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Uber's Failure in Japan

disruptingjapan.com

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Re: Uber's Failure in Japan

#61

Post by dionidium »

pnathan wrote: post #24

The advantage of Uber has nothing to do with price and everything to do with grotesque incompetence on the part of the taxi operators. Five-six years ago, when I asked for a receipt for an expense report, I got a hand-scribbled note. Running credit cards often required hand-based crank mechanisms. Autoplaying TV on the back of a seat that was billed unless you explicitly opted out. It was, in short, a scammy operatio…

"I had to use a taxi in St Louis, MO last summer. In order to do this I had to call the taxi company. No app, no website, nothing. It took 45 minutes to show up, period. The driver couldn't find me when he got near."

This is almost all true and ride-sharing has totally changed the game in St. Louis. One nitpick: the area's biggest cab company has had an app for a few years [0]. It's not a perfect app, but I used it a lot before Uber started operating.

[0] STLtaxi by Laclede Cab https://appsto.re/us/OF-TL.i

Re: Uber's Failure in Japan

#62

Post by new299 »

blockshock wrote: post #60

In Japan, taxi services fall into broadly 2 categories, - large to mid size fleets 2000+ and - private 'kojin' taxis There is yet another category commonly referred to 'izakaya' taxi, these are also private taxis who work together as a network to compete with the big players. Things to know * all taxis are clean * some are spotless ie washed every morning * 75%+ are equipped with wireless radio * 90% of cars in gener…

I don't understand where this notion that 90%+ of taxis in Japan have GPS comes from. I can only think it's from people how hang out in central Tokyo.

Even at the main Shinkansen station in Osaka, there's a 50% probability that a taxi driver wont have (or wont know how to use) a GPS. I've regularly had taxi drivers dig out dogeared maps to try and figure out where I want to go.

If you give an taxi driver and address, they often take you to the general location and then need help from there.

Re: Uber's Failure in Japan

#63

Post by dzhiurgis »

greggman wrote: post #28
pnathan wrote: post #24

The advantage of Uber has nothing to do with price and everything to do with grotesque incompetence on the part of the taxi operators. Five-six years ago, when I asked for a receipt for an expense report, I got a hand-scribbled note. Running credit cards often required hand-based crank mechanisms. Autoplaying TV on the back of a seat that was billed unless you explicitly opted out. It was, in short, a scammy operatio…

I feel your pain. That's what taxi service has been like for me in SF and LA. Also it was effectively non-existent except for calling to be taken to the airport because there were so few. Japan, or at least the populated parts generally have tons of taxis so they are easy to find. They are polite and very clean, one thing western cabs are not. If they do something wrong (go the wrong way, end up taking the wrong road…

Worth mentioning that in Singapore taxi's have special stops where people queue up just to get into one (much like a bus stop).

I wonder how Uber drivers get away stoping everywhere they feel like. It is somewhat of a traffic disruption.

Re: Uber's Failure in Japan

#64

Post by fennecfoxen »

dzhiurgis wrote: post #63
greggman wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I feel your pain. That's what taxi service has been like for me in SF and LA. Also it was effectively non-existent except for calling to be taken to the airport because there were so few. Japan, or at least the populated parts generally have tons of taxis so they are easy to find. They are polite and very clean, one thing western cabs are not. If they do something wrong (go the wrong way, end up taking the wrong road…

Worth mentioning that in Singapore taxi's have special stops where people queue up just to get into one (much like a bus stop). I wonder how Uber drivers get away stoping everywhere they feel like. It is somewhat of a traffic disruption.

Don't know about Singapore, but they do it the same way as taxis the world over - they either find some place that's out of the way of traffic, like a side street or driveway (especially if the stop will take a while)... or they just sit there disrupting traffic and make people deal with it. Usually it's either a multi-lane road, or a smaller low-speed road where traffic can slow down a little and squeeze by. Not strictly ideal, but people cope.

