders and drivers can have their access to the app withdrawn for unacceptable behaviour.
It’s easy to take these features for granted, particularly if you’re a regular Uber rider. But most were not standard before Uber arrived, and many are still not available from other taxi or private hire operators.

Safety is a particular issue for women, many of whom have been voicing their concerns about getting home safely if Uber is no longer able to operate in London.

There’s no such thing as perfect

I’m just going to tell this bit like it is: no product or service can ever guarantee perfect safety. The Mayor says it would be wrong to license Uber “if there was any way this could pose a threat to Londoners’ safety”. But this is a hopelessly unrealistic standard; for any taxi or private hire operator, the only way to ensure nothing ever goes wrong would be not to operate at all.

According to TfL’s own figures, the number of sexual offences by taxi and private hire drivers hasn’t changed much for more than a decade. Of course, even one incident is one too many. But even with the extensive background checks applied to every licensed taxi and private hire driver, there is no foolproof way to detect someone with no prior record or indication of criminal intent.

[mercenary for hire]

Bottom line is they are undermining the lads who studied for the knowledge.They're using virtual hails to pick up off the street where the black cabs are exclusively  only allowed to pick up of the street.If they allow Uber in its current format they might as well scrap the knowledge.Maybe they like having the best taxi drivers in the world?Dunno about you lads but customers like drivers who know where they are going without following an arrow on a screen?

 Also the fact that London is a nightmare for the anti terror police who are looking out for muslim lads driving over pedestrians to get to get 89 virgins.I'd say a few Uber drivers are on various watch lists.

There was a bloke a few weeks ago in a Prius who was arrested with a Sword after driving at the cops.Imagine trying to find an foreign bloke in London driving a Prius amongst 40000 foreign blokes in Priuses .

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/08/25/buckingham-palace-lockdown-man-sword-attacks-officer/

[Rat Catcher]

Virtual hails aren't the same as picking up off the street, if they were how could mytaxi drivers justify charging PUC? Plenty of PH firms in London have app, SMS, telephone and internet ordering facilities. Most send you a text when your silver Prius is outside the bar/station/etc.

London has always had a large PH sector. It gives people access to cabs outside of the city, access to drivers who won't go "round the owses" to run up the meter, access to drivers who don't mind going "sowf of the river" after 19:42, etc, etc. Those who prefer drivers who know where they're going can and will use, and pay for, black cabs. It's about choice. In my experience, Uber isn't particularly cheap. I priced a cab to Stanstead once and to Heathrow another time on it's app, on both occasions I found the local minicab firm cheaper.

TfL are responsible for licensing PH cars and drivers. I suspect it would be difficult to exclude drivers on the grounds of religion or exclude Toyota Preyeye but they should certainly be mindful of watch lists. The vetting procedure they use is comprehensive so it's difficult to imagine men on watch lists being licensed.

[The Liffey Lip]

Legit taxi protest groups opposed to Uber were hijacked by the EDL and Combat what you call 'em to propagate the myth that everything ain't fackin' tropical mate wiv all these irons from Darjeelingistan comin' over to 'ave some WET(White Estate Thrash). Henry viii sorted out that geezer in Rome and they ain't about to surrender to no Berkshire Hunt from no Sudan innit. Fuck you, we're Millwall mate!