Ride-hailing in Metro Vancouver: Uber, Lyft, Sidecar - emerging technologies

[whatnext]

I've never found Uber a particularly great way to travel from the airport. It might be a couple bucks cheaper but the taxis are always right there. Both times after recent flights the Uber was either a few minutes away or the app kept searching for a driver while I stood beside a taxi. Not worth it.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by whatnext

I've never found Uber a particularly great way to travel from the airport. It might be a couple bucks cheaper but the taxis are always right there. Both times after recent flights the Uber was either a few minutes away or the app kept searching for a driver while I stood beside a taxi. Not worth it.

Taxis from the airport are fine if you are a local and the rates are set. They like to rip off everybody else, and the classic "my credit card machine is broken" bullshit.

[chowhou]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Taxis from the airport are fine if you are a local and the rates are set. They like to rip off everybody else, and the classic "my credit card machine is broken" bullshit.

Yeah, when I'm a tourist visiting anywhere other than here I refuse to touch local taxis with a 10 foot pole. Not once have I gone somewhere and people from there have said, "Do not worry, you can trust the cab drivers". I can't imagine here is much different so Uber/Lyft are a really good option for tourists. It's hard to beat the Uber/Lyft model of a predetermined price when you're somewhere you're unfamiliar with.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by Vin

You are so full of it.

No, you. Most companies don't need (or get) a decade and a half to break even.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by chowhou

Yeah, when I'm a tourist visiting anywhere other than here I refuse to touch local taxis with a 10 foot pole. Not once have I gone somewhere and people from there have said, "Do not worry, you can trust the cab drivers". I can't imagine here is much different so Uber/Lyft are a really good option for tourists. It's hard to beat the Uber/Lyft model of a predetermined price when you're somewhere you're unfamiliar with.

I've never used Uber or any other similar service, only cabs. I've never been overcharged, or scammed in Vancouver by any cab driver. Even when it's 2am and it's only a short journey. That isn't true in US cities - especially in Seattle where the 'cabs' don't even have meters in some popular pick up locations like Union Station. In LA cab drivers sometimes take 'the scenic route' - and that's not the case in Vancouver either.

[chowhou]

Originally Posted by Changing City

I've never used Uber or any other similar service, only cabs. I've never been overcharged, or scammed in Vancouver by any cab driver. Even when it's 2am and it's only a short journey. That isn't true in US cities - especially in Seattle where the 'cabs' don't even have meters in some popular pick up locations like Union Station. In LA cab drivers sometimes take 'the scenic route' - and that's not the case in Vancouver either.

Clearly you haven't seen the Reddit threads!

https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/comments/19644ds/the_yvr_taxi_zone_scamming_has_to_stop/

https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/comments/14q2wq6/taxi_try_to_scam_me/

[Migrant_Coconut]

IMO the big problem with Vancouver taxis is how they took forever to book and/or show up - the one good thing about Uber is how they forced them to adapt.

[aberdeen5698]

I was in New Orleans over Christmas / New Year's and took my very first Uber rides from and then later back to the airport. It was a very positive experience for me. The prices were reasonable and knowing them in advance was a big plus. For both rides the car arrived within just a few minutes after I clicked the button on the app. Drivers were courteous and the rides were direct and quick.

I obviously can't speak for the experience of the drivers, but for passengers it seems to work really well.

Here in Vancouver I've never seen the point of taking a taxi to or from the airport when we have such an excellent public transit option that's a small fraction of the price.

[whatnext]

Originally Posted by aberdeen5698

...Here in Vancouver I've never seen the point of taking a taxi to or from the airport when we have such an excellent public transit option that's a small fraction of the price.

It's makes sense when there are more than one of you and you all have baggage.

[chowhou]

Originally Posted by aberdeen5698

Here in Vancouver I've never seen the point of taking a taxi to or from the airport when we have such an excellent public transit option that's a small fraction of the price.

This very highly presumes that you live on or near a Skytrain station or at least a FTN bus line. I challenge anyone to drag their carry on and two checked bags from YVR to even Blundell or Victoria-Fraserview, let alone the North Shore or the Tri-Cities or Langley.

[MIPS]

Originally Posted by Vin

You can't get into an unproven gig economy expecting the very best when it comes to income. There are many risks. Uber work should only be a side job.

This is the point when I came across as so abrasive. You don't sign up for the service as a driver, fill out a form and off you go. Uber needs to approve your vehicle is in their whitelist of certified vehicles (you can't buy a restored Checker Cab or buy a Crown Vic with the taxi package and drive that around because they are both deemed either too old or don't comply with Uber's passenger safety requirements) and then you have to be on top of both maintenance and cleanliness inside and out.

Uber's business model is designed to exploit workers (sorry, "independent contractors") as much as possible

Am I not aware of some obligation to work of Uber that I'm not aware of? You got no set work hours, you don't get called off-shift to come in and if you skip a Friday nobody's going to write you up. You're bored on a Saturday night, you hop in your Prius and you're gonna go make $50 between picking up fares and tips.
If It takes you 18 hours to make $180 (I'm going to factor in the cost of fuel and possibly food here because that was never mentioned) driving for Uber, you suck. Go pump gas. Go deliver pizzas. Good god I'm sure Skip the Dishes pays more.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by chowhou

This very highly presumes that you live on or near a Skytrain station or at least a FTN bus line. I challenge anyone to drag their carry on and two checked bags from YVR to even Blundell or Victoria-Fraserview, let alone the North Shore or the Tri-Cities or Langley.

