Taxi Companies v. Ride-Sharing Services

[CloudDeckMedia]

This story behind the Journal Record's paywall. Does anyone have some depth to the issue?
http://journalrecord.com/2017/08/25/...errun-by-uber/

[Snowman]

This story behind the Journal Record's paywall. Does anyone have some depth to the issue?
http://journalrecord.com/2017/08/25/...errun-by-uber/

While I have not heard as much about here, from national trends it would not be a shock there has been an impact. Granted I remember city council meetings somewhere around ten years ago where the few older taxi companies of size were complaining about how newer taxi companies were killing them. However it still seems like their are more around then there was twenty years ago and as baby boomers continue to age there is probably a larger market in OKC for paid transport than ever.

Plus ride share companies were largely a reaction to in many cities the ownership was treating customers and drivers so bad that they set them self up to fail. Drivers could go to uber/lift/others and get paid more or at least similar with more flexibility. Customers could get a faster response, in a cleaner/nicer car and could still be cheaper. Which means they could not continue operating like a cartel which often had some degree of regulatory capture and success at limiting the number of people who could provide service.

[CloudDeckMedia]

I've used taxis, Airport Express & ride-sharing services in OKC, but a taxi ride last year left me "sticker-shocked" because it was higher than the driver estimated, and much higher than any other service or cab I've used before. I called city hall, asked for the taxi fare schedule, and was told that no single fare schedule exists - each taxi company submits their own fare schedule which is approved or denied. At that point I lost my trust in local cabs and the commission regulating them.

[warreng88]

This story behind the Journal Record's paywall. Does anyone have some depth to the issue?
http://journalrecord.com/2017/08/25/...errun-by-uber/

Here you go:

OKC taxi companies overrun by Uber

By: Brian Brus The Journal Record August 25, 2017 1 Comment

OKLAHOMA CITY – The local taxi industry is breaking apart under competition from ride-hailing alternatives such as Uber, company representatives said.

“We’ve lost quite a few drivers, quite a few owner-operators of our vehicles,” said Jaffar Najam, chief executive of Thunder Cab. “Uber has destroyed the entire industry; our fleets are greatly diminished. To be completely frank, our industry as we know it is on the verge of dying out, company by company.

“It’s at the point where I have to contemplate whether it’s still sustainable for us,” he said. “I’ll probably make a decision in a few months.”

According to the latest Traffic and Transportation Commission data, the total number of vehicle-for-hire companies licensed to operate in Oklahoma City fell from 42 in the previous fiscal year from July through June to just 32 in the 2016-2017 fiscal year. That includes shuttles, limos and specialty services such as eldercare; some companies operate several units.

Broken down by quarter and individual taxi driver permits, much of the decline occurred in April through June. A total of 51 taxi permits – both for new applications and renewals – were approved in the latest quarter compared to about 90 for each of the three previous quarters, city data shows. Active driver numbers remained high while new permits fell significantly.

“That’s because we’re looking at 50 to 75 percent of our rides on Friday and Saturday nights have dropped,” said OKC Green Cab owner Qazi Islam.

Like Najam and others, he blames Uber and government officials for the dissolution of his fleet. City Hall abdicated the responsibility of enforcing standards that traditional taxi companies have followed for decades, he said.

Oklahoma City officials tried to revamp ordinances related to the burgeoning ride-hailing industry, but in 2015 the state Legislature pre-empted municipalities considering such moves by placing oversight of ride-hailing services with the Corporation Commission, leaving traditional vehicle-for-hire operations under city ordinances.

Najam said City Hall should have never allowed Uber the first step of parking at the airport in the same place as traditional vehicles for hire.

Now, taxi drivers are picking up Uber clients using Uber’s online payment app instead of driving Green-branded vehicles, Islam said. It’s impossible to tell how many fares are going to the competition because drivers keep quiet. They can make money through Uber without leasing a company car or repainting their own vehicles to match company design. It’s getting harder to find drivers for the company fleet, he said.

