Canada WAKE UP!!!!

  What's up with people and Uber?  Don't people know the inherent danger of Uber?  Here's company that goes out of it's way to screw people.

  First with drivers' with lies of how much they can make.  $90,000.00 a year.  Come on Uber.  It would take working over 70 hours a week, with a lot of surge pricing to get that amount.  Lies of insurance.  Drivers' are not cover, PERIOD!  Taking 25% of the fare plus the $1.50 for safe ride.  Whatever that is.  Did I forget the tips are not given to the driver either.  How about the rating system.  Where the driver is extort into doing things that are illegal.  Like, what?  You say.  Taking 5 people where he can only take 4.  Drinking by passengers in the car.  There's a lot more a customers can do to make a driver do things that are illegal, because he needs 5 stars.

  Second with passengers.  Who is really driving you?  Criminal check?  They say they get a criminal check.  But, a real criminal check would also be fingerprints like what the region asks for.  With the fingerprint they cross reference with all databases.  Just in case of name change or false documentation.  Automobile safety check?  They only do a walk around the vehicle.  Not a MTO safety inspection.  Where everything is checked.  How about the driver's abstract?  What's that?  It's the driver's record for the last 3 years.  Any driving offence will be on there.  Drivers going for a taxi license can't have more than 1 minor offence.  How about someone else behind the wheel.  Buddy didn't want to go out.  So, a friend goes out with the car and the phone.

  Third with the general public,  Calling the taxi industry outdated.  Here's a company that really doesn't know a things about the taxi industry.  Here in the region, we use more technology than Uber will ever use.  People can use a app, call or even e-mail for a cab.  Unlike Uber, we even have a backup system when the internet goes down.  They say their faster.  Not a chance that they're faster than cabs in the region.  Safer?  Let's see,  hiring university students that been in region for a year or less.  Improper hiring practices for someone to drive you around.  How accurate is a iphone.  Where the meters are checked yearly in the cab.  With surprise inspection to make sure the meters are not tamper with.

  Another beef with Uber is their tax evasion tactics.   Do you really know where your money is going?  It goes to Uber B.V. in Netherlands.  Thats right!  Out of country. Out of region.  Where it uses to be all in the region.  No HST is collected by Uber or paid out.  Where Uber shows no income.  Drivers are told that it's alright if you stay under a certain amount you don't need to pay.  You don't need a business license.  When the last time Uber did anything for the community.  Please, don't say Ubersafe!  That's all marketing 101.

  WAKE UP!  LOOK AT THE FACTS!

Uber calls itself a technology network company.  What they are is a unregulated taxi service provider.  Using outdated iphones to meter and deliver fares.  That's a joke.  Here in my region we use state of art equipment and software.   We are legal professional taxi drivers!

Uber = marketing scam.

Uber destroying the fabric of society

  Now that Uber has started in the Waterloo Region.  At first they really didn't hurt us.  but as the time goes by they are starting to hurt us.  Mostly at nights and weekends.

  What Uber has done will affect everyone.  Uber has promised to create jobs.  What kind of the jobs?  They're calling it casualized workforce.  Where people from all walks of life can just start working on a whim.  Customers are the ones that benefit from this.  But also Uber.  Uber does not care about the downfall of this type of economy.  It's goal is to change what was a trade to a simple part-time job.  Where man and woman that had full-time careers in the taxi industry.  From drivers, call takers and office management team.  All this jobs are now in jeopardy.  All because someone wants to make more money than God.  So far Uber has spent a lot of money to destroy the taxi industry.  Thinking that they can simply go around the laws that are there to protect the consumers and the taxi industry.  Saying that they are only a technology company.  The simple truth is that they are a transportation/taxi company.

  Uber's public image is a corporation that wants to change how people get around.  They're gone out of their way to avoid regulation. The reason for regulations is to protect customers.  But, Uber says it does a better job than government regulators.  Let's see their track record.  Improper insurance coverage for drivers and passengers.  No oversight of drivers' abstract record.  No proper car inspection. Corporation like Uber only looks at the bottom line.  Now, UberX or UberPop drivers are paying the price.  With improper insurance coverage.  Drivers involved in a accidents are being left out in the cold.  Promises of wages better than the taxi industry.  True.  Only until Uber has a larger market share.  Than Uber takes 25% of the fare and still dropping price of the fares.  To hold onto their market share.  Drivers are forced to make less or work longer hours to make up the difference.  When times comes to replace their vehicle. They won't have enough money to purchase one.  So, here comes Uber to the rescue.  By offering deals of financing from one of their many partners.  You get the picture.  I hope.

