Uber/Lyft ride-sharing in Kansas City

[pash]

.

[TheBigChuckbowski]

They definitely don't want their drivers to be treated like employees, or like professional cab drivers; they want them to be treated like ordinary people driving their own cars, because Uber's business model entails getting a lot of ordinary people to take people places in their own cars.

This quote seems to contradict that:

This anti-technology ordinance eliminates more than 1,000 jobs in Kansas City and creates nearly a dozen barriers to entry for small businesses.

Ordinary people are not small businesses. Some dude driving a couple people around when he's bored is not a job.

[pash]

.

[TheBigChuckbowski]

I'm not understanding your rhetoric. You're saying that Uber is just a service that connects normal people to normal people but Uber's talking about the city stifling small business and killing jobs. Those aren't the same thing. If the city started regulating Craigslist, nobody would be arguing about small businesses and jobs.

[joshmv]

Just took an uber car and the driver said Uber sent them an email saying they're committed to KC and he doesn't believe they'll leave at all. Hope he's right.

[pash]

.

[grovester]

Pretending that lawsuits aren't a reality in this instance and including that in your business model and risk assessment is crazy. Uber is trying to bullshit the city and should be called out on it. Be adults.

[chaglang]

Just took an uber car and the driver said Uber sent them an email saying they're committed to KC and he doesn't believe they'll leave at all. Hope he's right.

I'd be surprised if they stayed, if only because they painted themselves into a hell of a corner.

[aknowledgeableperson]

This is what I mean when I say that we should stop resorting to regulations with real costs to solve hypothetical problems. If there's a real problem that needs solving, fine. But don't pretend that the city can justify throwing up roadblocks that purport to hold Uber to some minimal standard of service when reality suggests that Uber themselves do a great job providing a level of service well above that minimal standard.

Regulations should solve real problems, not fake ones, and the higher the costs they impose on regulated parties—and all of us, indirectly—the more evidence we should require that the many dollars and hours spent complying with them really are solving a real problem. We have zero evidence of a real problem here, much less one that justifies spending a lot of time and money fixing.

Stripped down whether it is a taxi or Uber the service provided is a "car for hire". In the past these "cars for hire" were regulated not just because someone thought "why not?". Taxi companies and/or drivers caused some problems, maybe not always in KC, but somewhere. And the public wanted something done so the pols responded with regulations.

And Uber has had some problems and I don't mean complying with regulations. There have been issues with some drivers whether it is sexual harassment, not allowing guide dogs, surge pricing and so on. Just because Uber is the new kid in town doesn't mean it deserves a pass.

[KCPowercat]

They aren't going anywhere.

[kboish]

The Pitch weighs in and I think takes a pretty go look at why Uber is the one in the wrong here...maybe thats just because I agree.

http://www.pitch.com/kansascity/streets ... id=5095487

[droopy]

They aren't going anywhere.

Agreement reached. City is reducing driver fees and Uber is providing their background checks.

http://www.kansascity.com/news/governme ... 40331.html

[earthling]

Uber can now pickup from KCI, before only dropoffs were allowed.
http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/ar ... 15331.html

The app now shows a swarm of drivers at airport.
KCI to Plaza is estimated at $27-$37, Yellow was about $60 last time I took one.
KCI to Downtown is estimated at $22-$30

[cknab1]

I'm so glad this happened. Last time I arrived in KC, the woman on the one phone you have to use to order a cab was extremely rude when I asked her to repeat the cab number. They can do that when they have a monopoly.

[earthling]

Uber opening 8 person office in E Xroads...

http://www.kansascity.com/news/business ... 57316.html

[aknowledgeableperson]

And I thought it was just an technology company, not a taxicab service.

[KCPowercat]

And I thought it was just an technology company, not a taxicab service.

Technology companies don't have offices?

[aknowledgeableperson]

They do have offices but do they work as a taxicab company would?

[kboish]

I think what akp is getting at is- will uber be developing technologies in their KC office? or acting as management to the operations of the drivers who utilize their app? I think its pretty clear they are here to manage the operations...ie they are a taxicab company.

Uber certainly is a tech company that is developing cool stuff, but that tech company also operates a taxicab service.

[brewcrew1000]

Uber is already turning into a Taxi Company, took it twice in Chicago and we had the typical cab looking guy that barely speaks english. He spoke on the phone the entire trip in another language, I think he even smoked in the car. He got all pissy with us as well because I summoned the Uber while on the airplane so he had to wait like 10 minutes. He then asked where we were going in rude voice when I was on the phone trying to look for him (I should have just said across the street instead of Downtown)