“We know the city better than they do”: Toronto taxi drivers on what makes them better than Uber

87 thoughts on ““We know the city better than they do”: Toronto taxi drivers on what makes them better than Uber”

1. i rather take cabs becase they accept cash but uber doesnt

2. Took a cab to the airport with UBER-X and cost me just over $13 … exact same ride cost me $32 via taxi … not sure the taxi service is worth an extra $19 premium (146% premium)

3. I’d like to try UBER-X just to see. Some taxi drivers struggle to make a living – but here’s the issue – the price is too high. Owner driven, propane powered taxis should be more competitive. Uber fills the spot for competition. I don’t like it when an industry is under one monopoly.

4. various taxes and licence fees.

5. There’s definitely a role of government regulation somewhere within Uber, but this is just evidence of the market correcting itself. Clearly there are bloated fees somewhere within the current cab structure and money is wasted somewhere. If cab drivers want to fight back, fight their own over-regulation and excessive fees that are passed down to their customers. Uber has you guys beat, far and away, and it’s sad that it’s coming to this.

6. Responding to the seven cabbies…

   1. That he has no GPS may be a point of pride for him, but the lack of GPS is exactly what I did not enjoy with the one cab ride I took. The driver had no idea where it was that I wanted to go and could not find it in his many maps and atlas books … all the while running the meter. I had to use my phone’s GPS to guide us there. He did not adjust the price and glowered when I opted not to tip.

   2. When it takes a newspaper investigation to reveal that cabbies with failure to remain at the scene of an accident, assault convictions, drunk driving and instances of sexual assault are having their licenses renewed on the basis of plea bargains – the license issue is less reassuring. I’ll take the crowd sourced star ratings as a better indicator of whether I want to step into a vehicle or not. And I am safer knowing exactly who is picking me up and being able to share both details of my ride and ETA with friends and family than being in the back of some random cab.

   3. I’m given fair warning of surge pricing and can make the decision then and there if I want to try for a fixed price cab instead. But it would take a fair markup from the base rates before an UberX ride cost more than a regular fare.

   4. For everyone whose ever been terrified in the back seat of a cab, or slamming on the brakes of their own vehicle as a cab whips out of nowhere just inches away, may I be the first to congratulate you sir for saying that with a straight face.

   5. You heard it here first. Everyone who is not a cabbie is a horrible no good teenage driver, says the man standing in the street with his car parked in front of the ‘no stopping’ sign.

   6. Everyone riding with UberX is backed by a $5M in liability coverage covering bodily injury and property damage.

   7. I did not realize that the definition of a terrorist organization was to provide low-cost and convenient rides across the city. Seriously Toronto Life, why would you even deign to put print to that kind of hyperbole?

   If I wanted to ask a friend to cart me across the city, and pay him $20 for the gas and aggravation, there would be no issue. If I threw a posting onto Craigslist or Kijiji asking for a similar ride and offering the $20, again there would be no issue. UberX simply adds a level of efficiency, speed and facilitation to that. The cabbies need to be able to compete on the level of price, quality or convenience in order to best this new service and they know they can’t. That’s why they’re shouting, “Booga booga beware of the terrorists and uninsured unsafe death traps ooooooooooh booga booga booga” Sadly for them too many of us have already used the service and enjoyed it to be spooked off with such a sad campaign of fear, uncertainty and doubt.

7. Translatiion: I rather take cabs because I maxed out my credit cards

   Are you a senior citizen?

8. Lower your rates, digital tracking and rating with consequences, fix your crappy cabs and keep them clean. Oh and some need to smell a lil nicer (cars and drivers). I do love how they showed the 6 cleanest cabs in the city.

9. Toronto star should be aware of the percentage of drivers who protest against UBER. Just 5% of over 10 k drivers. And these 5% are playing for taxi cab companies.I m a taxi driver in Toronto and i have no problems to face competition like many other s and i m not against any technology , knowing that technology is future and we can’t stop it.
   May be time to end up monopoly of brokerages and middleman.

10. – Taxi companies charge $450 a week ‘brokerage’ fee. Doesn’t matter if the taxi driver works/doesn’t: They need to cough up $450 no matter what. With UberX? If you drive, Uber gets a %20 cut…if you decide to spend the day home/not work: Uber doesn’t ask for a ‘cut’ of anything.

    – Also, if you’re desperate for a ‘taxi’: Uber offers that too! It will flag the nearest taxi near you…and you’ll pay the standard/metered rates. Taxi drivers who criticize Uber, yet are signed up for Uber are textbook hypocrites.

    – A lot of UberX drivers are taxi drivers moonlighting, and they all said the same thing: They plan on becoming fulltime UberX/ditch the cab companies. As an UberX driver, you can SET YOUR OWN HOURS, have freedom from a noise CB radio and: The money is simply better: No insane “Brokerage fee”.

    – Uber cars are insanely well kept. You owe it to yourself to try Uber just for that. I’ve been picked up in Audis/BMWs/Mercedes, most of them brand new. It’s an amazing experience each time I call Uber.

