• This topic has 118 replies, 55 voices, and was last updated 6 years ago by atlaz.
Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 119 total)
  • Uber might lose licence in London?
  • newrobdob
    Free Member

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-41358640

    Interesting!

    I know someone who works in taxi licensing for a local authority and he has some interesting stories about cab drivers! He won’t let his family use one…… nothing to do with this story but hey its a Friday…

    jambalaya
    Free Member

    Not fit and proper – spot on and Chapeau to Sadiq Kahn for overseeing this decision.

    I signed the petition to stop the renewal so pretty happy about it all. Fingers crossed its not a temporary thing, Uber needs a radical change in its business approach and its tax paying behaviour if it is to be allowed back.

    Faster Safer Fairer

    joefm
    Full Member

    I quite like the ability to book a cab by an app though.
    hopefully something else will come along

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    binners
    Full Member

    Nice to see the powers that be grow a pair and actually stand up to the corporate arrogance of the likes of Uber who think they should be allowed to re-write all the rules in their own favour, and just ignore any laws they don’t like

    Somewhat predictably, they’ve just said they’re appealing the decision

    binners
    Full Member

    I quite like the ability to book a cab by an app though.

    I live in the hills in East Lancs, and I can do that. Our local cab firm now does that. It’s not something exclusive to Uber

    chakaping
    Free Member

    Nice to see the powers that be grow a pair

    +1

    And disappointing to see selfish London **** whinge about it already on my FB feed.

    jimdubleyou
    Full Member

    I quite like the ability to book a cab by an app though.

    https://www.kabbee.com/

    MSP
    Full Member

    Nice to see the powers that be grow a pair

    In this case I think it is just protecting the establishment ie London cabbies.

    footflaps
    Full Member

    Not fit and proper – spot on and Chapeau to Sadiq Kahn for overseeing this decision.

    +1

    I feel quite odd, I’m actually agreeing with Jambalaya…

    Will go and have a lie down now.

    binners
    Full Member

    In this case I think it is just protecting the establishment ie London cabbies.

    Maybe that’s because the London cabbies are a bit less… you know… ‘rapey’

    bodgy
    Free Member

    I’ve had a couple of awful experiences with Uber drivers (who probably shouldn’t have been driving, let alone professionally), so, yeah, pretty happy about this. Black cabs need to up their game though, as The Knowledge is redundant these days.

    kimbers
    Full Member

    indeed black cabbies be celebrating tonight!

    Interesting to see what happens next, be great if Uber saw it as a sign that they had to improve

    sucks for some of the 25000 registered Uber drivers in London though (imagine most of them part time)

    some of my best cab rides have been late night dodgy (pre-uber) drivers in barely legal cars, that wouldve been quite scary if I wasnt smashed in one way or another

    frankconway
    Full Member

    They are allowed to continue operating until the appeals process is concluded.
    That should give their London drivers enough time to find other jobs.
    Strong decision by TfL.
    Will other cities with an Uber presence follow this lead when the licence comes up for renewal? Let’s hope so.

    benp1
    Full Member

    Black cabbies will be celebrating I’m sure, but those that use uber regularly will not. Their prices are so much better than black cabbies

    For zone 1 trips black cabbies win
    For zone 1 outwards trips uber is excellent

    Kryton57
    Full Member

    I quite like the ability to book a cab by an app though.
    hopefully something else will come along

    How about going by bike instead:

    Home

    midlifecrashes
    Full Member

    What is the argument that they are not fit and proper? I know the previous CEO was an asshole but they’ve ditched him and gone for Expedia guy, or is it something they were actually doing bad in London?

    jimdubleyou
    Full Member

    some of my best cab rides have been late night dodgy (pre-uber) drivers in barely legal cars, that wouldve been quite scary if I wasnt smashed in one way or another

    You should try hailing a lift in Moscow. It’s… exhilarating…

    Black cabs can be right rip of merchants sometimes, and I only use them for short (single zone) journeys

    uselesshippy
    Free Member

    They can carry on operating while they appeal, which they’ll drag out for years, and years etc.
    But hopefully, as mentioned above, this might make them buck there ideas up.

    Stoner
    Free Member

    midlifecrashes, it’s a corporate fit and proper test in this case. TFL list their reservations

    TfL considers that Uber’s approach and conduct demonstrate a lack of corporate responsibility in relation to a number of issues which have potential public safety and security implications. These include:

    Its approach to reporting serious criminal offences.
    Its approach to how medical certificates are obtained.
    Its approach to how Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks are obtained.
    Its approach to explaining the use of Greyball in London – software that could be used to block regulatory bodies from gaining full access to the app and prevent officials from undertaking regulatory or law enforcement duties.