Najam and Islam said they’ve been researching options to stay afloat. Najam said his best bet might be to restructure Thunder Cab as a transportation network company, or TNC, under Oklahoma Corporation Commission rules, he said, the same organization that defines Uber. The company already has its own reservation system online called Cabsolutely, although it lacks the name-brand recognition of Uber.

One of the biggest differences in going to a TNC structure would be to allow fleet operators to change up their insurance policies to something less expensive like Uber uses, Najam said. As it works now, City Hall is notified when taxis fail to renew their insurance or have policies canceled.

[d-usa]

I used to ride the taxis on a fairly regular basis when I was without a car and I would ride the last 4 miles after getting off the bus. The cabs were dirty, old, and run down. I don't even compare prices between Uber and cabs, I just go for the more pleasant service.

[BLJR]

I used to ride the taxis on a fairly regular basis when I was without a car and I would ride the last 4 miles after getting off the bus. The cabs were dirty, old, and run down. I don't even compare prices between Uber and cabs, I just go for the more pleasant service.

I don't cab or uber often, but based on my comparison, the uber experience is just much better, cleaner, and comfortable. Plus you financially know what its going to be before the ride begins. Taxi always somehow end up being more than the estimated amount.

[FighttheGoodFight]

I don't cab or uber often, but based on my comparison, the uber experience is just much better, cleaner, and comfortable. Plus you financially know what its going to be before the ride begins. Taxi always somehow end up being more than the estimated amount.

Uber and others have gone substantially down in the big cities I have been to recently. I got better service from cabs in Chicago than Uber or Lyft. Here in oklahoma it could be completely different though. I never really take a cab or ride service. Last thing I took was a Big Green Bus for a bachelor party. That was pretty fun.

[u50254082]

I used to travel often for work and used Airport Express quite regularly. They never let me down and their vans are always clean. That said, their prices do seem to go up about $5/year and sometimes you'll have to share a van but the fare isn't discounted.

I'd like to keep using them but it's gotten to the point where a solo Uber ride will cost around 40% less and if I'm lucky I'll get a driver who uses a nice car.

The few times I've taken the orange competitor to Airport Express or a typical cab have been regrettable.

[Jeepnokc]

The only disappointment I have had with Uber in OKC is when we have wanted to splurge on a nice date night. Twice we have ordered Uber Premium and one time we got a Ford Fusion and the other time was an older Buick Enclave with cloth seats. Both are fine cars for Uber but they are not similar to the Uber premium cars they list as examples on their websites and certainly not worth paying the premium price for.

[NoOkie]

The only disappointment I have had with Uber in OKC is when we have wanted to splurge on a nice date night. Twice we have ordered Uber Premium and one time we got a Ford Fusion and the other time was an older Buick Enclave with cloth seats. Both are fine cars for Uber but they are not similar to the Uber premium cars they list as examples on their websites and certainly not worth paying the premium price for.

I used to drive for Uber. They would send me messages saying "If you have leather seats, sign up for Uber select". I drove a Subaru Forester. Nice car, but certainly not what I would think of as select. Leather seats always struck me as a pretty low bar to pay an extra 30 bucks for.

Complain to customer service about stuff like that. They're usually pretty sensitive to bad experiences and will try to fix them. Their old CEO generated enough bad press on his own, they didn't want to add to it.

[BBatesokc]

Uber of late is all about low fares and convenient pickups and much less about the quality of the car or driver. My last couple of Ubers were very disappointing - a much older gold Camry with two very prominent dents. Another driver had his girlfriend riding along with him - which was really awkward. They've gone from "making taxis fun" to "we're the Walmart of ride share."

[Thomas Vu]

The only disappointment I have had with Uber in OKC is when we have wanted to splurge on a nice date night. Twice we have ordered Uber Premium and one time we got a Ford Fusion and the other time was an older Buick Enclave with cloth seats. Both are fine cars for Uber but they are not similar to the Uber premium cars they list as examples on their websites and certainly not worth paying the premium price for.

I'm glad you mentioned this cause I was going to come in with uber and lyft having premium options. Sad to hear they're not that premium. Isn't it an option to select the driver rather than closest car? Although, I suppose it would involve knowing makes and models on the consumers end.