Looks like a car, feels like a taxi
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Looks like a car, feels like a taxi
TECHNOLOGY company Uber has launched a private car service rivalling taxis in terms of pricing and fleet, but the authorities do not plan to regulate it for now.
Two weeks ago, the company - known for its mobile app which allows users to book high-end private limousines - launched a service called UberX.
UberX users can now book mid-range cars such as Mitsubishi Lancers and Toyota Corollas using the service.
These cars are driven by people who sign up with UberX to be drivers using their own cars, or rental vehicles. They do not need to possess taxi driver licences to do so.
This service follows the model rolled out in several cities globally, including New York, Los Angeles and London.
UberX's pricing in Singapore is similar to what local taxi companies charge.
UberX charges $3.50 as a base fare and a per-kilometre charge that works out to be about 28 cents per 400m.
This is similar to what ComfortDelGro's Hyundai Sonata and Hyundai i-40 taxis charge - $3.20 and $3.70, respectively, for the first kilometre or less.
SMRT charges $3.60 and $3.80 for its Chevrolet Epica and Toyota Prius, respectively.
Both taxi companies charge 22 cents for every 400m thereafter or less, up to 10km, and 22 cents for every 350m after that.
The introduction of UberX in Singapore comes as the taxi industry faces increased regulation and higher service standards.
But despite UberX's similarity to taxis, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) will not be regulating it for now.
In response to MyPaper queries, an LTA spokesman said that Uber is not a taxi company but rather a "technology company providing a matching service leveraging on technology".
"These are private-hire cars. Such cars, unlike taxis, do not ply for hire on any road. Neither do such cars take in passengers at taxi stands/stops," the spokesman said.
Mr Mike Brown, regional general manager for Uber in Southeast Asia, said the company is "fully compliant with the law in Singapore".
He said that UberX is "priced at a premium to a taxi and UberX does not accept street hails like a taxi".
To ensure passenger safety, the company conducts criminal background checks and inspects the driving licences of all drivers, before they can join.
UberX hires only Singapore citizens and permanent residents. All cars must be commercially registered and have commercial auto insurance.
Those who do not own cars rent vehicles through Uber.
A MyPaper check with seven UberX drivers found they were a mix of former lorry drivers and former taxi drivers.
One said he pays about $1,600 for the monthly vehicle rental, which works out to around $50 a day - half of what taxi drivers pay for their daily rental.
Uber takes 20 per cent of every UberX fare. But drivers said they still find it a good deal. With the lower rental, "it's better than driving a taxi because we can potentially earn more money with the same amount of work", said one driver, who declined to be named.
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Their office at Mohd Sultan there, went there to take a look.
How it works;
They rent (free) an iphone to you which have their app (similar to grabtaxi).
You either have your own car or rent a car through a rental company that they recommend. The rental company allows 2 named drivers per car (similar to hirer and relief)
Rental is about $40 (sonata) to $45 (lancer or corolla). All auto.You will station yourself near town area as the app will ring to the nearest car to the caller. Caller do not pay any cash to driver. Driver will have all their earning giro to their account once per week. The company collect the fare from the pax through credit card online.
Goggle Uber and you will find out more about this start-up company. It's quite a big company with alot of funding through various mnc ($50million+) Their saying is that "technology kills taxi". Heehee
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i just got my vl not long but i am suppose to queue now i see this, do they need experience? what is the difference between this and the old days black yellow system except cannot roadside/taxistand and no cash? but if let say, i stop near or very near taxi stand, got people want to use me, they come ask me, can i take directly like that? or i must tell them book through phone, on the spot i will confirm, then they can board? if like that, can i choose which one i want to take then can book then can board? sorry i just want to know more first
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some more thing, is there a minimum booking and minimum distance to cover. can i use the car as private use if i do not want to take people. and no need deposit?
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"You will station yourself near town area as the app will ring to the nearest car to the caller. Caller do not pay any cash to driver. Driver will have all their earning giro to their account once per week. The company collect the fare from the pax through credit card online. "
Don't need to talk much, this kind of system confirm fail.....
Long enough TD will understand what I meant.....
This kind of system don't work well with Sinkies thinking.....
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And the nick above me already got so much doubt and question.....
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a few weeks ago, friday midnite at cecil street, i already saw pte car pick up passengers
pax booked using HP , pte car wind down window, talk talk, pax board pte car
simple as that
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Of course once it kick off, sure got happening mah.....
But whether can last long or not.....
For 1 week, you got to pick pick pick without getting any single cent, this alone will kill off a lot of people.....
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Originally posted by Lamborghini888:
Their office at Mohd Sultan there, went there to take a look.
How it works;
They rent (free) an iphone to you which have their app (similar to grabtaxi).
You either have your own car or rent a car through a rental company that they recommend. The rental company allows 2 named drivers per car (similar to hirer and relief)
Rental is about $40 (sonata) to $45 (lancer or corolla). All auto.You will station yourself near town area as the app will ring to the nearest car to the caller. Caller do not pay any cash to driver. Driver will have all their earning giro to their account once per week. The company collect the fare from the pax through credit card online.
Goggle Uber and you will find out more about this start-up company. It's quite a big company with alot of funding through various mnc ($50million+) Their saying is that "technology kills taxi". Heehee
yea. time for the Taxi COY to wake up. This is to slap them so hard they will wake up their f idea.
