Uber

[x9200]

Prosecutors in South Korea charged Uber Technologies Inc. Chief Executive Officer Travis Kalanick and the head of its domestic business partner MK Korea Co. with violating a transportation law.
[..]
Seoul Metropolitan Government said this year it may ban Uber’s service and similar applications on grounds they’re unsafe and compete with licensed taxi services, and from next week will offer rewards of as much as 1 million won ($905) to people who provide information on Uber’s services.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-12-2 ... rvice.html

[the lynx]

I used to be a big fan of Uber but these days I am not keen to use them anymore. Maybe when I'm in dire need (no cab) in Singapore only, then I will consider using Uber.

[PNGMK]

My bad. Anyhow, I aren't affiliated with Uber or anything.

I smell the excrement of a male bos taurus.

[Brah]

As seen on my FB feed today:

Earn $10-20/hour driving in Singapore with Uber! Apply now and start making some serious cash!

[nakatago]

As seen on my FB feed today:

Earn $10-20/hour driving in Singapore with Uber! Apply now and start making some serious cash!

Oh boy!

Where do I sign up?

/s

[Brah]

Posting this here as I don't remember ever seeing a Taxi sticky, there really should be one Mods if there isn't.

Makes for some interesting reading, and gives some good perspective: http://cabby65.blogspot.sg/
With a family to support, becoming jobless at late fifties is a nightmare in Singapore. Unable to find a suitable job, I became a taxi driver. My real life stories may seem trivial and my views may lack substances of a learned professor, but I shall write without inhibition. In also sharing my thoughts, love for music and food, I hope my blog will be more pleasurable. More importantly, I blog to make a dull job a bit more interesting.

[retroman]

hope to see more of these disruptive innovation

[movingtospore]

I'm not saying Uber is better than taxis in every aspect, but it does provide a viable competitor to tip the scales of taxi pricing monopoly. Sure, if you guys feel safer and more comfortable taking a taxi - go ahead. To me, UberX is providing some real competition to the monopoly that the Taxi companies have created and UberExec and UberLarge are just simple ways I can hire a Limo or a 6-seater without making a single call. Cheers.

So how much are Uber paying you for this obvious SEO/Guirella marketing?

I'll give you some SEO help.

UBER = RAPE

UBER = PIRACY

UBER = RIP OFF

Technically that's all true I suppose, though it's not like there haven't been crooked taxi drivers ever since there were taxis. Even in little Singers I expect.

I like having options, and I like something new that shakes up an overprotected industry, especially in Singapore, where you need to divine intervention to hail a cab at 5pm because it's "shift change" and you need a phd to figure out the convulted pricing schemes. All of which seem to be designed to get taxi drivers, who would rather not work, to work. In Singapore or elsewhere, I think services like Uber have popped up because there is a demand for them, and older models aren't adaptive, flexible, and working.

There's a really interesting article I saw on the shifts these types of services are making in the US. For you lovers of buzzwords, the "on demand economy." Will see if I can find it.

[Brah]

A bit side-topic but,

I wonder how many people call out those (about half in my experience) taxi driver who do the hesitation thing when turning off the meter, and, if anyone calls them out on it.

I am referring to the faux-fumbling with the visor, radio, nose, mobile phone, aircon, stick-shift, etc. before turning off the meter, ostensibly waiting for it to flip to eh next charge. It is very disingenuous and really sets me off, especially if we had an otherwise pleasant ride or conversation.

I always complain when this happens, and usually challenge it.

My guess is, enough people don't so the drivers get caviler and start doing it more often, and less deftly, because it is very obvious when they are doing it. It's downright crass.

[x9200]

I have never noticed anything like this. What happens pretty frequently is sort of an opposite thing: when It's time to pay they tend to round down the amount (e.g. is xx.55 and I am asked to pay xx.50).

[the lynx]

I would wonder, why the trouble for additional 20 cents at the next flip?

[Primrose Hill]

I used Uber after a long break in SG and have found it to be pretty decent. I agree with the 5pm shift change. Why oh why should that really matters? Premier taxis re-jigged their tarriffs which of course meant higher charges.
In recent mornings, is it just me, but I seem not to be able to get a taxi on Comfort but managed to get a Comfort taxi on Grabtaxi? Higher tarriffs?

[PNGMK]

Comfort take a commission on the call out - presumably Grabtaxi is cheaper for that.

[Brah]

I have never noticed anything like this. What happens pretty frequently is sort of an opposite thing: when It's time to pay they tend to round down the amount (e.g. is xx.55 and I am asked to pay xx.50).

Apples and oranges.

While often, but not always, say, 50% of the time, also get the round down of 5 cents, about half of the time I get the button-fluffing thing. Which is a lot more than 5 cents.

[x9200]

What I found strange is, if one is that greedy to delay turning off the meter, risking your potentially unfriendly attention, why he would give you some money voluntarily if he has full right to keep it?
But perhaps there is nothing rational in it as with many things related to Singapore cars and taxi drivers.