Dallas City/Cabbies vs. Uber--The Past vs. Future? (Cool: 2013, city hall)

[kayaktjb]

It appears from this DMN article (Dallas to rewrite limo regulations in effort to calm cabbies unhappy with app-summoned Uber | City Hall Blog) that the cab companies and the City of Dallas are teaming up to stop Uber, the developer of an App that allows people to summon and pay for a vehicle to take them where they want to go (https://www.uber.com).

Uber is one of many services that use the Internet to connect people to vehicles. As can be seen by the comments to the DMN article and on Twitter at #DallasNeedsUber, Uber is a popular alternative to the one-size-fits-all service provided by cab companies. The comments are very pointed as to the poor service offered by cabbies, the antiquated technology used by the cab companies, and the real-life benefits of Uber and similar disruptive software/business models.

Is this a straightforward battle between the monopolistic cabbie/City Hall empire and the entrepreneurial Jedi knights of Uber or is the picture more complicated? Is discouraging Uber-like services in order to protect the cab companies and tamp down demand for a variety of car-sharing services a viable long-term strategy for the region's transportation policy?

[DaveG99]

uber is a great idea. Maybe the cab companies should get a little more advanced and get with the times.

[bencronin04]

I haven't used a cab since finding Uber. I really hope they can come to a resolution. It's a little more than you're average can, but obviously nicer cars and so easy. I press the app, call a car/suv, they pick me up, take me home and that's it. I don't have to take out my wallet, choose a tip amount anything. It's already built into your profile.

[seat21d]

Kudos to City Council members Scott Griggs and Philip Kingston who have listened to their constituents. They have pulled from the agenda this rush-job item by the taxi monopoly. They mistakenly underestimated the power of the great Robert Wilonsky.
As City Hall defends ‘minor’ limo ordinance intended to curb Uber, Griggs and Kingston pull it off consent agenda | City Hall Blog

#DallasNeedsUber

[RonnieinDallas]

Cool, I didn't know about Uber. Next time I need a ride I'll use it.

[bencronin04]

Originally Posted by RonnieinDallas

Cool, I didn't know about Uber. Next time I need a ride I'll use it.

You really need to. I've never had an issue nor her of one. They run cool promo's too from time to time. IE when Bryon Nelson was going on they had premium uber where you could get a phantom, maybach, etc. (obviously higher priced, but not ridiculous) and the also did a Ice Cream truck one as well. Most people probably don't mind paying a little more for a nice and clean vehicle, that they don't even have to take out their wallets for.

[HockDad]

Uber is a great service. It not only is fairly affordable, but it will probably save lives from keeping people from driving while intoxicated. For whatever reason, I know plenty of people that will call Uber while out on the town, but would never call a cab.

[kayaktjb]

Another story on the Uber item being pulled from Wednesday City Council consent agenda: Uber outcry gets issue pulled from Dallas City Council consent agenda - CultureMap Dallas

[bencronin04]

Originally Posted by HockDad

Uber is a great service. It not only is fairly affordable, but it will probably save lives from keeping people from driving while intoxicated. For whatever reason, I know plenty of people that will call Uber while out on the town, but would never call a cab.

I can confess that I am probably one of those people. I've called cabs in the past and on multiple occasions waited over and hour. I've never had this issue with Uber even though they have much few cars.

[kayaktjb]

Dallas Business Journal article: Dallas' proposed ordinance sparks political interest in startup community - Dallas Business Journal

Online petition: http://www.change.org/petitions/dall...ber-proposal-3