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KNN on account job still got 20% levy. SMLJ? Everyday pay rental and petrol no need money ah? Think rent car from them can liao. Want to tak chiak? Difficult lah. This project will fail big time lah. Ideal for those who work in the CBD area. After work take one job on the way home earn some petrol money. Lol
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this kind of 'business' so call may or may not back-fire. Imagine your new car, you take this up this job offer...somehow, pax may dirty your car compartment...or even vomit...lagi best.
Unless your car is nissan sunny or blah blah...old car then is worth it la.
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The driver no need VL. Anybody without background check can drive for them.
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Everything pay by card and driver cannot collect payment after journey. Its just that your money is at the mercy of them. They used the driver's money for cash flow to run the company. Very dirty. Take rental and still take 20% cut. This is worse. For foood court the management take 20% cut after the day ended.
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Originally posted by benqepson:
Everything pay by card and driver cannot collect payment after journey. Its just that your money is at the mercy of them. They used the driver's money for cash flow to run the company. Very dirty. Take rental and still take 20% cut. This is worse. For foood court the management take 20% cut after the day ended.
yup. if you are talking about economics...no demand, no supply.
Lagi best is no liabilities....even have, the running cost is v v low.
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Originally posted by benqepson:
The driver no need VL. Anybody without background check can drive for them.
I managed to find a link that Uber have made a mess in the USA where it originally started . Have a look. https://www.facebook.com/justus.aguy
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In NY, London and los angeles, Uber is like another other private booking transportation, it works because the client there travel long distance, like from LA to LV, and then, like bitcoin and lemon brother kind of business, they start to booast their profit, inflated it, but still cannot make a entry against london cab, NY yellow top and LA cabs. So this ang mo thot that Asian may take the bait, and especially so in Singapore, afterall, china, korea and japan fark them off. Due to our govt free economy strategy to welcome investor, this chao ang mo, enter singapore market, because other like china and thailand also dunno what the fark they are talking about. And our LTA go and let them in, stupid bo?? You get a call from city to woodland,...reach woodland, what you want to do, expect another call to city??? and MOST IMPORTANTLY is your insurance, imagine registering yr own car under commerical is going to put you in a very high road tax and insurance scheme, and when you get knocked or knock someone, GOD BLESS YOU. What this chao ang mo studied is that Singapore holds lots of PRs, and these PRs, which was once a talent but now a Ta..lan, cannot drive local taxis, so they lure them in, on the other hand, due to older locals unable to find a suitable job due to FT and FW penetration, they also hope to lure them in. They should have started a Casket business, more lucrative
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Originally posted by bowah:
In NY, London and los angeles, Uber is like another other private booking transportation, it works because the client there travel long distance, like from LA to LV, and then, like bitcoin and lemon brother kind of business, they start to booast their profit, inflated it, but still cannot make a entry against london cab, NY yellow top and LA cabs.
So this ang mo thot that Asian may take the bait, and especially so in Singapore, afterall, china, korea and japan fark them off. Due to our govt free economy strategy to welcome investor, this chao ang mo, enter singapore market, because other like china and thailand also dunno what the fark they are talking about. And our LTA go and let them in, stupid bo??
You get a call from city to woodland,...reach woodland, what you want to do, expect another call to city??? and MOST IMPORTANTLY is your insurance, imagine registering yr own car under commerical is going to put you in a very high road tax and insurance scheme, and when you get knocked or knock someone, GOD BLESS YOU.
What this chao ang mo studied is that Singapore holds lots of PRs, and these PRs, which was once a talent but now a Ta..lan, cannot drive local taxis, so they lure them in, on the other hand, due to older locals unable to find a suitable job due to FT and FW penetration, they also hope to lure them in.
They should have started a Casket business, more lucrative
precisely. reach any hilltop, can die there liao.
will piah back to town meh?? siao meh???
cant even cover the $50 daily rental lor.
its an alternative for ppl to have a car and make some spare cash lor.
thats all
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to get TDVL, we need to go thru smlj tests...and lessons...
then this so called technology leverage company employs ppl without the need to have such licence?
and PR can do it liao???
LTA can go F spider lah.
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This is pirate taxis wat..ba wang chia...Just because it doesn't take street jobs or queue at taxi stand means okay? LTA smlj? It is unregulated and unlicensed.
If LTA can allow this, then Ah Long doing private loan arrangements with people without having license also legal wat...
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what to do, we local taxi drivers all not united, sure kenna makan by others, nabey, LTA also want collect corporate tax mah, on one hand said taxi driving is for locals, on the other hands, allow PRs to come in, same like most other jobs, on one hand, said must employ locals, on the other hands, go teach companies how to get foreigner...phuixxx
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How to unite ? Now taxis come in many colors and different flag down . Even MPV taxi got 4 types. Maxi, SMRT, Prime and Premier . It should be all white but no. So LTA screwed up the colors and now this . LTA kayu.
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Originally posted by benqepson:
How to unite ? Now taxis come in many colors and different flag down . Even MPV taxi got 4 types. Maxi, SMRT, Prime and Premier . It should be all white but no. So LTA screwed up the colors and now this . LTA kayu.
no more many colors soon. all companies must have standard company colors. And limo can only in full back or white colors. news just in by LTA. come to think about LTA should make all taxis in one standard color maybe yellow color like in USA. only company logo appear on the site doors make the different.
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This Uber is a pest in 36 countries. How in the world they can expand so fast. Started in 2011 to present. And make millions ?