    – My fave thing about Uber: I jump in..and upon arrival: I jump out. No fussing with quarters/arguing the meter.

    – When I jump into an UberX vehicle. I get a picture of the driver, license plate, rating, and afterwards: An incredibly detailed map of the drive (based on GPS), detailed fee breakdown…and in the event there’s any ‘question’ regarding the rates: Uber immediately got back to me/rectified the situation pronto. I only had ONE complaint out of the 150+ UberX rides I went on. I LOVE UBER!!!

    – UberX drivers will oftentimes offer me free water and most importantly: A SILENT RIDE!!!! I am sick of having to ‘ask’ the driver of a taxi to TURN OFF THE CB RADIO!!!!

    – The rating system is awesome because it works BOTH WAYS. So those who like to drink/puke in taxi cabs…they can stick with Taxis…because Uber will ban them if they repeatedly get bad ratings. Can taxi drivers say the same thing? Of course not.

    Summary: Dear Media, wake up and listen to what the people of this city are saying, Toronto’s taxis SUCK. Uber (and apps like it) are the FUTURE.

11. That “Terrorist” comment was quite pathetic. To call fellow Torontonians/taxi drivers “Terrorists” crosses the line.

    My take: Toronto Life/rest of the media rakes in big advertising revenue from the taxi industry…hence these puff pieces.

    Uber basically needs to step up their ad buying. You’ll be surprised how media articles will suddenly shift ‘pro-Uber’ once some big $$$’s are thrown buying ad space.

12. Owner driven? Not going to happen. Most if not all the taxi plates in Toronto owned/controlled by small group.

13. You my friend are a HERO. Thank you for putting it in ways I could never. Can we start a petition to keep Uber in Toronto

14. John Tory supports Uber, it’s not going anywhere. If it violates current laws…well that is why we has legislative bodies to pass new laws.

15. RISKS FOR UBER DRIVERS

    The biggest risk for drivers is that your auto insurance does not cover using your vehicle to carry passengers. This means that if you get in an accident while transporting a passenger, you could face serious liability and vehicle replacement costs. If you want to be an Uber driver, you have to add the Permission to Carry Paying Passengers endorsement to your insurance, and this can be costly.

    Additionally, if you are using the vehicle to carry paying passengers, and don’t have the requisite municipal license, the endorsement will not be enough to get you out of hot water with the law as you are operating as a taxi in contravention of local bylaws. Cities such as Ottawa and Toronto are cracking down on Uber drivers, in some cases having bylaw officers book rides on the app and hand out fines to drivers who don’t have taxi licenses.

    The worst case scenario for an Uber driver is that the vehicle policy is invalidated by undisclosed use to carry passengers, leaving you without auto insurance, making you liable for any legal or medical costs and making it harder – and more expensive – for you to get auto insurance in the future.

    If you do choose to register your vehicle as a taxi, it must be properly licensed and insured commercially as a taxi – the Permission to Carry Paying Passengers endorsement is not enough.

16. RISKS FOR UBER PASSENGERS

    While the risks associated with being an Uber driver are great, risks for passengers are greater. First of all, you may be getting into a vehicle that is not insured properly, which could leave you with the burden of going after the driver in court to reclaim legal and medical costs. If an insurer voids an auto policy or denies a claim due to material misrepresentation, then the vehicle owner and driver would be personally liable for damages they cause in a accident including property damage and bodily injury. Additionally, to sue for injuries in Ontario, you must meet a certain threshold of injury before you can do so.

    The next – and greatest – risk is that the background checks that Uber drivers are put through are spotty at best. A taxi driver must have a clean criminal and driving record to maintain their taxi license. According to a NBC news report, Uber used drivers in the San Francisco area who had various criminal charges on their records including domestic assault, drug trafficking and burglary. While the service states that it runs background checks, these weren’t enough to catch the records uncovered by NBC’s investigative report.

    If you are a driver that has been using the service, contact your broker to get the proper insurance policy for your vehicle use, as well as your local municipal licensing office to inquire about a taxi license to protect yourself and your passengers. If you are an Uber passenger, ask to see proof that your driver holds both a taxi license and the proper insurance before your ride begins. Or do the smart thing and just get a taxi – a little extra wait for a taxi isn’t worth the potential hassle.

17. 100% UberX drivers are committing insurance fraud breach of their personal use auto insurance policy. There is no insurance company which allows its personal use auto policy holder to drive a commercial vehicle UberX. When you get into an accident in UberX disaster starts, UberX drivers personal auto insurance policy is void: now you have to sue UberX driver, Uber & Toronto City Council.

    Uber drivers are not properly screened by Toronto Police, their vehicles are not inspected regularly, they don’t have commercial driver licenses, no Toronto taxi licenses, no training & Uber drivers are not paying HST FOR THE same service like taxi drivers. Taxi/Limo drivers are mandated to get GST business number from Revenue Canada & pay GST/HST regardless of their income. How/Why Uber can avoid paying HST? Uber is paying GST in Australia, why not in Canada?

    UBER DOES NOT WANT TO PAY TAXES IN ONTARIO?

