Passengers pulled from 'illegal' Uber cab

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sdavisnz

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#160536 10-Jan-2015 17:31

http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/auckland/passengers-pulled-from-illegal-uber-cab/

just seen this on the news, cant believe it. hate it when govt and industry cant keep up with technology.

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#1211630 10-Jan-2015 18:05

This is going to back fire on NZ Taxi Federation by giving Uber more publicity

sbiddle

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#1211652 10-Jan-2015 18:25

I'm also interested to know why the Police are involved. Any such issues are dealt with by the NZTA who are responsible for the enforcement of laws regarding private hire and taxi vehicles.

The Police better hope they have a good knowledge of what they are doing, because they run a real risk if they're simply being told to do something of ending with egg on their face. In Melbourne they start pulling Uber cars off the road and fining drivers but there is a very good chance the Police will be told in court that they overstepped the law when they did this.

Andib

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#1211661 10-Jan-2015 18:36

sbiddle: I'm also interested to know why the Police are involved. Any such issues are dealt with by the NZTA who are responsible for the enforcement of laws regarding private hire and taxi vehicles.

The Police better hope they have a good knowledge of what they are doing, because they run a real risk if they're simply being told to do something of ending with egg on their face. In Melbourne they start pulling Uber cars off the road and fining drivers but there is a very good chance the Police will be told in court that they overstepped the law when they did this.

I know the guy involved today. He just got picked up and the cop spotted the pickup and pulled them over 100m down the road. He identified himself as part of the Commercial vehicle enforcement team (CVUI) so I assume they out of any of the police would know the taxi laws. My mate ended up having to get out and walk after the Uber driver was given infringments.

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Batman

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#1211664 10-Jan-2015 18:41

so is it legal or not?

nakedmolerat

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#1211667 10-Jan-2015 18:44

Someone in the taxi business knows someone high up in the police force to get them to take action???

It seems like a waste of resources for the police to be chasing after the uber-driver???

That picture shows that the Car has appropriate COF etc.

Behodar

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#1211669 10-Jan-2015 18:51

joker97: so is it legal or not?

That's the tricky bit. Uber says that the police are "falsely [issuing] fines claiming an iPhone is being used as a taxi meter". Is the iPhone being used as a meter or is it just reporting the figures from a certified meter? Is it even relevant? I have no idea what the laws are around this so I can't tell whether it's legal or not.

Edit: Having said that, Uber seems to have a history of showing disregard for laws in various countries. I saw an article just a few days ago from somewhere else (South Africa?) where Uber didn't have a taxi permit. The excuse was "the process for getting a permit is too slow"... so they ignored the law and operated a taxi service anyway.

Edit 2: Found the article.

Andib

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#1211672 10-Jan-2015 18:52

nakedmolerat: Someone in the taxi business knows someone high up in the police force to get them to take action???

It seems like a waste of resources for the police to be chasing after the uber-driver???

That picture shows that the Car has appropriate COF etc.

What they're getting them on is using 'illegal' meters where as they're accusing the drivers of using the Uber APP as a meter.

Unless they run their certified meter (ie the normal taxi one) they're only allowed to operate on fixed rate basis.

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Andib

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#1211675 10-Jan-2015 18:57

nakedmolerat:

It seems like a waste of resources for the police to be chasing after the uber-driver???

The officer was from the Commercial vehicle enforcement Unit so I wouldn't call it a waste of resource considering their job is to monitor all areas of the commercial vehicle industry, including trucks, buses, taxis, couriers, mobile cranes, and mobile homes. According to the police website

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Yabanize

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#1211677 10-Jan-2015 18:59

But everyone knows the uber app isnt a taxi meter.. The fares are set before the trip!

EDIT: Maybe it is? except the metering is done before the trip, its still charged by KM's etc

Behodar

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#1211680 10-Jan-2015 19:00

Yabanize: But everyone knows the uber app isnt a taxi meter.. The fares are set before the trip!

For certain values of "everyone". I didn't know that... but it seems like there aren't any laws being broken after all.

nathan

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#1211681 10-Jan-2015 19:01

This just makes me want to use Uber even more. $45 for me in an Uber to airport vs $75 in AKL coop, and I don't have to deal with phoning anyone to order and pissing around at the end paying.

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#1211701 10-Jan-2015 19:40

well sounds like if the iphone app was used as a "meter" (ie dollar figures keeps going up) then it is 100% illegal, no grey there. otherwise ... the argument is, is the iphone screen showing a dollar sign and a few numbers - is that called a meter or is that not called a meter

sbiddle

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#1211709 10-Jan-2015 19:44

joker97: well sounds like if the iphone app was used as a "meter" (ie dollar figures keeps going up) then it is 100% illegal, no grey there. otherwise ... the argument is, is the iphone screen showing a dollar sign and a few numbers - is that called a meter or is that not called a meter

The app does not function in that way - it does not display an increasing balance like a normal taxi meter. The rate is based on the distance and time travelled however, which is calculated by the GPS track you take.

Yabanize

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#1211718 10-Jan-2015 19:57

I think some people need educating on this 3 News Disqus Comment thread, perhaps you would like to sbiddle? Or someone else? I don't know enough about it :P

http://www.3news.co.nz/nznews/police-target-uber-for-taxi-metering-2015011017

blakamin

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#1211722 10-Jan-2015 20:03

Interesting the CVIU are on this... they're normally too busy eating lunch at a weighbridge ;P

I'm thinking that CVIU hasn't worked out how the tech works yet and they'll end up in a bit of poo when/if they're wrong.

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