  People say that taxi industry is a monopoly?  Really what Uber has done.  Is making a monopoly.  One large taxi company around the world.  Without care for the customers.  Killing the taxi industry around the world.  How one corporation be allowed to destroy a industry that has been around for ages.  Local companies like Waterloo Taxi, United and City Cab (Kitchener) fighting off a company that subsides it's drivers to steal customers.  By lying about the taxi industry.  Faster, safer and cleaner.  Which anyone in my region knows is not true.  If Uber wanted to go head to head in a fair fight.  They would lose.  Drivers would leave them, for they would not make the money that they were promised.  Customers would not step in a car without proper insurance, or know who is really behind the wheel.  How safe is that car?  No real documentation on the vehicle.

  People are so caught up with Uber's marketing that it's funny.  Technology company?  At Waterloo Taxi we use more technology than Uber  will ever use.  Customers can simply call.  E-mail or uses two different apps that are available.  We can even still run our service if the internet goes down or like in 2004.  Power outage.  People will get a cab.  We don't use sub-standard equipment, but use commercial grade equipment.  Including software and GPS.  How often is the gps on your phone inaccurate?  You trust that for commercial uses in a business?

  The taxi industry is not perfected.  But, here in the region we are working to improve the service all the time.  I would like some changes to improve the industry.  But, it takes people to go to the government and talk about the industry.  I'm one of many owner/operators of  Waterloo Taxi.  Just a guy trying to make a honest living for me and my family.  I drive four days a week.  I have 2 other people that drive my vehicle for the rest of the week.  They rely on me to make sure my cab is safe and clean.  Which I take great care of.  It's not just my income but theirs also.  Next time you want to go out.  Remember!  There's people that went out of their way to become a taxi drivers.  Uber's drivers are just out there without any care of the rules.  Just to make a quick dollar.

  Uber is destroying full-time jobs.  Call takers, and drivers won't be needed.  Then there's the money that leaving the region.  25% of all fares will leave the region.  It all equals to the demise of the fabric of our community.  Where owners like me will have find ways to save money.  Like stop sponsoring local teams.  Advertisement ads, or cutting jobs at the office.  In the long run the consumer will pay.  Surge pricing and slower response time.  Look at what's happening in California.  Law suits against Uber.  It will effect in the price of the fare.  It's just a thought.  Think about what will happen when Uber is the only business around.

Toronto's Transportation Regulation Survey for UberX

Uber is asking their customers in Toronto to take a survey for Toronto's transportation services.  Uber was nice of to give tips on their website.  I copy it so people can read it.

 August 6, 2015  Posted by Ian Black   
  

City Hall is considering regulations for uberX and has asked for input from all Torontonians on their experience with Uber, taxis, and limousines in Toronto.

We would truly appreciate you taking 5 mins to complete the City survey. The results will be used by City Hall to shape how ridesharing will be regulated in Toronto going forward.

TAP HERE TO FILL OUT THE SURVEY

Tip #1: Read each question carefully because the rating scale reverses for some questions.

Tip #2: “Taxicab” is used to refer to traditional taxis, not an uberX vehicle. 

              OH! That Tip #2 of theirs is not true either.  They are a taxi service just not a very good one. Only one way to request a ride. No Disability vehicles.  Must have smartphone and credit card. 

A few things to consider:

• Regulated fares = dramatically higher fares. They also mean lower hourly driver earnings and worse reliability of service for riders. Price fixing and supply caps make for poor policy.

• Ridesharing is safer by design. Our innovative technology ensures every ride is GPS tracked, passengers and riders are known to each other, and there’s no stash of cash in an Uber.

• Ensuring public safety is essential. We require uberX driver partners to undergo a background check (RCMP, local police records & driving record) and a 26-point vehicle inspection.

• Training courses don’t equal better service. Every Toronto taxi driver undergoes a city training course. Uber uses in-app ratings and educates driver partners on an ongoing basis about how to provide 5 star service. We believe our approach leads to better results.

• Every uberX ride is backed by Ontario insurance covering bodily injury and property damage.

I'm going to give my counter points to theirs!

• Regulated fares = fair and never changing fares.  That means no surge pricing. Reliable service do to drivers will be able to make a living wage. 

• Ridesharing is not safer by design.  Their technology is not innovative or new.  GPS tracking has been used for years before Uber came on the seen.  In-car GPS system is more accurate and update then any phone gps system.  Plus, emergency call button is installed in taxis.

• Ensuring public safety is essential.  Uberx drivers undergo background check.  But not the full background with fingerprints to verify the person.  Plus Uber, doesn't really care. They need cars on the road.  Their vehicle inspection is a joke.  It's simple walk around inspection.  That should be done daily on any commercial vehicle.  Where in the industry they must get a MTO (Ministry of Transportation of Ontario) vehicle safety inspection done yearly. With surprise inspection done by by-law.

