Uber are seeking more drivers!
 

While listening to LBC this morning, I was startled by an
advert of behalf of Uber. They were looking for drivers!
I always believed they had more drivers than they needed,
and that their reduction of the drivers' percentage of fares
was a reflection of that.

So why are Uber advertising for drivers? Is that they are
expanding ever more rapidly or is that drivers are deserting
Uber in large numbers?

Incidentally, apparently in another LBC programme, Sadiq Khan
said he thought TfL had made a mistake in giving a licence to
Uber. Did anyone hear that programme?

Uber are seeking more drivers!
 

On 06/06/2016 16:57, Robin9 wrote:

Incidentally, apparently in another LBC programme, Sadiq Khan
said he though TfL had made a mistake in giving a licence to
Uber. Did anyone hear that programme?

No - but why was it a mistake, compared to any other minicab type firm?

Uber are seeking more drivers!
 

On Tue, 7 Jun 2016 08:42:56 +0100
Someone Somewhere wrote:
On 06/06/2016 16:57, Robin9 wrote:

Incidentally, apparently in another LBC programme, Sadiq Khan
said he though TfL had made a mistake in giving a licence to
Uber. Did anyone hear that programme?

No - but why was it a mistake, compared to any other minicab type firm?

Because you're essentially hailing a cab on the street rather than pre-booking
it. The fact that hail is via electronic means is neither here nor there.
Its no different to if a minicab firm has its cars driving around waiting for
messages on the radio to go pick up someone nearby.

--
Spud

Uber are seeking more drivers!
 

On 07/06/2016 09:18, d wrote:
On Tue, 7 Jun 2016 08:42:56 +0100
Someone Somewhere wrote:
On 06/06/2016 16:57, Robin9 wrote:

Incidentally, apparently in another LBC programme, Sadiq Khan
said he though TfL had made a mistake in giving a licence to
Uber. Did anyone hear that programme?

No - but why was it a mistake, compared to any other minicab type firm?

Because you're essentially hailing a cab on the street rather than pre-booking
it. The fact that hail is via electronic means is neither here nor there.
Its no different to if a minicab firm has its cars driving around waiting for
messages on the radio to go pick up someone nearby.


Or I use that TfL service ("Cabwise") where via electronic means I text
a number which does an electronic lookup to provide a set of minicab
companies who are local to me (and therefore should have cars local to
me), who I can, via electronic means, call to pick me up?

Uber are seeking more drivers!
 

wrote in message ...
On Tue, 7 Jun 2016 08:42:56 +0100
Someone Somewhere wrote:
On 06/06/2016 16:57, Robin9 wrote:

Incidentally, apparently in another LBC programme, Sadiq Khan
said he though TfL had made a mistake in giving a licence to
Uber. Did anyone hear that programme?

No - but why was it a mistake, compared to any other minicab type firm?

Because you're essentially hailing a cab on the street rather than
pre-booking
it. The fact that hail is via electronic means is neither here nor there.
Its no different to if a minicab firm has its cars driving around waiting
for
messages on the radio to go pick up someone nearby.

but isn't that what they do (subject to them actually having an empty cab
available, of course)?

tim

Uber are seeking more drivers!
 

"Robin9" wrote in message
...

While listening to LBC this morning, I was startled by an
advert of behalf of Uber. They were looking for drivers!
I always believed they had more drivers than they needed,
and that their reduction of the drivers' percentage of fares
was a reflection of that.

So why are Uber advertising for drivers? Is that they are
expanding ever more rapidly or is that drivers are deserting
Uber in large numbers?

Incidentally, apparently in another LBC programme, Sadiq Khan
said he though TfL had made a mistake in giving a licence to
Uber.

whether they did on not, they definitely need to enforce the disability
rules against Uber cabs properly

We can argue for as long as you like whether we should, or should not have
these rules, but whilst we do all cabs should be expected to comply equally.

The idea that (some/most) Uber drivers can reduce their costs by only
serving the cheaper customer whilst leaving the higher costs of servicing
disabled people only to black cabs is simply unacceptable.

tim

Uber are seeking more drivers!
 

On 2016\06\06 16:57, Robin9 wrote:
While listening to LBC this morning, I was startled by an
advert of behalf of Uber. They were looking for drivers!
I always believed they had more drivers than they needed,
and that their reduction of the drivers' percentage of fares
was a reflection of that.