Re: Uber's Failure in Japan

#65

Post by rwmj »

hkmurakami wrote: post #27
pnathan wrote: post #24

The advantage of Uber has nothing to do with price and everything to do with grotesque incompetence on the part of the taxi operators. Five-six years ago, when I asked for a receipt for an expense report, I got a hand-scribbled note. Running credit cards often required hand-based crank mechanisms. Autoplaying TV on the back of a seat that was billed unless you explicitly opted out. It was, in short, a scammy operatio…

>if the taxi industry in Japan is honest, competent and well executed I've used Taxis in Japan across the country for 20+ years, can attest to its quality, reliability, and professionalism. It's on the expensive side, with rides usually starting at 700 yen (roughly 7USD) [1], but the drivers are courteous professionals who drive smoothly and know their cities and routes cold (if they don't, they'll apologize for not…

And no tips too. The price on the meter is the price you pay, which avoids a whole set of extra hassle.

Re: Uber's Failure in Japan

#66

Post by jsemrau »

dzhiurgis wrote: post #63
greggman wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I feel your pain. That's what taxi service has been like for me in SF and LA. Also it was effectively non-existent except for calling to be taken to the airport because there were so few. Japan, or at least the populated parts generally have tons of taxis so they are easy to find. They are polite and very clean, one thing western cabs are not. If they do something wrong (go the wrong way, end up taking the wrong road…

Worth mentioning that in Singapore taxi's have special stops where people queue up just to get into one (much like a bus stop). I wonder how Uber drivers get away stoping everywhere they feel like. It is somewhat of a traffic disruption.

Well one Uber driver at least got fined and jailed.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/uber-driver-ja...

But punching an LTA officer sure does not help improving the image.

Re: Uber's Failure in Japan

#67

Post by pandler »

pnathan wrote: post #24

The advantage of Uber has nothing to do with price and everything to do with grotesque incompetence on the part of the taxi operators. Five-six years ago, when I asked for a receipt for an expense report, I got a hand-scribbled note. Running credit cards often required hand-based crank mechanisms. Autoplaying TV on the back of a seat that was billed unless you explicitly opted out. It was, in short, a scammy operatio…

A few years ago I was living in Boston across the harbor. The only way to get there is via subway (which closes at midnight) or via car through an underground/underwater tunnel.

If I hailed a cab and make the mistake of disclosing my destination before getting in the car, they'd usually just drive off without saying anything. If I got in the car before telling them where I was going, they'd often start making a fuss and listing off excuses as to why they couldn't go there, and I'd basically have to "force" them to drive.

I never got such grief from Uber.

Re: Uber's Failure in Japan

#68

Post by fennecfoxen »

kizza wrote: post #43
yummyfajitas wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think in many countries the freedom to engage in gay sex is seen to be a challenge to the democratic will of the people. It should be no surprise that we don't care very much for this! Those of us who are less democratic and more individualistic recognize how horrible it is when democracy prevents consenting adults from engaging in harmless private activities. The tyranny of the majority is still tyranny. Also, "de…

One is a harmless private activity - the other is a large company gaining an unfair advantage by choosing to ignore the law. Even though they are are both about freedom I think it's impossible to compare these.

> an unfair advantage by choosing to ignore the law

It's 100% okay to talk about this, but if we do talk about this, let's also talk about what happens when you get the local politicians to enshrine your particular business model in law and block all your competition from stealing your property - I mean, your customers.

Is that a "fair" advantage?

Re: Uber's Failure in Japan

#69

Post by kalleboo »

betadreamer wrote: post #44

The article has a point but didn't get it right. I'm a startup developer and my family runs a taxi business in Japan, and believe me I thought about making Uber for Japan the moment I heard about Uber, but I realized it's not going to work out. Here are my notes I jot down at that time. 1) People don't drive In US everyone drives, in fact you need one. But you see none of my friends in Japan own a car. The only peopl…

> But you see none of my friends in Japan own a car. The only people who owns one are people that are well offed.

I assume you live in Tokyo? Here in Kyushu it seems like everyone has a car...

Re: Uber's Failure in Japan

#70

Post by noir_lord »

About 5 years ago we had a new taxi firm open in my home town, the boss(es) invested heavily in technology, you could book via a text, app or call.

They had a ruthless focus on clean cars, uniformed drivers (I was talking to one of the drivers, if they where not clean and presentable he wouldn't put them in service), they'd even jump out and help you load your shopping etc.

You got a text with the drivers number and plate number and could even set it up so someone else got the same details (handy for parents, partners etc).

He absolutely decimated the local badly run taxi firms, the good drivers moved to him and the other firms had to run to catch up or die out.

It was fascinating to watch as an outsider the change across the whole city once word got out.

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