18. The hell they do. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a knowledgeable taxi driver. One didn’t know where York Mills is.

19. The few times I have taken Uber they can never, ever find my apartment, they have no idea how to get where I want to go and I’ve found the drivers to be very obviously from not downtown and hence have no idea how to drive in the city, resulting in sht-show of a 10 minute ride to my destination.

    Don’t get me wrong, I have no love whatsoever for taxis who often times are a bunch of lazy, entitled dcks. I work late and get a cab ride home even though I live relatively close so I generally tip very generously to make up for it but I’ll get turned down by three or four cabs in a row because I don’t live where they want to drive which is completely unacceptable. Sorry my $20 for 10 minutes of your time isn’t enough so enjoy sitting her for the next half hour doing nothing.

    The cabbies in Toronto are lazy and useless relative to most other major cities so while my experiences with Uber haven’t been great, hopefully it gets our official cabbies on their game.

20. AT LEAST 26 LICENSED TORONTO TAXICAB DRIVERS DENIED UBERX BECAUSE OF FAILED BACKGROUND CHECKS – Globe & Mail Jan 2015 http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/uber-claims-increased-security-checks-higher-safety-standards-than-city-of-toronto/article22599640/

    100s OF CABBIES ID’D BY THE CITY AS A POSSIBLE DANGER ARE STRIKING DEALS ALLOWING THEM TO CONTINUE PICKING UP FARES – Toronto Star Feb 2013
    http://www.thestar.com/news/investigations/2013/02/05/assault_drunk_driving_death_threats_the_cab_drivers_the_city_cant_get_off_the_road.html

    Dave, I notice that you’ve got these answers pretty much pre-canned and have been posting them on numerous stories related to Uber, not just here in TorontoLife but in Metro and various Sun publications over the last month. Your Disqus account has @EnforceTheBylaws as it’s handle, so its clear the account is created specifically to respond to conversation re Uber.

    Best practice in the PR industry is to communicate upfront when you have a material connection to an issue. It doesn’t invalidate your position but ethically the right thing to do is declare when you have skin in the game. For the record, I do not work for Uber or any agency working for Uber. I’ve used Uber to hail regular cabs and facilitate the payment but have not yet had occasion to ride with UberX. The only reason I commented here is that the campaign against is so heavily tainted with fear and misinfo and I really can’t stomach such tactics.

21. To be fair to the original poster smartphone penetration in this country is still only about 70%, but more to the point, taxis offer what Uber does not: anonymous travel.

    With Uber there is an electronic trail of the payment, the times of the pickup and drop-off and a pretty accurate tracking of the journey by way of GPS. A cab allows anyone to step in and ride from here to there, pay in cash and have no record or trace of the journey. Depending on who you are and what you’re up to, that’s either a good or a bad thing.

22. To whose benefit?

23. Ok, 70% penetration in the country, but what’s the stat in Toronto? Surely higher. Also, every cab has a camera that takes a photo of every rider. No name, sure, but it’s not exactly anonymous.

24. I had the exact same problem when i was a junior mistmaker. Instead of going for the cabs in the taxi line, hail down a cab already driving on the street – they are more than willing to take your fare. I lived a $6 ride away (but usually paid $10) and never had a problem. Or if you’re going to take a cab from the taxi line, before you get in, ask them if they want a $[20] fare. If they say no, move on to the next person in line

25. Some of the hyperbole from these taxi driver protesters is simply ridiculous – its pretty clear they’ve been fed the lines by the brokerages. I mean seriously – terrorist?
    The ones who are really nervous are the brokerages – Beck, Co-op, etc because they know that once the drivers figure out just how badly they’re being screwed over by them, they’ll leave in droves, which is why they’re planting all this nonsense about the boogey-man Uber drivers (and conveniently ignoring that Uber offers a service that allows you to choose licenses taxi and pay metered rates – a service I might add, that’s still light years ahead of anything the taxi firms are doing). But then again, the brokerages have fought any and all efforts to reform the industry in any way that impacts their oligopoly or control over the drivers, whether or not its good for consumers, so why would this surprise me?.
    And following Rob’s point, I’m not in any way associated with Uber – I’m simply someone who has used the service a number of times and therefore can confirm its far superior to what the taxi firms are doing. While I have taken licensed taxis since, I’ve only done it through Uber – haven’t used one of the taxi firms since I downloaded the app 7 months ago.

26. I really don’t get why taxi drivers are so scared of competition. They might be, if they’re not providing quality services, but are they? I entered on at least a hundred taxis in the last 3 years in Toronto and you know what I realized?

    1- Clean you taxi. I hate seeing food spills everywhere that are at least for a week there. It smells, but you probably don’t bother because of 2

    2- Respect the customer. If I gently ask to close the window, I’d appreciate to make my ride better. You can turn on A/C or whatever on you, but the majority doesn’t even move a finger because of 3

    3- Stop talking on phone. You’re putting my life at risk, using earphones and talking in some random language. Sometimes I even feel you’re talking to me and keep answering “what”, but you all (~90% of all cabs I took) just keep talking. Ask to pay attention at the wheels and turn off the phone already caused me abrupt stops and be asked to leave at least 10 times.

