LYFT , UBER are they a good investment for the future?

  Lyft's IPO came out 4 weeks ago.  Drop 22% in that time.  People are still optimistic.  Here's my take on ride-sharing companies ipo. 

 1.  Will they be able to make a profit.  No!  They would need to cut staff drastically.  Take more money from drivers.  Which would lead to more drivers leaving that platform.  Which in turn lead to longer wait time. That leads to consumers leaving to other platforms.

 2.  Stop discounting fares to consumers. Which is the only real reason people use them.

The major reason for their optimistic future! Not!

  3.  The future is in autonomous vehicles!?

       First, they would need a huge new investment in those vehicles.  They would need ten's thousands of new vehicles. Just New York city alone they would need a minimum of 10,000 cars.  Let's not forget insurance.  Which most of cost is paid by drivers. Yes, Lyft has insurance put mostly only liability insurance.They would have to get commercial insurance.  Which is a lot more expensive than personal car insurance.

      Opps, let's not forget the staff for maintenance, cleanings and refueling in every market (city).  That includes buildings and parking for the fleet. Then staff to run the fleet.  They still need software to manage the fleet.  Where the cars go during the day or night.  Get permission to park fleet cars when they are not in service.

  No real future without screwing consumers!  Regulation will come in for these companies which will cap their growth.

  No real answers by any ride-sharing companies.  How they would do all these things or where the money will come from. 

  Just some of my thoughts why I would never invest in these companies.  

Taxi technology VS Uber's

  I'm tired of listening to people talking about Uber's technology.  Please!  They are so weak in that area that it make a mockery of the transportation industry.  Trucking, alone has had gps tracking for decades.  The taxi industry has had gps tracking of their fleet for well over 15 years.  Most taxi companies use a digital dispatching system. Online booking has been around for at least 10 years.  Third party apps have been around also for 10 years.  Where's the innovation?  You drop a pin, and a car shows up!  Really?  STOP and look!  People looking at their phone.  Trying to find their ride!  While a taxi is just outside.  They call the driver to give directions or explain where they are.  SIMPLE??

  Safer?  How does technology make driving safer?  Drivers constantly looking at a small screen to get direction.  Gps tracking?  Uber refuses to give information to police all the time.  They say that they cooperate with the police or regulators.  But every time the authorities have to fight with Uber to get information.  In most case in the Region of Waterloo,  the Taxi industry will have the information or video for the police in a hour or less.

My White paper on the white paper of Canada's Competition Bureau

  After reading the white paper from the Competition Bureau, Modernizing Regulation in The Canadian Taxi Industry, I find the lack of real information or truths disheartening.  This paper is most likely written by group of millennials.  How could they know the very reasons for Taxi regulation, or care.  They only see the someone driving a car, and think that anyone can do that job. Also, they only using examples of Toronto and Ottawa taxi services.  Where here in the Region we uses a different and maybe a lot better method of taxi service.

  I read through the white paper.  Here's some of my counterpoints to their points of TNCs (taxi service).  Especially for my region.

Price: 
        It's true that TNCs can offer lower prices than the taxi industry. How?  Uber uses investor's money to pay minimum wage to Uber drivers.  But at what cost?  Driver's of TNCs (Taxi Service) do not understand underlying cost of operating a vehicle as business (wear and tear, depreciation value of vehicle and replacement cost of vehicle).  They only see amount of money they make.  If they pay taxes they would lose  13% to HST. Surge pricing does not guarantee more vehicles on the road just more money for Uber.

Availability and waiting times: 
   I quote "TNCs may reduce waiting time".  Here in Waterloo Region wait times are so low that taxis are waiting longer for customers than it took to get to the customer.  Uber has given numbers on their wait times, but there has been no verification of numbers just Uber's word.  Here the taxi industry they must keep records, and allow regulators to look at them.
  Uber does not take into consideration there are people in rural areas.  Uber does not operate in those areas in the Region.  Also a lot people in the rural areas do not use technology or credit cards (Mennonite).  How does Uber offer services to these people?

Convenience:
    The convenient feature the TNCs (taxi service) provide is all a gimmick.  Uber uses ghost cars on there map.  Showing cars that are not there, but giving a estimate time of arrival of 7 minutes or more.  Taxi companies looked into this.  Some companies have put this option on their apps.  But, different do to response of internet security.  Uber method has been hack into.  Customers accounts have been abused.  Why need tracking when you are only 2 minutes a way?  For years taxi industry have used a call out feature to let their customers know that their vehicle has arrived.