    DezB
    Free Member

    Story must’ve been updated since the OP posted – now says they’ve lost their license.

    theotherjonv
    Full Member

    last black cab ride i had was a liability, not looking where he was going, nearly hit a cyclist, had to get map out to check where he was going…

    [video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ON5qhdt1jy4[/video]

    teamhurtmore
    Free Member

    Disappointing

    midlifecrashes
    Full Member

    Cheers Stoner – a lot of room for opinion in that list, pretty obvious who’s going to win the appeal then.

    The lawyers.

    frankconway
    Full Member

    Dez – decision is that licence will not be renewed but they can continue to operate until appeals process concluded.

    kimbers
    Full Member

    You should try hailing a lift in Moscow. It’s… exhilarating…

    got a dodgy taxi ride in Lima once as the one hotel booked didnt turn up- scariest ride of my life, banged my head on the car roof several times we hit speed bumps so fast and were abandoned on the hard shoulder of a motorway, had to climb a big security barrier to get to the airport, but made our flight & didnt end up on an episode of Banged Up Abroad!

    nickc
    Full Member

    Disappointing

    I feel the same way about Jarvis as well

    tthew
    Full Member

    That should give their London drivers enough time to find other jobs.

    I feel sorry for the drivers, probably already on the breadline at London costs of living. If that 25,000 figure is correct that’s a lot of people with families to support who need work quickly, and I suspect they’ll not be calibre of candidate that will be filling NHS staff or teacher shortages!

    FunkyDunc
    Free Member

    Uber was a revelation when visiting London earlier this year.

    All the cabs we used were well maintained / nice drivers etc.

    I completely get the serious reservations listed above. Were Uber given chance to remedy, or did they refuse to?

    Black Cabs are an outdated business model in every way.

    frankconway
    Full Member

    Number of drivers is, apparently, around 40,000.

    jambalaya
    Free Member

    Nice to see the powers that be grow a pair and actually stand up to the corporate arrogance of the likes of Uber who think they should be allowed to re-write all the rules in their own favour, and just ignore any laws they don’t like

    Well said, Boris’s worst move whilst Mayor.

    Of course Uber’s prices are lower, they don’t pay VAT, they pay virtually no tax and their drivers work below minimum wage (when accounting for vehicle cost, insurance etc). Of course its F-ing cheaper. I have no issue with an app based taxi service but they should play by the same rules the Black Cabs do. Black cabs don’t set tye fairs, TFL do. Black cabs have to buy and maintain a soecific vehcile (inspected at random inc surprise vists to their homes) etc

    jambalaya
    Free Member

    Number of drivers is, apparently, around 40,000.

    I think that’s right. Certainly when I was living in central London based on the number of Prius driving around at 20mph waiting for a fare it seemed like they where more than that ! I would love to know how many (London based) tax returns have Uber as a source of income ?

    Sandwich
    Full Member

    Uber needs a radical change in its business approach and its tax paying behaviour

    Because, you know, taxi drivers as a breed are well known for their squeeky clean tax affairs. (There are some noteable exceptions but in the main they are as dodgy as Uber over taxes and paying their correct share.

    FunkyDunc
    Free Member

    At least this is a step in the right direction, although a few years too late.

    Black Cab Turns Green

    dragon
    Free Member

    Good, can now make the likes of Airbnb up their standards and pay proper amounts of tax.

    binners
    Full Member

    Uber needs a radical change in its business approach and its taxpaying behaviour

    You’re right It’s not just tax. It’s the lot. It seems like Uber’s entire business model is based on exploiting legal loopholes. According to them, they’re a software company, not a transportation one, so they don’t have to comply with transportation laws. The way they contract their staff means they escape minimum wage and employment law.

    And then, of course, there’s the issue that they pay no tax

    Their whole ethos is a massive two fingers to the societies in which they make so much money. Its about time somebody stopped them just thinking they can do whatever the hell they like

    mefty
    Free Member

    Of course Uber’s prices are lower, they don’t pay VAT

    Neither do most Black Cabs

    trailwagger
    Free Member

    Whats stopping TFL creating their own app to book black cabs?

    Serious question.

    chakaping
    Free Member

    Of course Uber’s prices are lower, they don’t pay VAT

    Neither do most Black Cabs

    Yet the self-employed drivers still get a better deal, funny that.

    mefty
    Free Member

    Whats stopping TFL creating their own app to book black cabs?

    There has been at least one for years, Hailo, people use Uber because it is cheaper. Black Cabs are subject to a whole raft of regulation that is pointless nowadays, regulations leads to increased consumer costs. It is very tough when the knowledge acquired for your qualifications becomes of little value, but it is wrong to ignore reality when it has and force the consumer to pay too much.

    atlaz
    Free Member

    Good, can now make the likes of Airbnb up their standards and pay proper amounts of tax.

    You are aware that the hosts keep most of the money for AirBnB, right? So tax payments for that part are on them not AirBnB. Are AirBnB as a company not paying tax?

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