    4- Still talking about life at risk, you don’t have to drive like a wild animal hunting something. I went through 5 accidents because of taxi drivers not respecting the sign (crossing red signal, not respecting stop sign, switching lanes without signaling, etc).

    5- Respect other people’s schedule. Twice I had to go to airport early in the morning, called the central of orange taxis (you know which one) and made my schedule the night before. Guess who almost lost the flight because none appeared?

    6- Finally, if I take a ride, I want to pay what your marker points to, not what you say it is. Many occasions happened here: driver wanted a higher tip, or I was going to a Leaf’s game and was overcharging me because of the time we’re stuck on traffic, etc. Ah, and I hate having to call the police to resolve the situation.

    Now I took Uber three times and I have no complains at all. Not a single phone call answered, not a single accident, very polite drivers, no life threatening and no overcharges. Guess it’s impossible for the other team to do it? I don’t think so… grow up and learn to handle competition, improving your service.

27. Uber warning issued by Canada’s insurance industry
    Oct 17, 2014 8:49 PM MT
    CBC News
    Share this story

    Canada’s insurance industry is cautioning drivers who are thinking about signing up with ride-sharing services like Uber.

    The Insurance Bureau of Canada warns that their personal car insurance won’t cover them if they’re in a collision or a passenger is injured, so drivers must carry commercial insurance.

    Must play by city rules, says mayor

    Mayor Naheed Nenshi says Uber will have to conform with Calgary’s taxi industry rules if it intends to operate here.

    Uber and other ride-sharing apps were discussed at a city committee in August.

    A report presented to the committee detailed a trial offered last year by Uber through a local limousine company.

    However, the company wasn’t big enough to handle the demand and ended up hiring sedans that weren’t properly licensed through the city.

    “Our investigation determined that there were unlicensed drivers, unlicensed vehicles,” said Marc Halat, the city’s chief livery officer, at the time.

    “They were providing a service to Calgarians and they were put at risk]

28. Uber warning issued by Canada’s insurance industry
    Oct 17, 2014 8:49 PM MT
    CBC News
    Share this story

    Canada’s insurance industry is cautioning drivers who are thinking about signing up with ride-sharing services like Uber.

    The Insurance Bureau of Canada warns that their personal car insurance won’t cover them if they’re in a collision or a passenger is injured, so drivers must carry commercial insurance.

    Must play by city rules, says mayor

    Mayor Naheed Nenshi says Uber will have to conform with Calgary’s taxi industry rules if it intends to operate here.

    Uber and other ride-sharing apps were discussed at a city committee in August.

    A report presented to the committee detailed a trial offered last year by Uber through a local limousine company.

    However, the company wasn’t big enough to handle the demand and ended up hiring sedans that weren’t properly licensed through the city.

    “Our investigation determined that there were unlicensed drivers, unlicensed vehicles,” said Marc Halat, the city’s chief livery officer, at the time.

    “They were providing a service to Calgarians and they were put at risk]

29. If Uber is ride sharing – than so is riding in a taxi.
    Taxi drivers have to pay HST to CRA regardless of their income, why not Uber for the same service?

    Taxi drivers have to pay 10 times more for commercial taxi insurance than UberX drivers personal auto insurance policy. Is there any insurance company in Canada which allows its personal use auto policy holder to drive for UberX?

    Taxi drivers have to pay for City Taxi License renewal fees, Police background check, training, vehicle inspection every 6 months, dispatch costs etc. Is this equal playing field?

    All UberX drivers are committing insurance fraud!

30. 2 John Tory Election Campaign managers are working for Uber$$$

31. I’d rather drag myself along the sidewalk by my lips than step foot in a Toronto cab for a hot second. Most points have been covered several times, but I’ll second the ones that touch on smells, dilapidated vehicles, speed-demon drivers, lead-footed brake-riders and white-knuckle/hair-raising rides. Oh, one more thing: WTF IS WITH THE HONKING AT EVERY DAMN CORNER? YOU END UP SCARING THE SH*T OUT OF PEDESTRIANS WHO ARE JUST WAITING FOR A BUS OR TO CROSS THE STREET. Seriously… If they wanted a cab, they’d hail you.

32. That headline is not true, I’ve been in many cabs in this city and many of them don’t know where they are going, thank god for GPS. The Taxi Co’s need to do a better job on the maintenance of their fleets! Period! Also I’m paying for the ride so the driver should not be on his cell phone yammering away to whom ever. You should be driving and paying attention to traffic.

33. Agreed, I have resorted to doing that. It can be a pain though if it’s real late and there aren’t very many cabs rolling by and all I want to do is get to bed so that I can wake up and do it all again a few hours later.