I'd go even further and suggest that one checked bag and a backpack is the ceiling for the Canada Line: you're not only dealing with your luggage, but with the rest of a very-crowded train.

[VancouverOfTheFuture]

Originally Posted by MIPS

If It takes you 18 hours to make $180 (I'm going to factor in the cost of fuel and possibly food here because that was never mentioned) driving for Uber, you suck. Go pump gas. Go deliver pizzas. Good god I'm sure Skip the Dishes pays more.

this whole ridesharing thing was never meant to be a job. it was meant so you could basically car pool. youre going somewhere, and someone else wants to, so you pick them up and make some $$$.

it was never meant to be a taxi company. of course its a poor real job, it was never meant to be one.

[djmk]

Originally Posted by chowhou

Yeah, when I'm a tourist visiting anywhere other than here I refuse to touch local taxis with a 10 foot pole. Not once have I gone somewhere and people from there have said, "Do not worry, you can trust the cab drivers". I can't imagine here is much different so Uber/Lyft are a really good option for tourists. It's hard to beat the Uber/Lyft model of a predetermined price when you're somewhere you're unfamiliar with.

Just came back from Mexico City. Took a taxi twice because my data decided not to work. Both times I felt I was scammed. Uber is soooooo much better.

[djmk]

Originally Posted by VancouverOfTheFuture

this whole ridesharing thing was never meant to be a job. it was meant so you could basically car pool. youre going somewhere, and someone else wants to, so you pick them up and make some $$$.

it was never meant to be a taxi company. of course its a poor real job, it was never meant to be one.

local drivers have access to long term rental (not lease) of Teslas which they are expected to drive full time for Uber.

[seamusmcduff]

Originally Posted by MIPS

Am I not aware of some obligation to work of Uber that I'm not aware of?

Is this not true for literally every job on the planet? You don't technically have to work any job, but that doesn't mean we should be OK with workers being exploited for the job they chose. Not everyone has an ability to work a better job than Uber, and the company takes advantage of that by offloading all risk and costs onto the drivers. Drivers shouldn't be able to be underpaid just because they "chose" that job. It's not that simple for a lot of people.

I understand that since they choose their hours and are independent from the company, they shouldn't expect much when they're waiting for pickups and there's a glut of drivers. But at the same time, they should also have the power to negotiate their wages and compensation for the hours they are driving paying customers. Their rates should at least reflect minimum wage plus wear and tear on their vehicles for the hours they're driving customers (ideally more, but that should be the baseline), since Uber doesn't have to pay for a vehicle fleet or insurance.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by VancouverOfTheFuture

this whole ridesharing thing was never meant to be a job. it was meant so you could basically car pool. youre going somewhere, and someone else wants to, so you pick them up and make some $$$.

it was never meant to be a taxi company. of course its a poor real job, it was never meant to be one.

Oh, absolutely it was a full time job initially. The first drivers were in limos that charged more than taxis. In the past the company had to pay a 20 million dollar fine for telling drivers they could earn 100k per year driving for Uber, which implies it was a full-time job. Apparently, if you drive for Uber in many places the only way to get the bonuses the company offer is to drive full time.

The side gig narrative came more recently as the company lowered rates, and as they were threatened with being treated by local authorities as a taxi business in all but name. In 2021 Uber lost a legal battle in the UK over its drivers' employment status. This required the company to start classifying its UK-based drivers as employees, granting them minimum wage, paid vacation, and other benefits, so it's not like they couldn't treat their drivers decently - they would rather not do so if they can avoid it.

The company, and others with the same interests, are hoping that driverless vehicles finally become reality. Then they can replace their drivers, and taxis too.

[Tvisforme]

Originally Posted by chowhou

This very highly presumes that you live on or near a Skytrain station or at least a FTN bus line. I challenge anyone to drag their carry on and two checked bags from YVR to even Blundell or Victoria-Fraserview, let alone the North Shore or the Tri-Cities or Langley.

Challenge accepted and already done; we used the Canada Line about ten years ago to get two adults, two then pre-teens and all our luggage from the North Shore to the airport for a vacation.

[aberdeen5698]

Originally Posted by chowhou

This very highly presumes that you live on or near a Skytrain station or at least a FTN bus line. I challenge anyone to drag their carry on and two checked bags from YVR to even Blundell or Victoria-Fraserview, let alone the North Shore or the Tri-Cities or Langley.

I actually do live in Victora-Fraserview - but yes, I'm only about a half-block from 41st Ave so it's an easy ride for me via the 41 or R4 to the Canada Line. The last time I flew I had a backpack as well as a carry-on and a checked bag. That's pretty much my self-imposed limit for baggage specifically because it's the most I can manage on my own.

It's not an accident that I'm close to decent transit, it was an important criteria for me when I chose where to live.

[Migrant_Coconut]

OTOH some people I know absolutely refuse to travel solo with less than two checked bags and two carry-ons. It's taxis all the way for them.