So why are Uber advertising for drivers? Is that they are
expanding ever more rapidly or is that drivers are deserting
Uber in large numbers?

Incidentally, apparently in another LBC programme, Sadiq Khan
said he though TfL had made a mistake in giving a licence to
Uber. Did anyone hear that programme?

It's now humanly possible to drive through WC2 at midnight on a Friday
night, so the disaster of countless Uber drivers circling looking for
work appears to have disappeared.

Uber are seeking more drivers!
 

On Tue, 7 Jun 2016 09:42:11 +0100
"tim..." wrote:
wrote in message ...
On Tue, 7 Jun 2016 08:42:56 +0100
Someone Somewhere wrote:
On 06/06/2016 16:57, Robin9 wrote:

Incidentally, apparently in another LBC programme, Sadiq Khan
said he though TfL had made a mistake in giving a licence to
Uber. Did anyone hear that programme?

No - but why was it a mistake, compared to any other minicab type firm?

Because you're essentially hailing a cab on the street rather than
pre-booking
it. The fact that hail is via electronic means is neither here nor there.
Its no different to if a minicab firm has its cars driving around waiting
for
messages on the radio to go pick up someone nearby.

but isn't that what they do (subject to them actually having an empty cab
available, of course)?

No. Uber drivers take pickups from whatever area they're in at the time which
is often of their own choosing just like a black cab. Minicab drivers however
have an office they're based at and usually only take pickups from nearby that
office. If a minicab company had its cars posted around strategic places in
central london and allowed its drivers to take direct bookings from customers
via an app or phone, TfL would soon have something to say about it - but how is
that different to what Uber do?

--
Spud

Uber are seeking more drivers!
 

tim... wrote:

"Robin9" wrote in message
...

While listening to LBC this morning, I was startled by an
advert of behalf of Uber. They were looking for drivers!
I always believed they had more drivers than they needed,
and that their reduction of the drivers' percentage of fares
was a reflection of that.

So why are Uber advertising for drivers? Is that they are
expanding ever more rapidly or is that drivers are deserting
Uber in large numbers?

Incidentally, apparently in another LBC programme, Sadiq Khan
said he though TfL had made a mistake in giving a licence to
Uber.

whether they did on not, they definitely need to enforce the disability
rules against Uber cabs properly

We can argue for as long as you like whether we should, or should not have
these rules, but whilst we do all cabs should be expected to comply equally.

The idea that (some/most) Uber drivers can reduce their costs by only
serving the cheaper customer whilst leaving the higher costs of servicing
disabled people only to black cabs is simply unacceptable.

How many normal mini cabs can carry disabled passengers?

Uber are seeking more drivers!
 

In message
-septe
mber.org, at 15:52:16 on Tue, 7 Jun 2016, Recliner
remarked:
The idea that (some/most) Uber drivers can reduce their costs by only
serving the cheaper customer whilst leaving the higher costs of servicing
disabled people only to black cabs is simply unacceptable.

How many normal mini cabs can carry disabled passengers?

Depends on the disability. I don't think I've ever been in a minicab
that *could* carry a wheelchair, but neither have I been in one which
*couldn't* carry a deaf or blind person.
--
Roland Perry

Uber are seeking more drivers!
 

On Monday, 6 June 2016 21:37:00 UTC+1, Robin9 wrote:
While listening to LBC this morning, I was startled by an
advert of behalf of Uber. They were looking for drivers!
I always believed they had more drivers than they needed,
and that their reduction of the drivers' percentage of fares
was a reflection of that.

So why are Uber advertising for drivers? Is that they are
expanding ever more rapidly or is that drivers are deserting
Uber in large numbers?

Incidentally, apparently in another LBC programme, Sadiq Khan
said he though TfL had made a mistake in giving a licence to
Uber. Did anyone hear that programme?




--
Robin9

For once I agree with Khan. The Uxxx drivers that hang around the villages near Heathrow waiting for calls are a bl**dy menace. They have been reported as urinating (****ing) and even defecating (****ting) in residents' gardens and also in public places.

See this site:

http://taxi-news.co.uk/police-ignore...rs-harlington/

CJB

Uber are seeking more drivers!
 

On 2016-06-07 08:18:37 +0000, d said:

Its no different to if a minicab firm has its cars driving around waiting for
messages on the radio to go pick up someone nearby.

Which they are allowed to do, and it is a common use-case for minicabs
outside London.