34. I can send an UberX car to pick up a client and bring them to me all for what seems like pennies. Very convenient.

35. 1. Taxi to the airport = $65.00.
    2. UberX to the airport = $28.00
    3. Not having to wait 5 minutes while the taxi driver attempts to run my credit card through – priceless
    4. Why is it I only see taxi drivers continually parking in bike lanes?
    5. Why when I used to call a taxi, I have no idea when the car will come, who the driver is, or what type of run down POS the car will be. Uber, I know the driver before hand, I can see where the car is, and end of trip, I get a detailed email showing the route, price and total charges.

    Sorry, if you are not willing to compete and move into the new century, I don’t have much sympathy.

    My question to the taxi drivers – When the price of gas went from $1.40 a litre to $0.86 – where was my reduction in taxi fares.
    Exactly.

    I cannot wait until the driverless cars wipe out this industry altogether.

36. “5. You heard it here first. Everyone who is not a cabbie is a horrible no good teenage driver, says the man standing in the street with his car parked in front of the ‘no stopping’ sign.”

    Not to mention blocking a bus stop…

37. none of these taxi drivers claim their taxes and their wives are on welfare and they get child benefits which pay their bills… many of them have big homes which are worth near a million$ which even doctors and lawyers can’t afford… the government needs to first audit all of these taxi drivers… many of them take a whole load of money back to their countries and then bring it back and show the government that their relatives gave them as gifts so they could buy property in Canada… taxi drivers are a disgrace to the honest society Canada is trying to build… they are not paying taxes, plus they’re taking money from tax payers by telling the government they don’t make money… pretty much they are feeding themselves and their families money which they earned by lying… what a disgrace!!! and if you ever take a taxi downtown, the guy charges $4 something taxi meter fee, plus the $10 ride, plus expects $8 tip to make it a full $20… if you leave your iPhone in the cab, they immediately take it, get it decoded and give it to their women to sell in their country next time they are gone to see their folks… i fully support uber as long as the the government has a way to monitor how much uber drivers are making… otherwise we’ll have lots of taxis parked outside of homes in the bridal path areas since this is already beginning to happen.

38. I’ve been taking nothing but ubers for 4 months now. I don’t have much in response to the article/taxi drivers and their “points” (or lack there of; #7 Asafo – terrorists!?!? Wow!). However, I can say that what really sold me on uber is how nice every driver is. I’ve probably taken 15+ uber rides, and can safely say I haven’t had a single bad experience. They’re all so genuinely friendly! Maybe that’s just been my luck (or they’re working hard for that holy 5 star rating!), but regardless, when I used to ride in taxis, I’d be sitting there in silence while the driver mumbled into their hands-free (who are these guys always talking to?), or just gave this vibe like they just hated their jobs. Before I downloaded uber, I got to the point where I would only call one of the rare Taxi drivers I met named David (shout out to David, great guy! Known as Taxi Dave, I hope he already switched to uber) if I wanted a ride somewhere. If he wasn’t available, I’d TTC. All in all, Uber has changed the game, making riding taxis more about customer service and less about PROFIT, and all these desperate taxi companies are just firing shots(shooting blanks) just because they can’t compete. Not working folks!

39. Love Uber for its convenience and price. Drivers tend to be more friendly, and cars are cleaner in comparison. However,from a fair point of view, Uber should pay the same type of taxes and follow the same regulations as regular cabbies.

40. I love the shot of the guy with the febreeze resting in the passenger seat, I swear most cabs have rotting meat or falafel in the glove box, the sheer smell of 99.99% of cabs I’ve taken is enough for me to always resort to an UberX or black car.

41. How many times have I been, forgotten about or refused service as a client, cut off or watched cabs disobey the rules of the road as a fellow driver, and then nearly killed a few times as a biker. Beck and co-op are the worst.

    Thank God for Uber. I’ve taken dozens of Uber trips and they are all courteous, have nice clean smelling cars, they dont drive erratically. I dont feel in danger as a driver or as a client.

    I can’t count how many times I’ve complained to companies about their drivers and after over 50 uber rides I’ve never had a complaint. Not one.

42. Also could we rename this article to: ” Toronto Life Supporting Toronto Cabs. Content provided by the PR firm managing the PR relations for Toronto Cabs.”

43. Uber drivers don’t sit there and decide whether or not to pick me up based on how far I’m going.

    Uber drivers don’t refuse to take me if I have my dog with me (who quietly its on my lap).

    Uber drivers speak fluent english.

    Uber drivers have cars that don’t smell like azz.

44. exactly

45. Hey big dude, have you heard (or seen) this:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXt0lG3IRZQ

    Get back to me after seeing it.

46. Uber drivers don’t refuse to take me if I have my dog with me (who quietly its on my lap).

    Probably because they don’t want your dog shitting on the seats of their car.

47. Are you a millionaire?

48. The Taj Mahal air fresheners are always a red flag for me.

    UBER all the way!

49. I’ve had cab drivers tell me dogs are against their religion — that dogs are unclean, blah blah.

    Every UBER driver I’ve had has been like, “Oh, cool! What a cute dog! No problem.

    UBER all the way!

50. Oh, give me a break, you bigoted, entitled fool. And go and fuck yourself.

51. In North America, people often keep animals as pets. They live indoors. And there is a thing called “house training” …This is why dogs don’t shit in cars – as you previous assumed.