Quality of service:
   Here in the region the competition put pressure on all taxi companies to improve the quality of service way before TNCs (taxi service) came into the Region.  There are 5 companies all fighting to keep and increase customers base.  Most people that come to the Region to visit or business are surprise by how great the taxi service is in the Region.  People from San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and rest of the world.  Where TNCs exists.  They are all surprised how clean and professional all the taxi service here in the region.

Conclusion:
    Don't understand how the Canada's Competition Bureau step in a municipality concerns. Oh!!!  That's right!  's approach the Competition Bureau.  Saying there's no real competition in the taxi industry.  Competition Bureau didn't look at the regulations to understand what they are for.  Just hearsay from company with no vested interest in the community.  Just money. 

Taxi industry getting SCREWED again!!!

  It's been awhile since I wrote anything on Uber and the taxi industry!  It was announce that Aviva Canada came up with ride-sharing insurance. Who is going to check if insured is following the contract? Upto 20 hours a week?  Licensed for a minimum of six years?  Driver's abstract?  Not Uber!  They can't even follow their own rules.  Since Uber started in the Waterloo Region illegally.  Drivers have been driving without proper insurance.  Driver under the age of 21.  What has the Region to protect consumers?  Nothing!  Now Uber has put onus on the driver to have proper insurance, without checking if they got it.  How responsible of Uber to it's customer and the rest of society.
  Aviva Canada is largest taxi insurer company.  Thier rates for the taxi industry has increased almost every year.  If you're lucky you pay only $5400.00 a year.  That's with a clean driver's record and no claims.  Also it's a fleet rate to keep cost down.  So, how in hell does Aviva can only charge few hundred dollars on top of personal insurance?  Where can I get the same treatment?  I would be paying peanuts!
  To the regional councillors, you all have failed in so many ways.  The trust of local businesses. The protection of people under your watch. The growth of corruption of society! Should I keep going?  I can.

  I wrote this today, because people in the taxi industry are worried!  Years of hard work going down the drain.  For what?  Jobs?  Wake up councillors!!  I thought the region believe in a living wage? Good moral code?  Uber has lied in everything that they say!  You keeping stalling to see someone else come up with a solution. Or, scared to do the right thing?

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.

A Letter to the Region of Waterloo — Uber

  I missed the meeting to discuss how to regulate taxis and uber in the Region of Waterloo. So, I wrote this letter to the members of the committee of my concerns.

To the standing Committee of Licensing and Hearings

  I am an owner/operator at Waterloo Taxi for the last 11 years. I have been driving in the region for 22 years. I started as a part-time driver for a friend then for others. The question of taxi regulation or deregulation in the Region of Waterloo? I have done my own research into this. I can say that regulation is the only way to insure that the safety and fairness to all, consumers and the taxi industry.

Uber has not brought in anything new to the industry at all. They are exactly the same as a taxi broker. This emerging technology is like when taxi companies went to in-car radio dispatch, instead of going to the office to get their next call. Over the last ten years the taxi industry has been growing with this technology. Now, in the region we’ve gone from radio dispatch to cellular technology. But, we still have the radio for emergency backup when the internet goes down. We’ve listen to our customers all the time, to improve the services. As Uber moves into the region, they say they will create jobs. Their real goal is to destroy the taxi industry, then to compliment it.

Uber is new, but what they have done will hurt everyone in the region. Taxi industry — unfair business practices equally to job losses in the Region. Consumers — discriminate people with disabilities, no credit cards, and no smartphone. Region — licensing fees and taxes. Ontario — the collection of HST which in return comes back to the region in funding. 

I have only a few comments on the draft By-law.

Part 1 Section 21 –How it’s right that the taxi industry to be barred from receiving more licenses? If one or more taxi companies’ consumer base grows. They should have the right to expand the fleet to stay competitive. If the region see fit that no more meter taxi license aren’t needed. Then auxiliary taxi service should be also limited number.

Part III Section 34 sub-section 1 –Due to the requirements of this business of operating 24 hours 7 days a week. Drivers can work 3 or 4 days a week. Where the 10 hours is not enough to cover a shift. This is not like driving a transport truck. Drivers have a lot of waste time during their shift. Now, working more than 16 hours would be the unsafe number of hours in this industry.

Part IV Section 45 –Can a corporation obtain a license? If so, a corporation can hold a broker’s license. First thought comes to mind is Toronto, New York and all the large cities in the world, is their troubles in the taxi industry. The system we have here is a great example for the rest of the world. Every taxi owner is a part owner of one of these companies in the region. These owners are taking responsibility in their own business.