Neil
--
Neil Williams
Put my first name before the @ to reply.

Uber are seeking more drivers!
 

On 2016-06-07 15:34:28 +0000, d said:

No. Uber drivers take pickups from whatever area they're in at the time which
is often of their own choosing just like a black cab. Minicab drivers however
have an office they're based at and usually only take pickups from nearby that
office. If a minicab company had its cars posted around strategic places in
central london and allowed its drivers to take direct bookings from customers
via an app or phone, TfL would soon have something to say about it - but how is
that different to what Uber do?

It's *exactly* what minicab companies do outside London, other than
that the office dispatches when you do a phone booking, which might
tick off a legal technicality but is in practice insignificant. London
is an oddity in how minicabs work.

Neil
--
Neil Williams
Put my first name before the @ to reply.

Uber are seeking more drivers!
 

On 2016-06-07 08:47:34 +0000, tim... said:

whether they did on not, they definitely need to enforce the disability
rules against Uber cabs properly

We can argue for as long as you like whether we should, or should not
have these rules, but whilst we do all cabs should be expected to
comply equally.

The idea that (some/most) Uber drivers can reduce their costs by only
serving the cheaper customer whilst leaving the higher costs of
servicing disabled people only to black cabs is simply unacceptable.

If you are going to do that, you also need to enforce it against all
minicab companies as well. Uber is basically a minicab company.

Notably, the result of requiring all cabs to be accessible is lots of
large, filthy vehicles driving around central London with one passenger
on journeys where a small hybrid would do just as well. This is not
sensible. Something like Uber does give the possibility of having an
accessible subfleet like minicab companies do and preferentially
allocating it to those needing it.

Neil
--
Neil Williams
Put my first name before the @ to reply.

Uber are seeking more drivers!
 

On 08/06/2016 00:08, Neil Williams wrote:

On 2016-06-07 08:18:37 +0000, d said:

Its no different to if a minicab firm has its cars driving around
waiting for
messages on the radio to go pick up someone nearby.

Which they are allowed to do, and it is a common use-case for minicabs
outside London.


In London too.

Uber are seeking more drivers!
 

On Wed, 8 Jun 2016 00:08:13 +0100
Neil Williams wrote:
On 2016-06-07 08:18:37 +0000, d said:

Its no different to if a minicab firm has its cars driving around waiting for
messages on the radio to go pick up someone nearby.

Which they are allowed to do, and it is a common use-case for minicabs
outside London.

So they just drive around an area waiting for a radio call to pick someone up?
I doubt that. Even if they did , its still a call from a central dispatch
office, not a direct call from a customer which is the crucial difference.

--
Spud

Uber are seeking more drivers!
 

On Wednesday, 8 June 2016 10:11:28 UTC+2, wrote:
On Wed, 8 Jun 2016 00:08:13 +0100
Neil Williams wrote:
On 2016-06-07 08:18:37 +0000, d said:

Its no different to if a minicab firm has its cars driving around waiting for
messages on the radio to go pick up someone nearby.

Which they are allowed to do, and it is a common use-case for minicabs
outside London.

So they just drive around an area waiting for a radio call to pick
someone up? I doubt that. Even if they did , its still a call from a
central dispatch office, not a direct call from a customer which is the
crucial difference.

Difference between what? There is no direct communication between driver and customer with Uber, save for any incidental conversation they might have in the car. The requests for cars are submitted to a central dispatch service that matches customers to drivers and gives drivers instructions where to go. Just like with any other minicab.

Robin

Uber are seeking more drivers!
 

In message , at 08:11:26 on Wed, 8 Jun
2016, d remarked:
Its no different to if a minicab firm has its cars driving around waiting for
messages on the radio to go pick up someone nearby.

Which they are allowed to do, and it is a common use-case for minicabs
outside London.

So they just drive around an area waiting for a radio call to pick someone up?
I doubt that. Even if they did , its still a call from a central dispatch
office, not a direct call from a customer which is the crucial difference.

In my experience they respond to "pick-up" requests (which are
broadcasts, not one-to-one) during the last five to ten minutes of the
trip they are currently engaged on.
--
Roland Perry

Uber are seeking more drivers!
 

