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| Uber and Lyft halt Austin ride-sharing service http://www.taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=29146 |
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| Author: | DocG [ Mon May 09, 2016 9:14 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Uber and Lyft halt Austin ride-sharing service |
Uber and Lyft halt Austin ride-sharing service By Zoe Kleinman Technology reporter, BBC News Ride-sharing firms Uber and Lyft have stopped operating in Austin, Texas after proposals to let them self-regulate their drivers were rejected. The companies had sought to overturn city council regulations which meant drivers had to pass fingerprint-based background checks before they could operate. However, when put to a public vote, the regulations, introduced in December 2015, were upheld. Both firms expressed regret. The rules were part of a package of regulations which put Lyft and Uber in line with traditional taxi operators. According to US broadcaster NPR, Uber spent a reported $8m (£5.5m) on a campaign proposing self-regulation instead - known as Proposal One. However 55% of the 87,212 votes received were against it. "Disappointment does not begin to describe how we feel about shutting down operations in Austin," said Chris Nakutis, General Manager of Uber Austin. "We hope the city council will reconsider their ordinance so we can work together to make the streets of Austin a safer place for everyone." At the time of writing, Uber is still displaying fare estimates for rides in the city. Lyft said the rules "don't allow true ride-sharing to operate". The company added: "Instead, they make it harder for part-time drivers, the heart of Lyft's peer-to-peer model, to get on the road and harder for passengers to get a ride." "Ultimately our goal is to not keep any particular company here or not here," said Austin Mayor Steve Adler during initial discussions about the new regulations, reported the Texas Tribune. However, many people took to social media to point out that it was the firms' decision to leave. "Not happy that Prop 1 in Austin failed, but less happy that Uber & Lyft put so many drivers out of work with less than 48 hours notice," tweeted Burnie Burns, founder of comedy and gaming community Rooster Teeth. Ben Wear, transport reporter at the American-Statesman, agreed. "Prop 1's defeat wouldn't mandate that Uber or Lyft stop operating in Austin. That is entirely up to the companies," he tweeted. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-36247314 |
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| Author: | roythebus [ Tue May 10, 2016 12:17 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Uber and Lyft halt Austin ride-sharing service |
How could these companies put drivers out of work if the drivers are self-employed? |
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| Author: | grandad [ Tue May 10, 2016 5:13 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Uber and Lyft halt Austin ride-sharing service |
roythebus wrote: How could these companies put drivers out of work if the drivers are self-employed? If the drivers receive all their work from the UBER or LYFT platforms and the platforms close the drivers can't receive any work so they will be unemployed. Or as DelBoy would say, self unemployed. |
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| Author: | edders23 [ Tue May 10, 2016 5:44 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Uber and Lyft halt Austin ride-sharing service |
And there is no one else they could work for ? no proper taxi/ph firms in Austin ? I say well done that council finally someone realizes Ubers screening is not up to scratch |
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| Author: | Sussex [ Tue May 10, 2016 7:24 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Uber and Lyft halt Austin ride-sharing service |
There will still be the same amount of punters, and the same amount of drivers. How will that make people jobless? Unless both firms wish to employ iffy characters that don't need to adhere to proper safety checks. |
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| Author: | Midlife martyr [ Tue May 10, 2016 9:52 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Uber and Lyft halt Austin ride-sharing service |
These aren't full time drivers it's the ride sharing part time crap so Uber and Lyft seem to think lower standards should apply to public safety, well done to Austin Texas for refusing to accept this. |
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| Author: | edders23 [ Tue May 10, 2016 1:03 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Uber and Lyft halt Austin ride-sharing service |
well if it is ride sharing then it's people trying to earn a bit of extra dosh not people who rely on this for their employment Uber's lost track of which lies they've told to whom again by the sounds of it ! |
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| Author: | grandad [ Tue May 10, 2016 1:49 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Uber and Lyft halt Austin ride-sharing service |
edders23 wrote: And there is no one else they could work for ? no proper taxi/ph firms in Austin ? I say well done that council finally someone realizes Ubers screening is not up to scratch You are assuming that these drivers are licensed taxi drivers. This is not always the case with these services in the States. |
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| Author: | Sussex [ Wed May 11, 2016 7:08 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Uber and Lyft halt Austin ride-sharing service |
grandad wrote: edders23 wrote: You are assuming that these drivers are licensed taxi drivers. This is not always the case with these services in the States. Quite common in Orlando to have unlicensed cars picking you up. Driver are often retired folks who do jobs between the gardening and golf. 
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