The rise of Uber is destroying the traditional taxi business, according to this compelling chart from data compiled by the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission. It tracks sale prices of taxi “medallions,” the pricey licenses that give companies the right to operate a yellow cab:
The data was compiled by Donut Shorts, a Twitter account for investors. It comes from the NYCTLC.
The scariest part — for taxi companies — is the bottom part of the chart where the blue bars indicate sales coming from foreclosures.
Medallions used to confer on companies a type of monopoly or cartel — you could not operate a taxi in New York without one. Now, however, Uber lets anyone drive a taxi for the entry-level price of merely owning your own car. For many drivers there is simply no point in owning a medallion or working for a medallion company. And so the transaction value of those medallions has dropped off a cliff, even though the economy in New York has gone through the roof.
We haven’t seen anything like this in the UK yet but there are early worrying signs for traditional cab fleets.
Addison Lee, which has a massive fleet of private hire drivers in London, recently cancelled its planned private equity sale. And then it announced there would be 90 job losses at the company.
Uber’s arrival in London already caused protests from Hackney Cab drivers. When Uber launched in Birmingham, drivers there said they didn’t care. “We are not particularly bothered about Uber coming to Birmingham,” Mohammed Taj, a member of Birmingham’s Black Cab Drivers’ Association (BBCD), told the Mail.
The stats from New York suggest cab companies ought to start being bothered a bit more.
In SG, I thought LTA said their drivers need to have TD license & regd with a taxi company? So no real difference to Grab. Think in SG Ubercar soon will die(or died already?) that's why they have Ubertaxi. May affect taxi companies but TDs should be better of or same.
If Ubercar can succeed here, then better switch camp. Be a Ubercar driver and do some other sideline.
Uber no use la. Only can let the rich drive. The payment to your bank account take 3-5 working days. If you cannot sustain then jia lat liao.
Originally posted by luckycabby:In SG, I thought LTA said their drivers need to have TD license & regd with a taxi company? So no real difference to Grab. Think in SG Ubercar soon will die(or died already?) that's why they have Ubertaxi. May affect taxi companies but TDs should be better of or same.
If Ubercar can succeed here, then better switch camp. Be a Ubercar driver and do some other sideline.
And this is proof why they will not.
This is only the tip of the iceberg...I am very sure there are many other pirate taxi cases that go unreported because the driver charged normal or lower fares.
Originally posted by bowah:Whatever the competition might be, we as taxi drivers of Singapore are flexible and versatile in our own way. Grab, Easy and Uber had in a way, waking up our oligarchy taxi companies, it is good to have them around. As a driver, we are free to move, search and join for the bigger pie of share on the road.
Wah..oligarchy..smlj lai eh? Eh sai jiak boh?
to prevent Uber things LTA should allow yellow top taxi to come back to service people. under the "new yellow taxi rule if happen LTA should allow those taxi drivers has at least 5 years driving rented taxi to apply for the licence from LTA and with that licence drivers can buy their own taxi or convert own cars to yellow top taxi. this ownership licence supply can be like biding car ceo but with cap at $20K with limited 10000 every 2 years or sometime no issues at all depend on LTA." those get the licence will have a car sticker put on the wind screen and a meter device install in the car and LTA will do the inspection every year like what other motor cars. and the licence is non transferable and non renewable after 10 years as you know other country this taxi licence worth alot of money. you want this yellow top licence after 10 years bid for it like coe
Originally posted by wsy1234:to prevent Uber things LTA should allow yellow top taxi to come back to service people. under the "new yellow taxi rule if happen LTA should allow those taxi drivers has at least 5 years driving rented taxi to apply for the licence from LTA and with that licence drivers can buy their own taxi or convert own cars to yellow top taxi. this ownership licence supply can be like biding car ceo but with cap at $20K with limited 10000 every 2 years or sometime no issues at all depend on LTA." those get the licence will have a car sticker put on the wind screen and a meter device install in the car and LTA will do the inspection every year like what other motor cars. and the licence is non transferable and non renewable after 10 years as you know other country this taxi licence worth alot of money. you want this yellow top licence after 10 years bid for it like coe
Originally posted by Reliefdriver4u:Driver who allegedly charged passenger $97 for ride not one of ours, says Uber
Driver who allegedly charged passenger $97 for ride not one of ours, says taxi app Uber
Adrian Lim
Updated today at 07:23 AM
SINGAPORE - Ride-booking service Uber said on Monday that the driver involved in an alleged case of overcharging - which is going viral online - is not one of theirs.
This is in response to a Facebook account by a passenger, who said he was offered a ride in a private Honda car and ended up paying $97 for a trip from Beach Road to Yio Chu Kang.
Uber said that the car, with a licence plate SJT 1444Y, was not registered with the company, and it has filed a police report over the incident.