  I like to thank you all for your time in reading this letter. My final comment is bias. The taxi industry in the region is one of the best in the world. How I can make this claim. Simple, customers from around the world say so. People visiting the Universities, The Perimeter Institute, and the entire tech sector in the region. We in the industry worked very hard to represent all the good in this community.

Thank You!

Victor Amorim (Waterloo Taxi-Car 34)

Uber - Marketing?? Word Games???

  I just finish reading a blog from STRYVE Digital Marketing - 8 Reasons Why Uber in Kitchener-Waterloo needs to happen.  He must really love uber!  or he got paid?

  There's the link to the blog http://stryvemarketing.com/uber-in-kitchener-waterloo/

1: Uber is easy to use and more efficient - really? The app is no big deal.  Guess what?   We have one and a new updated app is coming.  With all the same features as Uber's. Oh! Can you get service 24/7?  I don't think so!  My favorite is "NO CARS AVAILABLE",  Guarantee there will be a taxi working.

2: Uber is just as safe, if not safer than conventional cab - How does he know this?  Uber's criminal checks hasn't pan out.  Just check online!  Car safety?  Where's the vehicle safety certificate?  Uber has been caught in the UK, not doing a proper vehicle safety inspection.  Here in the Region of Waterloo each and every taxi is require to goto MTO (Ministry of Transportation of Ontario) certified garage and get a safety.  The insurance that Uber carries is to cover Uber from liability.  If the Car owner doesn't have commercial insurance than his insurance won't cover him or the passenger.  Call a insurance company. Oh, do they have in-car video cameras.  To protect customers and driver?  We do!!

3:  Uber is faster - I don't think so.  I know more about these city than any gps system.  Especially now with all the construction that going on in this region.  Gps system don't usually take the shortest routes.  Oh!  We do have a gps maps on our in-car terminals also.  Plus google maps has hard time keep up with all the new streets in the region.

4:  Uber is more convenient - At a friend's house and you don't know the address?  What you don't know the restaurant's name?  Our database would have address on record.  I hope your phone doesn't die while your waiting for that car!

5:  Uber is cheaper - Not really!  Proven in the region!  Now if Uber carpooling was available than I can't argue, but it's not!

6:  Uber is cleaner - Now this is real bullshit !!!  I go out my way to keep my car immaculate!  I don't want sit in filthy car also.  In our company we do spot inspections on cars and anyone in the company or customer can report on any car that are not in good order.  Those that are reported are automatically taken off the system until they're clean.

7:  Uber will not put taxi drivers out of work - Tell that to the 8 drivers that lost their jobs.  But, in reality driver's in the taxi industry will make a lot less income do to more cars on the road.  Which hurts them and then the community.  Why work for Uber?  Might make more money.  Economics 101 - to be Uber driver you need a car with commercial insurance. Then add in the maintenance cost of your vehicle.  25% of the money that Uber takes leaves the region.  Which result in job losses in the community.

8:  Forward-thinking communities have embraced Uber - Really?  Most of the cities didn't have a say with Uber!  Uber doesn't work with the community!  They break laws everywhere!  Just check the news!

  I'm going to quote from his blog "Considering all the benefits listed above, I asked someone in San Francisco, “Why would anyone still use conventional taxis?” Her reply, “I guess the people who still use conventional taxis are old-school and resistant to change”. I couldn’t agree more.

Kitchener-Waterloo, we have to ask ourselves the question: do we want to be considered an old school community and resistance to change or do we want to be a community open to innovation and integrating better and smarter solutions?" 

  Then you are a very small minded person!  Old-school?  Resistant to change?

  Uber is just a rebranded taxi broker!

 The taxi industry has been around for decades.  We are constantly looking at new technology to improve service.  We even have backup system if the internet goes down.  Look what happen in New York.  When Uber system went down.  But, you're so smart that you forget there's a lot people that don't want or can't afford a smartphone.  Same thing with credit cards.  What about all those hacks into walmart and the endless amount of other vendors for credit card information.  How secure is Uber?  They don't do a lot stuff  above board.  And that last question that you ask.  If you had to ask that question about Kitchener-Waterloo then you really don't know the history of the Region of Waterloo.  But, then again the region will not be steamrolled by 50 Billion dollar company.  Next time when you really want a safe, reliable, clean and legal ride.  Call a taxi or uses our app. Oh and you can book a taxi on-line also.  That's right more options and better.

  Uber = no options