Live data from Hacker News

Rideshare operations are being suspended in California

lyft.com

681–690 of 1001 posts

Re: Rideshare operations are being suspended in California

#681
post #344

Another group caught in the collateral damage is people in wheelchairs. Paratransit sucks in most places and where wheelchair accessible Uber/Lyft is available they provide a much better service. This is an especially vulnerable population because it's not like a wheelchair user can just find a friend with an accessible vehicle to take them to appointments, etc.

A while ago — and I have no citations for this — I read it was easier to just pay for private rides for every accessible person than to make NYC and SF's public transportation accessible. Yes, in perpetuity. Considerably cheaper, too. Why then, go through the effort? Because they should be integrated into society like all others. I firmly believe public transportation has benefits beyond efficiency. Something about a…

There are many different ways to be disabled. Some people get around in wheelchairs and will be fine wherever there are elevators. Other people (including all of us as we get older) need personal assistance door-to-door. There's a spectrum of inclusion, and I don't think "whatever the cost" acknowledges that.

Re: Rideshare operations are being suspended in California

#682
post #655
post #633

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This idea of micro-shifts sounds made up. Can you reference any companies that have this setup as an employer-employee relationship?

I've done tutoring for people in small increments like 15-30 minutes for questions before tests. That seems similar to micro-shifts though that is freelance. Lawyers have billable hours and work for multiple clients. Some firms do have compensation tied to billable hours as well. While it's not exactly the same thing the result feels similar to me.

Both of those examples aren't similar at at all.

Your freelance tutoring is not employer/employee work. You're a freelancer. You set your own hours and rates.

Lawyers do not work for multiple law firms, choosing which firm to work for as they see fit. Whereas drivers very often work for both Lyft and Uber (and Postmates or Grubhub, etc) at the same time.

Re: Rideshare operations are being suspended in California

#683
post #551

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So, what should be free market? Maybe we should get rid of army and hire mercenaries? FBI, police, taxes, what else can be replaced?

I dont think you really want me to answer that question... That said.. >> taxes This can never be free market, and some taxes (aka income taxes) is just unethical theft > FBI, police Should be funded in a variety of ways but absolutely could be privatized https://reason.com/video/dont-abolish-the-police-privatize-t... > Maybe we should get rid of army and hire mercenaries? That is a little more tricky and would requi…

Why can’t pay taxes to an entity I prefer? Isn’t it a service? So, if some entity can give me healthcare, I will pay them

If everything is free market, why do we need government?

I know the answer, do you?

Re: Rideshare operations are being suspended in California

#684

Earlier quoted context omitted.

'Ridesharing' (Which is a hilarious term for the simple fact that the ride is not being shared, the driver is not intending to go to your favorite bar. ) isn't a 21st century situation or solution. It's not a profitable or a good force in an economy, it does not pay a reasonable wage for anyone to live on, it is not environmentally friendly unless done in large quantities of people,(which is called a bus). Ridesharin…

Why do you get to decide what a fair wage is, or what a positive force in the economy is? Taxis are an obsolete service, Lyft and Uber are overwhelmingly favored by customers and businesses.

Democratic elected leaders get to decide a fair wage because they are democratically elected leaders.

In terms of motivation a democratically elected leader motivated by the interests of their constituents is a better Stewart of the minimum wage than an un-elected boardroom whose primary motivation is investor value not the quality of life of the citizenry.

Re: Rideshare operations are being suspended in California

#685
There are rights in the United States: life, liberty, safe working environments.

But there is no right to a business model.

Lyft is a business model that found a loophole in a previously regulated business and was able to combine a technology upgrade with a way to pay substandard compensation. That legislators closed this loophole is not a surprise. The exact legislation will never be perfect, and will probably not be changed if it is "good enough".

Re: Rideshare operations are being suspended in California

#686

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Correct. But the point stands about being able to only work for one ride sharing app. How could they possibly cover minimum wage for folks without setting a schedule and requiring that they not be working for other apps at the same time?

Hilarious stuff here. "Yes, I was wrong in my original post, I had it absolutely backwards. However, did you consider something totally unrelated?"

This shouldn't have been downvoted. it's 100% accurate and the grandparent post's pivoting from one topic to another is a classic bad debate tactic.

Re: Rideshare operations are being suspended in California

#687

" As employees they would have to work set schedules and shifts, would not be able to work for multiple app-based companies and would have reduced earning potential — and many jobs would actually be eliminated. " ( https://prop22facts.com/lyft/ ) Is that something mandated by California? As far as I know, everywhere else I've been, work-schedules and anti-moonlighting are restrictions placed by the employer, not the…

It doesn't need to be mandated by the state. If the employer states that you cannot work for their competitor during your shift, then that is an enforceable term of employment (and FWIW, a very reasonable one that no one would bat an eyelid for in virtually any field of employment).

For example, if you were employed by Lyft as a driver, then presumably you would be neglecting your job duties if you refused to pick up a customer on the grounds that you happen to be driving a Uber customer at the time.

Re: Rideshare operations are being suspended in California

#688

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The average person's response to being told they'd have to take another driver's test isn't to replace driving with Uber/Lyft. You're in a unique position to be able to afford to replace all driving with ridesharing, since gas+insurance+maintenance costs are much lower than say, a month of commuting to an office via rideshare.

When I was living in Dallas in 2014 I was using Uber full time and it was less than half the total cost of ownership of owning a used car at the time. And paying $10 to park downtown each day. It was about $3.15 one way which was even cheaper than the bus. I'm not sure what uber prices are in Dallas these days but it'd have to be close to $9 one way for it to be cheaper than owning a car in that situation. Uber was a…

$3 sounds like an extremely short ride. Either that, or they were subsidizing a lot more back then. In Austin, over the past few years I've used use lyft occasionally to get to or from work and it was typically $6-$9 for a 1.6 mile trip that typically lasted 6-8 minutes.

Re: Rideshare operations are being suspended in California

#689

When I moved to CA, I put off getting a CA license for years. I always told myself I'd go to the DMV and do the paperwork, then I waited long enough to find out I would have to retake the test, until finally I just resigned to using Uber and Lyft all the time. I never thought I would need it and so I never made it a priority. So this news really sucks, as you haven't been able to schedule DMV appointments at all and…

I’d think a good ole fashioned taxi would work. Is there a reason you couldn’t or wouldn’t use one?

i can get an uber from my house to the airport at 4AM in about 10 minutes. I can't get a taxi in the middle of the day sooner than 45 minutes.

(I live in Dallas TX)

Re: Rideshare operations are being suspended in California

#690

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Their business model is on-demand transportation. The business model doesn't work if the workforce is not also on-demand. I don't think that's spin, but maybe society decides that we don't like on-demand businesses.

McDonalds provides on-demand fast food and its employees are not independent contractors. There are peculiarities to Lyft and Uber’s business model, being on demand is not one.

They also work a schedule and do not get to work at BK and Mcds at the same time waiting for the next order.
Post reply on HN