    If enjoying and preferring a service that allows me to travel safely, in comfort and with my pet offends your more … “peasant” sensibilities, perhaps you should move to – i dunno – somewhere with lots of caves and that uses goats for transportation? … Just a thought.

52. I’m not a cab driver, but I do sympathize with those that don’t want a dog in their car (and not, it’s not always about religion either, although I do see a lot of anti-immigrant/anti-Muslim backlash in the dismissals of the cabdrivers and their woes.) If you have to carry your dog everywhere, get your own car.

53. I’m against ANY religion that bases providing a service to me on the notion that my dog offends their “deity” … so there’s that. So you can lay off the bigot card.

    And no – I don’t have a need for my own car. Unlike cabbies, UBER drivers have been more than accommodating to me and my pet.

54. So in addition to having your surrogate child’s (pet’s) ego stroked, you’re a racist moron too? Oh well, I guess that being brainwashed to want shit is all that you can take-goodbye to you.

    For the record, you can find a cab that doesn’t have a driver that doesn’t hate dogs, or not take your dog everywhere. But I guess that white people like you are entitled to everything regardless, so again I leave you as you are. Don’t respond to this comment, I’ll ignore it.

55. You know what I love? I love that you think I’m white and a racist …

    Me, my dog and my son have 1 thing in common. We’re all black.

    If you’d like a picture, leave your contact deets! Love to make you look like a fool – once again!

    But we know you won’t.
    Loser.

56. Anybody can say that. Show me a picture, and I’ll be convinced that you are.

57. Hey Retard. That’s a good idea.

    Why don’t you re-read my last post where I offered to do just that and figure it out from there.

58. I asked you first, because people can say that they’re black without having to prove it. So do so, or forfeit the argument.

59. I forfeit nothing. Follow the instructions offered so I can show you what a loser you are.

60. I just took UBER again over the weekend. It was super fast and absolutely hassle free. The kicker – it was a quarter of the price I would have paid for a cab.

    Thanks but I’m taking my chances with Uber.

61. I’m not too sure about safety. I can’t tell you how many times I have been in a cab and the driver is having full long conversations on the phone. Also if you pay by debit or credit you have to pay an extra 1$ service fee to the bank..it’s too expensive period. Uber is great on so many fronts.

62. I recently returned from Los Angeles where I was visiting my daughter and son-in-law. While there, my son-in-law gave me access to his Uber account so I could sightsee while they were at work. Accustomed to cabbies in New York and Toronto, I was pleasantly surprised at the excellent service each Uber driver provided. A cheerful greeting and a free bottle of water was given with each trip. As well, each driver was friendly and provided a safe destination through the use of their car’s GPS. Far from being ‘terrorists’, I’ve never been happier with the fast and good service of Uber. I only wish that company taxi drivers were as successful in making riders happy with their service.

63. What is stopping cabbies from joining uber?… Why all the fuss? What am I not getting? Everything changes…. Napster didn’t kill music it killed the non musician industry types… Won’t uber just kill the non drivers profiting off the cab industry?

64. Awesome! So because they’re so much better than Uber, the customer will see that and choose them! No need for protection of their industry, because they will win the customer’s hearts. Game on.

65. Literally YES to all points made above!!!!

66. What does proper taxi insurance look like? How will we be able to check authenticity?!

67. “My question to the taxi drivers – When the price of gas went from $1.40 a litre to $0.86 – where was my reduction in taxi fares.
    Exactly.”

    Still waiting for cab companies to respond to this!!!

68. OR, take an Uber.

69. Dave – My problem is that the taxi license have significant value. This means the system is inefficient and rides cost me more. It makes sense to impose the same rules on all drivers but the system needs to be fixed to take all value away from the license as this is wasted value.

    I am a frequent UBERx customer and I feel they are doing a good job of providing a superior service than the taxi industry in Toronto. I have researched how the insurance works for drivers that is provided by UBER and I feel comfortable that the passenger will always be covered. The insurance industry will need to adapt its product offering but that is not a reason to say UBER doesn’t work.
    UBERx charges a safe ride fee – this fee could go to the City if they want to take on the task of inspecting vehicles, training and background checks but to be honest I feel UBER has done a good job from my experience – so the City better be able to do the same or better job for the same fee.

70. Most of the cabs are new ones from Toyota, Hyundai, and Nissan and the few times I’ve ridden in one, they were clean.

71. That’s funny, I take a dozen plus a week and most cabs in Toronto are 2008 Crown Victorias with 350k on them.

72. Well said. #UberRules

73. No, it doesn’t, and your response shows why.

74. Nearly every one I see here in downtown Toronto is a Camry, Nissan Maxima, or brand-new Chevy Impala, as well as Toyota vans for the van taxis. And most of them are clean as frack, so the Uber-lovers can bite me.

75. English and deodorant would also help their cause, greatly.

    Along with knowing where they’re going and how to drive. SAFELY.

