Anyone here an Uber driver?

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Uber Geek

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#1311141 25-May-2015 11:08

There's an interesting article here about a reporter in Philadelphia who was hired as an über driver. Interesting stuff. Doesn't sound at all good really.

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Joseph

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bongojona

253 posts

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#1311182 25-May-2015 11:25

wellygary:
wasabi2k: Man I would expect the local taxis to lynch an uber driver at the airport. The restrictions on taxis and the time they queue is insane.
I think you will find that many uber drivers in NZ are actually existing taxi drivers,

They see Uber as a way to get around the airport fees for pickups etc

Ah, and are these moonlighting taxi drivers using their taxi branded cars for this or using unmarked ones ?

Have never used the service but am curious about who these drivers are

I almost always get a shuttle/dropped off at airport -taxis are WAY too expensive

kiwitrc

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#1313267 28-May-2015 09:19

I see there is a poll on http://www.nzherald.co.nz/ this morning. Interesting so far only 43% want more UBER cabs.

nathan

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#1313272 28-May-2015 09:29

bongojona:
wellygary:
wasabi2k: Man I would expect the local taxis to lynch an uber driver at the airport. The restrictions on taxis and the time they queue is insane.
I think you will find that many uber drivers in NZ are actually existing taxi drivers,

They see Uber as a way to get around the airport fees for pickups etc

Ah, and are these moonlighting taxi drivers using their taxi branded cars for this or using unmarked ones ?

Have never used the service but am curious about who these drivers are

I almost always get a shuttle/dropped off at airport -taxis are WAY too expensive

Same car, magnetic signs removed

gzt

16905 posts

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#1315062 31-May-2015 12:00

DravidDavid: I don't get all that passenger/service license crap.

I'm an experienced fully licensed driver that takes passengers with me on the same roads I drive on my own, every single day. But if they give me a $20.00 note or a bitcoin at the end, all of a sudden my license isn't good enough anymore.

The current taxi service has been left unmolested (and as a result, unchanged and expensive) for years. It's about time competition jumped in and started shaking the place up a bit.

EDIT: I tried to sign up, but at the very beginning it states I must have a vehicle that seats 4 comfortably. Unfortunately, I can only fit 1 other person uncomfortably! Haha.

Btw carpooling is defined as perfectly legal by LTSA for vehicles containing up to 12 people.

http://www.nzta.govt.nz/traffic/businesses/carpooling.html
http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/carpooling/docs/carpooling-guidelines-print.pdf

"Sharing costs – passengers contribute to fuel costs and the reasonable wear and tear of the vehicle. This may suit staff who prefer to drive or have to drop off children, etc. The driver cannot, however, be paid for their time or for any fines incurred during the journey unless they are a licensed operator"

I have not read the regulation directly but it looks to me there is a fair bit of legal room for genuine ridesharing in NZ.

gzt

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#1315065 31-May-2015 12:14

adida101: I don't think these requirements are present in other countries either, it seems to just be a New Zealand thing..

wellygary: Thats because in most countries it is Taxi industry that is regulated, (There are resitrictions on who can provide a taxi service,and other taxi services are prevented from starting up) Uber can avoid this by claiming not to be a "Taxi service"

whereas in NZ we "deregulated" the taxi Industry , ( i.e anyone can go an be a taxi if they meet the standards) but shifted the regulation to "passenger service", thus Uber and Lyft get caught here as they are carrying passengers,

Yep. Similar for goods services. A goods service license is required for that. Similar again for tow trucks & vehicle rental. They are all fairly basic tests and pretty easy. The actual NZQA exam cost is fairly small like $50 or something. Biggest cost tends to come from paying for a two day course prior to the exam supervised with the same training provider.

There is plenty of room to innovate by providing online study materials and a supervised exam sit. That would bring down the cost considerably for some of these things.

gzt

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#1315070 31-May-2015 12:28

nickb800: Getting rid of area knowledge certificates seems like a good idea too, given every driver has a GPS mounted anyway.

Area knowledge cert is not required for private hire drivers like Uber. There is no problem there at all.

adida101

127 posts

Master Geek

#1609846 10-Aug-2016 21:17

Sorry to dig up an old topic - but definitely relevant currently. Since April Uber removed the requirement for P endorsement, introducing their own vetting process which is basically a police/background check instead of needing to go through the $2000 worth of expenses and sitting the exams for a P endorsement.

Anyone driving an Uber under this new allowance, and if so, faced any problems?

The government's threatened to 'ban' Uber for bypassing the NZ licensing requirements: http://m.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11690166

andrewNZ

2487 posts

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#1610076 11-Aug-2016 12:40

Uber doesn't write NZ law.

