Taxi / limo / car services

So this new service starts soon here...  http://entouragetransport.com/

...and a discussion on their page lead me to this service, that's very cool:

https://www.uber.com/

How about that, real-time tracking of your ride on its way, no cash needed.  That's what's wrong with regulated taxis and rates, they can't afford to upgrade technology... or their customer service skills.

Look what happened when Uber tried to open in Vancouver:  http://www.straight....portation-board

Interesting that the regulators here set a maximum cab fare (or set the cab fare absolutely, fixed rate) then they go and set a minimum for limos, at $75 per trip.  Odd way to regulate.

Uber was absolutely awesome in seattle, so much cheaper and nicer than a cab too.  I'd love to see Uber here.

We need a stupid government decisions thread.

We have one

I just found out Victoria Taxi has a mobile app, and from what I see it's pretty good.  We called a cab on Friday and watched it make its way to our location in real time.

http://victoriataxi.com/smart-hail/

https://itunes.apple...77965?ls=1&mt=8

Bluebird now has a real-time hail and tracking app.

I much prefer The Weather Network for the hail and Google tracks you on the Internet anyways.

In all seriousness though, this just makes BC Transit's excuses for not implementing real-time tracking even more unreasonable. And heck, even BCT's website lacks a mobile skin. For God's sake if this was 2002 I could understand but...

Perhaps if BC Transit spent less on their apologist/mouthpiece Meribeth Burton and more on technology they might have a product that better suited their customers' needs.

Esq. Taxi has this new taxi/tour bus.

Those single rear wheel (on each side) vans are considered the most dangerous vehicles on the road. Don't ride on one of those unless you absolutely have to. Some operators are installing dually axles in an effort to make them safer.

I can't believe despite the accidents tour operators turn a blind eye to the safety issues raised by those vehicles.

Those single rear wheel (on each side) vans are considered the most dangerous vehicles on the road. Don't ride on one of those unless you absolutely have to. Some operators are installing dually axles in an effort to make them safer.

 

I can't believe despite the accidents tour operators turn a blind eye to the safety issues raised by those vehicles.

I'm going to guess that 15-passengers vans have less accidents per mile driven than almost every other type of smaller vehicle. They are usually driven a lot more carefully than the average Honda Accord.

They just get lots of press when they crash, as it's often a group of migrant workers, or children.  Child death stories get good media attention.

http://news.national...vehicle-report/

The much-maligned 15-passenger van — labelled a “death trap” in the wake of several fatal crashes in Canada, including the 2008 Bathurst High School tragedy — is technically as safe as any other large passenger vehicle, according to comparison testing by Transport Canada.

 

What makes them far more stable and far more safe is a dually axle, but that costs more money and manufacturers (and operators) are turning a blind eye because, well, technically, these vans are statistically very safe ...compared to Honda Civics.

Every vehicle is a safe vehicle when it's parked in your driveway, right?

Don't worry, Mike.  It'll be fine at 40kph.

So this new service starts soon here...  http://entouragetransport.com/

 

...and a discussion on their page lead me to this service, that's very cool:

 

https://www.uber.com/

 

How about that, real-time tracking of your ride on its way, no cash needed.  That's what's wrong with regulated taxis and rates, they can't afford to upgrade technology... or their customer service skills.

 

Look what happened when Uber tried to open in Vancouver:  http://www.straight....portation-board

Uber is going to make another attempt to offer service in Vancouver. I have used this service in Seattle and San Francisco. The scare tactics about passenger safety is BS. This company has got it together with nice clean drivers, cars, and awesome service.

http://www.vancouver...9459/story.html

Uber is going to make another attempt to offer service in Vancouver. I have used this service in Seattle and San Francisco. The scare tactics about passenger safety is BS. This company has got it together with nice clean drivers, cars, and awesome service.

 

http://www.vancouver...9459/story.html

I'm a bit mixed.  I don't think Uber should be able to just come in and ignore all the rules, but instead of the government sending out undercover agents, they ought to look very carefully at how to make the rules easier for Uber to enter the market.  the existing rules are outdated, and designed to protect a small number of permit-holders.

You can't tell me Uber cars and drivers are less safe than existing taxis and drivers.   When was the last time the government sent out inspectors to see what existing taxi drivers are up to.

As long as the rules are the same for everyone then I have no issue with competition.

At the moment though the rules are not the same and taxi companies have some legitimate concerns (ie uber drivers doing airport pickups and accessing other sites that taxi drivers pay a fee for exclusivity, insurance and licensing differences, and vehicle inspections.

The irony of all this is that if you reader uber/lyft driver blogs, the services have saturated the markets so badly that most drivers eek out a sub minimum wage living without even counting depreciation and maintenance on their cars. Seems like a lot of anxiety over a service which probably isn't sustainable over the long term anyways.

The irony of all this is that if you reader uber/lyft driver blogs, the services have saturated the markets so badly that most drivers eek out a sub minimum wage living without even counting depreciation and maintenance on their cars. Seems like a lot of anxiety over a service which probably isn't sustainable over the long term anyways.

Yes, interesting, and probably true for sure.  Maybe Uber still has a place, to augment taxis on New Years or weekend nights, when cabs are more scarce.