76. For what? So I can die in an accident and not get compensated by my insurance company?

    Again, here’s something that you pro-Uber fanatics need to see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXt0lG3IRZQ

77. The drivers in this article probably do drive safely, but people like you are exaggerating the ones that don’t just to prove your dubious bullshit pro-UBER point.

78. The cab industry is a disaster in every way. They need a whole new business model – and none of that is my problem.

    The free market has spoken. Deal with it.

79. The ‘free market’ is full of shit, and needs to be regulated with force. And idiots like you need to wake the fuck up.

    How Uber Takes Drivers & Passengers For A Ride by Vonetta Logan

    Let’s talk about Uber. Uber is part of the new sharing economy that lets people with their own vehicles pick up consumers within minutes and take them from point A to point B. The buzzy Bay area startup has raised $1.6 billion in just 4 years and is valued at an eye-popping $18.2 billion dollars. Uber’s in 204 cities across 45 countries and covers 55% of the US population. Imagine a world with less pollution, no traffic jams, and maybe you don’t have to even own a car because your next ride is just a tap away. No more scrubs hanging out the passenger side of their best friend’s ride. Uber! This is the vision that Uber is peddling, and Venture Capitalists are fully on board. Uber’s recent valuation makes them more valuable than Hertz, Avis or United Airlines.

    On paper, Uber looks like startup that wants to disrupt the $11 billion dollar taxi industry. But what if I told you Uber’s business model was more sinister than that? The reason Uber can double revenue every 6 months and close round after round of funding is because they have found a way to side step the costly regulations that are required of cab companies. Uber plays by a totally different set of rules. Their game plan is to effectively ignore whatever legal challenges may eventually be thrown at it in a quest to get big and drive their competition out of the game. Uber is playing a game of Risk. Their carefully calculated missions are putting them on a course for total domination.

    Mission #1- Build a fan base. Position yourself as classy but cheap and people will use the word Uber as a verb and tweet their love – #loveuber.

    Mission #2 – We need small business. Uber is the new face of entrepreneurship and small business in America. Uber CEO Travis Kalanick said drivers in NY make over 90 grand a year and drivers in SF make over 70 grand. The San Francisco Cab Drivers Association reports that one third of the 8,500 cab drivers in San Fran have ditched driving a registered cab in the last 12 months to drive for Uber instead.

    Mission #3 – The Bait and Switch. Uber operates more like a pimp than a boss. By calling themselves a tech company instead of a transportation company, they’re able to call drivers “independent contractors” and they don’t have to guarantee wages or pay health insurance. Drivers receive star ratings from passengers and drivers that fall below 4.4 stars can be deactivated by Uber. If me and my girls get drunk and I want to cram 6 of us into a Prius but the driver rightfully says no, I can be like “Eeww, 1 star.” Also, drivers do not receive tips. A highlight of Uber’s seamless payment system means that no money is transferred between rider and driver. That’s great, but there’s no tip. By Uber’s own estimates 20,000 new drivers sign up for the service each month, lured by high signing bonuses and hourly guarantees. But what happens to drivers then when Uber goes back on its word?

    The best part of this? One of the featured drivers in the video is one of the more than 1,000 drivers who’ve been protesting the company’s policies. Drivers surveyed said they’re making from $5 an hour to $20 an hour meaning if they’re working 40 hour weeks that’s between $10,000- $40,000. Their fares, of which Uber gets 20-25% must also go to gas, tolls, car washes, wear and tear, maintenance and insurance. Which brings us to…

    Mission #4 – Regulations are for Suckas- In April, Uber rolled out a $1 safe ride fee. So after years of operation, Uber has decided to pass the cost of safely running a business on to the consumer. Here’s what Uber says the $1 per Trip Fee pays for: Background Checks, Vehicle Checks, Driver Safety Education, and Development of Safety Features in the App. So your favorite Chinese Food Company is going to start charging a “safe food” fee. (Give me $1 make sure no rat poop in egg roll.) So, just how airtight are these background checks?

    Video #5- Criminals are driving for Uber

    The Taxi, Limousine, and Paratransit Association, claims that 30% to 40% of a traditional taxis operation expenses consist of regulatory costs, which Uber avoids. Most important? Primary commercial liability insurance.

    Mission #5 – Tricky Terms. Uber claims to carry a $1 million dollar umbrella policy for instances of accidents with passengers in the car. But…drivers who are on the way to pick up passengers or merely have the app open may not be covered. Also, Uber claims they’re not liable for passenger injuries based on the app’s Terms of Service. You should probs read that. Probably the most eye-opening thing I learned is that Uber X drivers, regular people like you and me who use their own cars have personal motor vehicle policies that specifically exclude instances of driving for profit. Call your insurance company right now and tell them you want to pick up strangers for money. Let me know how that goes.

    Think bait and switch hiring, dodging liability and unstable wages are bad? Meet…

    Mission #6 – Subprime Sweet Spot. Uber has now decided to dip their toes into the subprime loan market. Uber’s financing program connects drivers with poor credit to auto lenders promising better rates. The startup wants more drivers with nicer cars, so drivers are urged to take out loans with the promise that car payments can be deducted from their Uber earnings. Risk? You’re gonna book 6 figures this year. No problem.