You are still required to hold a P endorsement to carry paying passengers. End of story.

muppet

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#1610090 11-Aug-2016 13:28

Don't know if I'd call my skills Uber, but yea, I'm a freakin' amazing driver.

You should see me handle my scooter around corners.

All the grannies in Napier swoon when they see my zippin' by Like A Boss.

sir1963

3216 posts

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#1610179 11-Aug-2016 15:49

andrewNZ: Are you licensed to carry passengers?

From memory, there is also a legal requirement for you to be a licensed taxi operator.

You need a "P" endorsement, i.e. a Passenger Vehicle Licence.

It is NOT a Taxi licence. For example Ambulance Drivers require it, because they are driving a person(patient) for financial reward.

If you do not have it and are carrying a paying passenger:

1. You are breaking the law, so any accident you have is potentially YOUR fault (even if its not)

2. You will be uninsured because your policy will exclude its use for commercial purposes.

3. You may be liable for any injuries (ACC can try and make a claim against you).

4. You will need to pay Tax + ACC levies otherwise they too can take legal action against you.

sir1963

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#1610182 11-Aug-2016 15:54

Yabanize:
DaveB: The problem with the Uber service here and in many other countries, is that the owner operators fail to meet legislative requirements, such as minimum insurances, GST requirements, ACC compliance etc etc.

Hire a cowboy ........... get a cowboy. But don't expect a cowboy to be there when things turn to custard!

I think you have never experienced Uber.. You should try it. Its better than you think

Right until the moment it goes bad......

sir1963

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#1610183 11-Aug-2016 15:59

adida101:
wellygary:
adida101: I don't think these requirements are present in other countries either, it seems to just be a New Zealand thing..

Thats because in most countries it is Taxi industry that is regulated, (There are resitrictions on who can provide a taxi service,and other taxi services are prevented from starting up) Uber can avoid this by claiming not to be a "Taxi service"

whereas in NZ we "deregulated" the taxi Industry , ( i.e anyone can go an be a taxi if they meet the standards) but shifted the regulation to "passenger service", thus Uber and Lyft get caught here as they are carrying passengers,

Doesn't make any sense.

Technically if I am driving my friend to the gym I am 'carrying passengers'. Does that mean that if I offer to give a stranger a ride to work and charge him for it I need a passenger service license? Or if I car pool to work with colleagues and split the fuel cost? That's essentially what Uber SHOULD be, or at least aims to be, just a platform for two parties who can mutually benefit each other to connect and interact: true ride sharing. Not a taxi service.

No, it is fully intended to be a taxi service.

It is about picking up strangers from random places and driving them to other random places for a fee (and hopefully profit).

Car pooling is not the same, it is known people going to/from a known point. And most car pools work on the basis of week about rather than a fee being paid.

Twist it as much as you like, the intent is to be a taxi service.

Geektastic

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#1611526 14-Aug-2016 19:47

I looked at P endorsement a while back.

Got into one of those crazy, head ache inducing bureaucratic feedback loops. Since I have lived in another country (the UK before emigrating) I have to produce a police certificate from there.

Fair enough. Except, I did that already when i emigrated.....

No. That doesn't count.

Well, I was granted Top Secret security clearance by the NZ security services. Far more in depth check than a simple print out from the police.

No. That doesn't count.

Why can't you look at those files?

Cannot. Privacy.

Well, it's my file and I am giving you consent.

Sorry. Privacy.

Well on that subject, the UK police won't send the information to anyone but me. Privacy, you know. However, you insist the information is sent direct to you....

I gave up. Just too hard.

Yabanize

2350 posts

Uber Geek

#1611539 14-Aug-2016 20:22

Geektastic: I looked at P endorsement a while back.

Got into one of those crazy, head ache inducing bureaucratic feedback loops. Since I have lived in another country (the UK before emigrating) I have to produce a police certificate from there.

Fair enough. Except, I did that already when i emigrated.....

No. That doesn't count.

Well, I was granted Top Secret security clearance by the NZ security services. Far more in depth check than a simple print out from the police.

No. That doesn't count.

Why can't you look at those files?

Cannot. Privacy.

Well, it's my file and I am giving you consent.

Sorry. Privacy.

Well on that subject, the UK police won't send the information to anyone but me. Privacy, you know. However, you insist the information is sent direct to you....

I gave up. Just too hard.

Yeah, the effort and cost taken is why Uber are opposing it, To get fully compliant (P, PSL, COF) it costs around $1.5k and takes over a month.

Its alot to go through when some Uber drivers only want to drive for a few hours a week.

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