• Training courses don't equal better service.  But, It's gives customers a consist customers service with proper educate drivers.  Do's and Don't.  Like asking for a date.  Safe driving habits, over having a bottle water or mints in the car.

• uberX ride is not properly insured!  If the uberX driver has not put on commercial insurance on his or her vehicle.  Then they are not insured.  You'll have to sue uberX and the driver.  That's what their insurance is for.  Liability insurance. 

So, if you have friends in Toronto let them know the truth about uberX.

  Take the survey !!

Corrupt? Uber vs taxi

  It's time to correct the misinformation from Uber and their lackeys.  Here in the Waterloo Region the Taxi industry is a full partnership of owner/operators.  That means that every taxi on the road has it's own owner.  That owner is a part owner in a existing Taxi company. Not a corporation owning the taxis and a driver paying to drive that taxi.  This way the owner has only one way of making a income.  From that one car.

  How is the taxi industry in the Region of Waterloo corrupt?  We all follow the regulations in the Region. Pay our taxes.  Employ people at our offices, office staff and call takers.  Have drivers to drive our taxis to fulfil requirements that there is taxis on the road 24/7 and 365 days a year.  Do community services by sponsoring groups and teams.  Because we care about our community.  We are part of the community.  We have families and friends in this community.  We put out for our community.  Corrupt?

  Some people have called us dinosaurs.  Really!  The taxi industry keeps updating all the time.  From the days where taxi drivers would have to drive to the call centre to get their next call. To in-car radio dispatch which was considered a huge jump in technology.  From there digital dispatch by radio, to digital dispatch by cellular.  Where gps tracking has been used for well over a decade. Using the latest dispatch software.  In the taxi industry here in the region you can request a taxi in many forms.  Apps, emails, or phone.  It doesn't matter how you request a taxi.  You will get one, and faster.  Not like Uber.  They only have a app.  With no back-up system if something goes wrong.  Like New York City, ring any bell there Uber.

  Uber would have you believe that taxi industry is outdated and not needed.  For centuries hacks (taxi or carriages) were regulated to make sure the public were not taken advantage of.  Uber believes that they are the only ones that can do a better job and cheaper.  Cheaper only when times are slow.  But when things get busy they have surge pricing. 2 to 3 times the regular fare.  If taxis did that years ago we would have been burned at the stake.  Now, people out there think it's perfectly alright to do that because a technology company from San Francisco says it's fair.  How's it fair?  Oh! You can wait until it slows down.  Hmmm.  So you wait or you pay.  Extortion sounds right.  That is one of many reasons why the taxi industry was regulated.  It's easy to take advantage of people in the transportation business.  That's why the government has regulate taxis.  If Uber gets any bigger they will be one that are controlling the industry.  With no oversight at all.  That's a monopoly!

  People call the taxi industry a monopoly.  Here in the region there is 5 companies competing for business.  Yes, the fare is all the same. To protect the customers and be fair to taxi industry.  So, you say Uber does it cheaper.  Yes.  At what cost.  First the safety of customers by allowing people that don't get vetted properly with a proper criminal check. There's more than one type of criminal check in Ontario.  Improper vehicle safety check. Not a walk around visual check but a real MTO (Ministry of Transportation of Ontario) vehicle inspection like the taxi industry has to do every year.  With also inspections from the Region by-law.  Including surprise inspections and company inspections on top of that.  With a paper trail to go with that.  Now the real cost for taxi is the insurance.  It's commercial insurance not personal car insurance with a third party liability insurance.  For the people out there driving for Uber.  You are not covered by your insurance in a collision. In your insurance policy it's state you will not use your car for hire.  Uber's insurance is for liability of your accident.  You will not get a cent from no one.  And most likely will not get insured again.  If not charged with fraud by your insurance company.   Where is the saving?  Here in the region there were two comparisons done.  Uber said that they are 25% cheaper.  The real results showed that they were not and in one case more.

  Uber has made a lot of statements on the taxi industry which are true in some parts of the world. But not here.  We don't drive old, broken down cars.

We don't care about our customers.  In Fact, we care more.  We don't discriminate.  Unlike Uber.

  So who's corrupt?

  We work with our local municipality to improve service for the community.  Not work against it, like Uber.  Which it forces it's will on the government.  Costing the community time and money to insure that people are protected.  Change is good.  With the idea of protecting consumers from over zealot corporation.  Think what would happen if Uber was the only transportation service provider.  It's happening in California.  The taxi industry is disappearing.  Prices will go up!  Corporation only want to increase their profits.  That's why they are willing to lose money to gain market shares.  Pay drivers a guarantee wage.  So, that they can destroy the taxi industry.  Then when the competition is not a threat anymore.  Fares will start to increase.

  That's why the taxi industry is regulated!  

  To protect the consumers!