Mr Joverst Lee, 22, who made the Facebook post, told The Straits Times that he was waiting for a taxi along Beach Road on Sunday afternoon, when he was approached by a driver who claimed to be from Uber.
Mr Lee, who was with his wife, 21, and his daughter, 3, and one-month-old son, said he was told there would be a flat rate of $3.90 along with a $0.70 charge for every kilometre.
However, Mr Lee said he was in for a rude shock when during the journey, he noticed that the fare - which was being displayed on a phone app - had amounted to $50.
Mr Lee said they were on the Central Expressway then, and he told the driver to drop them off at the nearest exit, which was at Yio Chu Kang, instead of going directly to his home in Woodlands.
The final bill amounted to $97, with the driver changing his tune to say that the charge was $8 per kilometre instead.
Mr Lee, who works in the construction industry, said he was concerned with the safety of his family then. "I didn't want to do anything harsh, I paid him the money and just go," he added.
Mr Lee's story has gone viral on Facebook, being shared more than 9,600 times as of 11pm on Monday, with over 1,700 likes.
An Uber spokesman said this is the first case of its kind here, and that all of its rides are booked through the Uber app and the company does not allow street hails.
Originally posted by Taxilim88:Wah..oligarchy..smlj lai eh? Eh sai jiak boh?
Originally posted by michaelhuat:
the moment any suggestion goes beyond the 1st sentence, i can only say, if i am officer, will i want to increase my headache and increase my workload. or do i want to keep my headache minimal and keep my workload equal or lesser better still? because my pay will not change much if i do all the good but complicated things for everyone, like monitor this, adjust that, implement those, follow up more.. of cos i will say. Thank you for the feedback :)
first this is a freedom of doing a transport business for the people who want a public transport that can have a personal service compare to public bus or train. and if you think anyone with a good school result can be a lazy civil servant humm maybe people like you that are square brain prevent the singapore from bring a better country to live in
Didn't know sg lang can be so soft n scared untill willing pay tat amount
I notice my pax all garang one
fm aunties to ah nehs
Wahahaha
Originally posted by bowah:
In this world, there are 3 group that works together and make money together, even tho they are competitor. One is monopoly, one is cartel, one is oligarchy.
Thank you lah, unker..
The Land Transport Authority says it takes a serious view of
complaints about a person posing as an Uber driver and overcharging
passengers.
SINGAPORE: The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said a vehicle allegedly being used by a person masquerading as an Uber driver was impounded on Monday (Mar 2) and the case is under investigation.
"LTA has received complaints against the vehicle owner and takes a serious view of the incidents," a spokesperson said. "If found to have contravened the Road Traffic Act, which disallows private vehicles from being used for hire and reward, the offender may face possible fines, imprisonment and forfeiture of the vehicle."
Ride-booking service Uber had earlier issued an alert that the car in question with license plate SJT1444Y is not registered with the company. This follows a complaint posted to Facebook that went viral - from a man who said he was charged S$97 for a trip with his family from Beach Road to Yio Chu Kang. Uber has filed a police report.
Mr Joverst Lee's post has been shared more than 10,000 times. The 22-year-old technical
applicator said the driver asked for cash payment, saying he does not
accept payment by NETS, and did not provide a receipt.
Mr Lee and
his family were intending to travel to Woodlands but stopped the car
when they realised that the fare had shot up to S$50. Within three
minutes of stopping the car, the fare had increased to S$97, he said.
The
estimated fare on Uber's website from Beach Road to Woodlands, under
the UberExec service, is between S$58 to S$74. Uber transactions are
normally cashless, and drivers are reimbursed by the company.
Mr Lee said he lodged a complaint with the police on Tuesday.
S$168 TAXI RIDE
His Facebook post has prompted others allegedly cheated by the same driver to come forth to share their story. Mr Kenneth Yeo, 35, a sales manager, said he was charged $168 by the driver for a journey from Emerald Hill to Marine Parade.
He echoed Mr Lee's experience, saying the driver had used an iPhone app as a fare meter. And he said the driver insisted on cash payment instead of the usual online payment method via credit card, Paypal, GoogleWallet or Uber Credits. "Uber taxis usually charge to my credit card, therefore I assume he was able to charge to my credit card. But he explained that he is driving under Uber Executive (UberExec), which collects cash," said Mr Yeo.
A check with a fare
estimate feature on Uber's website shows the estimated charge for a
ride between Emerald Hill and Marine Parade under UberExec service would
cost S$28 to S$36.
MAN ASSISTING POLICE WITH INVESTIGATIONS
Channel NewsAsia understands that a 29-year-old man is assisting police with investigations in connection with the case. Police said they received a call for assistance on Feb 18 at Unity Street, and a criminal breach of trust was reported when they arrived at the scene. The car involved in that case, is believed to bear the same licence plate.
1444 yao si si si very the yao gui ha ha ha ha