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Regulators Demanding Uber Price Increase to $75 Minimum in Vancouver

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Re: Regulators Demanding Uber Price Increase to $75 Minimum in Vancouver

#11

Post by freshhawk »

3pt14159 wrote: post #8
freshhawk wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You should know that Translink (aka the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority) has nothing whatsoever to do with Taxi's. That's regulated at the provincial level. > quasi-government (sic) aka, the corporate structure used by participating municipalities to operate a unified public transportation system in a metropolitan area > heavily subsidized by taxpayers That's literally what the "public" part in…

The domain of solutions to the problem of rape and extortion by vehicle operators for hire expands beyond the purview of governments. Do not confuse first world economies (and the regulations that people feel necessary to enact) with solution sets. Just as militaries in third world counties are unorganized and corrupt, so can their private taxi operators. Yet since the distinction between operators of taxis is one of…

That is a very good point. Social norms are much more important here than the regulatory punishments.

As to the I would argue, however, that it is exactly the enshrining of human rights into law and the regulation of necessary but historically predatory industries that is the distinction you are drawing between civilized and uncivilized societies.

Those social norms do not just appear in a vacuum.

Re: Regulators Demanding Uber Price Increase to $75 Minimum in Vancouver

#12

Post by cperciva »

nekojima wrote: post #10

Would a long-term promotional deal for a $10-40 gift certificate to Indigo, Marks, BestBuy or somewhere else (or a debit card) of the customer's choice be a possibility to overcome this issue?

Almost certainly no. Canada is less tolerant of loophole-exploitation than the USA, and more likely to invoke the clear intention behind rules rather than their literal meaning.

Re: Regulators Demanding Uber Price Increase to $75 Minimum in Vancouver

#13

Post by cperciva »

mtgx wrote: post #2

What business does the Government have to fix the prices of a private company so arbitrarily like this? Surely this isn't constitutional?

Surely this isn't constitutional?

The federal government could make it illegal to drive a taxi in Vancouver except while wearing a pink tutu and singing Christmas carols. The provincial government could make it illegal to charge taxi fares which are not a prime number of cents.

Yes, it's perfectly constitutional to set a minimum price for private hire cars. Whether a law is dumb is orthogonal to whether it is constitutional.

Re: Regulators Demanding Uber Price Increase to $75 Minimum in Vancouver

#14

Post by biot »

nekojima wrote: post #10

Would a long-term promotional deal for a $10-40 gift certificate to Indigo, Marks, BestBuy or somewhere else (or a debit card) of the customer's choice be a possibility to overcome this issue?

Likely not.

  "Certificates must not replace or interfere with the requirement
   that licensees charge Board-approved rates ..."
Source: http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/ptb/operational_policies.htm#V_5

Re: Regulators Demanding Uber Price Increase to $75 Minimum in Vancouver

#15

Post by [deleted] »

makhanko wrote: post #4

As Uber's similar difficulties in New York show, the governments both North and South of the 49th parallel consider city transportation to be their exclusive domain and are not shy to regulate it instead of looking out for consumers. In Vancouver, Canada the quasi-government regional transportation authority is heavily subsidized by taxpayers and is still running in deficit. They are not exactly happy about competiti…

[deleted]

Re: Regulators Demanding Uber Price Increase to $75 Minimum in Vancouver

#16

Post by StavrosK »

freshhawk wrote: post #7
mtgx wrote: post #2

What business does the Government have to fix the prices of a private company so arbitrarily like this? Surely this isn't constitutional?

It's because you need to be regulated to be allowed to operate a taxi or limousine service. That's because of the history of horrific things people do to each other when taxi's aren't regulated. As to what logic is behind this other than protecting their members against the new guy I have no idea.

What do people do to each other?

Or was that a joke?

Re: Regulators Demanding Uber Price Increase to $75 Minimum in Vancouver

#17

Post by ihsw »

elchief wrote: post #9
mtgx wrote: post #2

What business does the Government have to fix the prices of a private company so arbitrarily like this? Surely this isn't constitutional?

Have you ever been in a taxi in Mexico City at night? Terrifying. I'll take my Canadian regulations, thanks. Shafting Uber is not a problem of excessive regulation, but of purposely protecting incumbants.

Correct me if I'm wrong but Mexico City is not in Canada.

Re: Regulators Demanding Uber Price Increase to $75 Minimum in Vancouver

#18

Post by steve8918 »

This is unfortunately turning into an example of "you can't fight City Hall".

In a city like SF, where the taxi cab service is the worst I've ever experienced (empty taxis just driving past you, or never honoring a commitment to pick you up even if you call in), Uber is something that is necessary. But the status quo's long term experience with enforcing a monopoly through laws/regulations, etc, will make it really hard for Uber. Uber will need to spend a great deal of time and energy trying to get those laws to change, which will likely be at a glacial pace, if ever.

I'm sure there's a huge amount of interest for this in SF, and taxi service is so bad, you might even be able to make this an election issue. But other cities like Vancouver I'm sure don't have as bad of an issue, so it might be harder to make it an issue that politicians will take notice of.

Re: Regulators Demanding Uber Price Increase to $75 Minimum in Vancouver

#19

Post by ef4 »

freshhawk wrote: post #6
makhanko wrote: post #4

As Uber's similar difficulties in New York show, the governments both North and South of the 49th parallel consider city transportation to be their exclusive domain and are not shy to regulate it instead of looking out for consumers. In Vancouver, Canada the quasi-government regional transportation authority is heavily subsidized by taxpayers and is still running in deficit. They are not exactly happy about competiti…

You should know that Translink (aka the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority) has nothing whatsoever to do with Taxi's. That's regulated at the provincial level. > quasi-government (sic) aka, the corporate structure used by participating municipalities to operate a unified public transportation system in a metropolitan area > heavily subsidized by taxpayers That's literally what the "public" part in…

> That's literally what the "public" part in "public transportation" means

That's not really true. There are counter-examples of privately-owned public transportation systems. Tokyo's subways for one. Greyhound bus lines for another.

The "public" in "public transportation" really just means that it serves the general public. In the same way that you're "in public" even when you're in a privately-owned shopping mall.

Re: Regulators Demanding Uber Price Increase to $75 Minimum in Vancouver

#20

Post by politician »

ihsw wrote: post #17
elchief wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you ever been in a taxi in Mexico City at night? Terrifying. I'll take my Canadian regulations, thanks. Shafting Uber is not a problem of excessive regulation, but of purposely protecting incumbants.

Correct me if I'm wrong but Mexico City is not in Canada .

His point is that unregulated taxis are scary.
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