    Video #7- Subprime loans

    2 of the companies Uber has partnered with are now under investigation by the Department of Justice for subprime lending. Uber operates more like a pimp than a boss.

    Mission #7 – Eliminate the competition. Uber’s at war with rival startup, Lyft. Uber’s aggressive tactics reflect the fact that ride sharing is a zero sum game. A driver picking up an Uber customer can’t also pick up a Lyft customer. Drivers can drive for both services, though the companies discourage the practice. Plus once Uber infiltrates and transfers drivers from one platform to theirs, the request rate for that service declines.

    Video #8- Uber goes after Lyft

    Not only did UBER cancel thousands of rides, but they devised Operation SLOG (best name ever), where Uber contractors strike up convos with the drivers and attempt to sign them up before they arrive at their destination. (Have I told you about our Lord and Savior, Uber?) Contractors earned up to $750 in commissions for successfully recruiting a new driver to Uber. Uber may only be 4 years old, but they’re getting better and better at doing backroom political deals to get their service into big cities.

    Video #9- Uber’s political muscle

    Mission #8 – Wheelin’ and Dealin’- Illinois wanted to pass new ride sharing legislation with provisions that would prohibit drivers from working more than 10 hours a day, cap surge pricing, and require drivers to obtain a chauffeur’s licenses. Uber lobbyists were like, “Uh, lookie here: you make this go away and we’ll build out the Chicago office! …That’s not gonna work. Wait, what? Governor Quinn vetoed the bill!” A few weeks later Uber announces it’s adding 420 jobs by the end of 2016, and they pimp walk away from the rules. The New York Attorney general just announced he was dropping regulations in the state of New York after Uber hired the former head of New York’s Taxi and Limo commission.

    So in a pro-disruption argument there is no need for public transportation laws, hotel laws or food safety laws because the market will quickly move to drive out bad actors. Free markets are good! Regulation is bad! Here’s how we fix everything.

    Believe it or not, I’m not gonna get all Regina Regulation on you, but I think there should be some sort of hybrid insurance policy that would cover drivers for both the personal use of their vehicle and their transportation work. As rider numbers increase, the amount of drivers increases and there are bound to be more accidents.

    Uber should introduce the ability to tip a driver within the app. For years consumers have thought that Uber’s seamless payment process meant tips were included. But they’re not. Drivers are struggling to make ends meet and consumers are benefitting from cheaper riders. In-app payments would help out everyone. So in a pro-disruption argument there is no need for public transportation laws, hotel laws or food safety laws because the market will quickly move to drive out bad actors. Free markets are good! Regulation is bad! Here’s how we fix everything.

    Believe it or not, I’m not gonna get all Regina Regulation on you, but I think there should be some sort of hybrid insurance policy that would cover drivers for both the personal use of their vehicle and their transportation work. As rider numbers increase, the amount of drivers increases and there are bound to be more accidents.

    Uber should introduce the ability to tip a driver within the app. For years consumers have thought that Uber’s seamless payment process meant tips were included. But they’re not. Drivers are struggling to make ends meet and consumers are benefitting from cheaper riders. In-app payments would help out everyone.

    An informed consumer is a powerful consumer. Uber is like that hot chick that everyone wants to get with, but as you dig deeper you find out more unsavory things about her. Am I saying you shouldn’t get in bed with her? Well that’s up to you, but maybe you double bag it. Free markets allow companies like Uber to grow and scale with lightning speed, but public safety shouldn’t be sacrificed on the altar of capitalism. We should all decide how we want companies to treat employees, municipalities, and competitors and then decide if we want to get taken for a ride. Nailed It!

    https://www.dough.com/blog/how-uber-takes-drivers-and-passengers-for-a-ride

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=JXt0lG3IRZQ

    After all of this, you still believe the bullshit from this company?

80. If I wanted to read that article, I’d go read it.

    Don’t you have any original thoughts of your own?

81. I hear you on the insurance thing, but just because someone is pro-Uber, it doesn’t make them fanatical. Relax.

    Rob Clark’s first comment was spot on.

82. What was said in the article’s pretty good as an argument against Uber; I don’t always have to have original arguments of my own all of the time. The big question is, are you going to see how logical and damming the facts are against Uber as presented in the article and video, or are you going to be like everybody else and be full of shit just to get a cab ride based on how entitled you feel?

83. The city has spoken, and Uber has to play by the rules. Take your sense of entitlement and stick it where the sun doesn’t shine.

84. I don’t know where you’ve been, buddy, but as I said, most cabs are the cars I’ve described above; the Crown Vic is disappearing from city streets as a cab.

85. Or, just walk, take public transit, get their own car, or even better (if they have a dog) leave the pooch at home.

86. The city also tells me to walk my dog with a leash.

    Poor Dusty. So mad. LOL! …

87. I think John Tory is right. Uber is here to stay. Customers get lower fares and more convinience. Let us get to regulate it and enjoy it.

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