On Wed, 8 Jun 2016 02:05:47 -0700 (PDT)
wrote:
On Wednesday, 8 June 2016 10:11:28 UTC+2, wrote:
On Wed, 8 Jun 2016 00:08:13 +0100
Neil Williams wrote:
On 2016-06-07 08:18:37 +0000, d said:

Its no different to if a minicab firm has its cars driving around wait=
ing for
messages on the radio to go pick up someone nearby.

Which they are allowed to do, and it is a common use-case for minicabs=
=20
outside London.
=20
So they just drive around an area waiting for a radio call to pick
someone up? I doubt that. Even if they did , its still a call from a
central dispatch office, not a direct call from a customer which is the
crucial difference.

Difference between what? There is no direct communication between driver a=
nd customer with Uber, save for any incidental conversation they might have=
in the car. The requests for cars are submitted to a central dispatch ser=
vice that matches customers to drivers and gives drivers instructions where=
to go. Just like with any other minicab.

https://help.uber.com/h/9a5b1660-9de...3-62569c3cd749

--
Spud

Uber are seeking more drivers!
 

On Wednesday, 8 June 2016 11:23:40 UTC+2, wrote:
On Wed, 8 Jun 2016 02:05:47 -0700 (PDT)
wrote:
On Wednesday, 8 June 2016 10:11:28 UTC+2, wrote:
On Wed, 8 Jun 2016 00:08:13 +0100
Neil Williams wrote:
On 2016-06-07 08:18:37 +0000, d said:

Its no different to if a minicab firm has its cars driving around wait=
ing for
messages on the radio to go pick up someone nearby.

Which they are allowed to do, and it is a common use-case for minicabs=
=20
outside London.
=20
So they just drive around an area waiting for a radio call to pick
someone up? I doubt that. Even if they did , its still a call from a
central dispatch office, not a direct call from a customer which is the
crucial difference.

Difference between what? There is no direct communication between driver a=
nd customer with Uber, save for any incidental conversation they might have=
in the car. The requests for cars are submitted to a central dispatch ser=
vice that matches customers to drivers and gives drivers instructions where=
to go. Just like with any other minicab.

https://help.uber.com/h/9a5b1660-9de...3-62569c3cd749

Which describes a system where their central dispatch system can pass a message from the customer to the assigned driver.

Robin

Uber are seeking more drivers!
 

On 2016-06-08 08:11:26 +0000, d said:

So they just drive around an area waiting for a radio call to pick someone up?
I doubt that.

No, they park up in strategic locations waiting for such calls.

Even if they did , its still a call from a central dispatch
office, not a direct call from a customer which is the crucial difference.

Uber has a "central dispatch office", it's just electronic. The call
is not direct, it goes via the servers which allocate the vehicle. You
can't choose which one you get.

Neil
--
Neil Williams
Put my first name before the @ to reply.

Uber are seeking more drivers!
 

On 2016-06-08 09:23:38 +0000, d said:

https://help.uber.com/h/9a5b1660-9de...3-62569c3cd749

Quite a number of minicab companies (certainly the one I use locally in
MK) now offer the ability to call the driver direct in case, for
example, you've just seen him shoot past the end of your road (as
happens to me a lot, my house is a bit hard to find). This has nothing
to do with dispatch or booking, and is not illegal.

No different for Uber.

Neil
--
Neil Williams
Put my first name before the @ to reply.

Uber are seeking more drivers!
 

On 2016-06-08 08:13:16 +0000, d said:

The Border force should take a trip down there and check the documents of
some of these drivers. I can guarantee they'll find some illegals and
overstayers driving MOT failure cars rescued from the scrap yard.

They might well find that of the minicab companies too. Uber is just a
minicab company. The thing the black cab companies are so concerned
about is that it's quite a big and well-organised one, unlike the
smaller ones that typify London. They are no doubt concerned about the
balance of power tipping towards that in the smaller provincial towns
and cities where the minicab is the usual thing people are talking
about when they talk about a "taxi", and black cabs are very few indeed.

Neil
--
Neil Williams
Put my first name before the @ to reply.

Uber are seeking more drivers!
 

On Tue, Jun 07, 2016 at 08:18:37AM +0000, d wrote:

Because you're essentially hailing a cab on the street rather than pre-booking

Nonsense. To hail one on the street the cab has to be on the same street
as you to start with.

Its no different to if a minicab firm has its cars driving around waiting for
messages on the radio to go pick up someone nearby.

Right, and there's nothing wrong with that. All minicab companies can do
that.

--
David Cantrell | Enforcer, South London Linguistic Massive