Uber ads on Prop 1 for May 7

[mroper]

FYI Uber did the background check
http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Uber-driver-had-federal-drug-conviction-6184061.php

 

[Mreed911]

FYI Uber did the background check
http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Uber-driver-had-federal-drug-conviction-6184061.php

Need to see if the conviction was reported properly.

 

[AustinN4]

Synopsis of the against Prop 1 argument from https://www.ourcityoursafetyourchoice.org/

"Public safety is more important than corporate profits.

"Austin wants Uber and Lyft to follow the same safety rules for fingerprint background checks as taxi and limo drivers. Uber refuses, even though it has agreed to that rule in cities like Houston.

"Uber has placed its own Proposition One on the ballot for May 7. This corporate initiative would do away with fingerprint background checks and vehicle safety requirements and would force the city to let Uber do as it pleases.

"Uber has told the public that the Austin City Council wants to drive Uber out of Austin. News media say that’s not true. They city just wants to protect public safety with basic rules that no one else has a problem following.

"If Uber succeeds with Prop. One, then other corporations may seek to overturn city rules on safe housing construction, worker safety, building limits in flood plains, clean water standards, neighborhood zoning, and a host of other public safety protections."

 

[Texas42]

Some of yall have your paradigms so messed up.

"Corporate profits" are a result of serving people. . . . unless you get the government to force people to buy your stuff.

I'm a big fan of Lyft and Uber. Increase the supply of drivers out there, undercut taxi costs, and make entrepreneurs out of thousands of people by using technology. Full disclosure my BIL works for Lyft. He explained to me at one point what their background check involved, but I don't remember. They also have car requirements. Yes, I know hat there have been Uber or Lyft drivers who have assaulted people. There may even have been cab drivers that have assaulted people.

I simply see this as freedom from government meddling.

EDIT: If "car safety" or passenger safety become a problem, there is this magical thing called the internet which will reduce the demand and the corporate profits. They will either go under or changed to keep business.

 

[Mreed911]

"Austin wants Uber and Lyft to follow the same safety rules for fingerprint background checks as taxi and limo drivers. Uber refuses, even though it has agreed to that rule in cities like Houston.

Translation: The city has been making a racket of licensing taxis and charging them for everything we require them to do to obtain and keep a license. We now want to extend that approach to Uber and increase the size, scope and control of city government over private business (instead of looking at Uber's success and removing barriers to entry and operation for existing taxi companies). We don't have any proof that the city doing things its way is better, unless you look at the price and customer satisfaction differences between taxis and ridesharing. Ridesharing is both cheaper and has higher customer satisfaction, so we need to regulate it to make it "less" competitive vs. our taxi cartel.

 

[AustinN4]

Mike, we usually agree on most things, but this isn't one of them. That's OK, we don't need to agree.

After going thru this process, were I to vote I would vote against. If Uber/Lyft were going to do the same level of background checks as the city then I would be for it, but they aren't. That kills it for me.

But I doubt I'll even bother because it just isn't that important to me.

 

[dmessy]

I'm fingerprinted/backgrounded for work, my friend works for COA electric...same deal and no big deal at all for someone with nothing to hide. For a corporation to say they will do their own checks or they'll leave rubs me wrong. Hold them to the same standards as taxi drivers (which they are)...vote no on prop 1

 

[zincwarrior]

I'm fingerprinted/backgrounded for work, my friend works for COA electric...same deal and no big deal at all for someone with nothing to hide. For a corporation to say they will do their own checks or they'll leave rubs me wrong. Hold them to the same standards as taxi drivers (which they are)...vote no on prop 1

What is the point of the background check?

How many incidents have there been with Uber drivers (I mean drivers being abused) ?

 

[Wiliamr]

It is about time to call in arc light on austin

 

[RstyShcklfrd]

Translation: The city has been making a racket of licensing taxis and charging them for everything we require them to do to obtain and keep a license. We now want to extend that approach to Uber and increase the size, scope and control of city government over private business (instead of looking at Uber's success and removing barriers to entry and operation for existing taxi companies). We don't have any proof that the city doing things its way is better, unless you look at the price and customer satisfaction differences between taxis and ridesharing. Ridesharing is both cheaper and has higher customer satisfaction, so we need to regulate it to make it "less" competitive vs. our taxi cartel.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Bingo.

 

[AustinN4]

It is about time to call in arc light on austin

Let me see if I have this correct - you wouldn't fingerprint Uber/Lyft drivers, but you would bomb Austin with a B-52? Cute.

 

[lalonguecarabine]

Voting against the city of Austin is more a matter of principle.

I work in a VERY busy hotel in Austin, several miles from downtown. The amount of flat out SHITTY cab drivers that our guests have to contend with is freakin' unREAL! Since uber, then lyft came to town, our guests have been experiencing a much higher level of service than they would ever experience from any of the Austin taxis.

This is consistent observation that has taken place since mid 2011 (when there were only taxis), through the current time where we have now had taxis being usurped (rightfully so!) by ridesharing services. Our hotel deals with hundreds of guests daily, and between twenty to fifty a night ask us what is the best way into downtown. We almost exclusively recommend uber & lyft.
If I didn't live in a different city, I'd be voting on this in uber & lyft's favor!

 

[lalonguecarabine]

If Uber/Lyft were going to do the same level of background checks as the city then I would be for it, but they aren't.

You mean those same background checks that the city's "stellar" cab drivers pass?

 

[lalonguecarabine]

$#@! every last one of them with an AIDS infected cactus.

That's almost verbatim something that would fly out of my mouth!
Someone get this guy a beer!

 

[AustinN4]

The amount of flat out SHITTY cab drivers that our guests have to contend with is freakin' unREAL! Since uber, then lyft came to town, our guests have been experiencing a much higher level of service than they would ever experience from any of the Austin taxis.

And I agree, but what does customer service have to do with criminal background checks? Seems you might be confused on the issues.

 

[lalonguecarabine]

Hahaha.
Nice.

 

[Big Dipper]

You mean those same background checks that the city's "stellar" cab drivers pass?

Or perhaps the same background check that other businesses will be required to delay.

"The Fair Chance Hiring Ordinance would delay a criminal background check until the point a person is a finalist for the job." So that banks and nursery schools can waste time and money interviewing people that they will end up disqualifying.

 

[TheDan]

If Uber/Lyft were going to do the same level of background checks as the city then I would be for it, but they aren't. That kills it for me.

You're security concerns are understandable. You have the very clear option to just not ever use an Uber or Lyft and instead use a cab if that is what meets your standard. Why is a government mandate needed here?

 

[AustinN4]

You're security concerns are understandable.

For me it is much simpler than that. I believe taxi and Uber/Lyft drivers should all be subject to the same rules.

 

[Dash Riprock]

For me it is much simpler than that. I believe taxi and Uber/Lyft drivers should all be subject to the same rules.

Yeah, this bothers me a lot too. I don't like cabs, and from what I can tell the cab rules are pretty stupid and arbitrary, but if the cabs have to follow them then Uber/Lyft shouldn't get to ignore them just because... well, I'm not sure why they get to ignore them.

What I'd like to see is what I alluded to earlier - just have all the cabbies sign up to be Uber drivers and let the cab industry die on the vine. If the cab drivers can't cut it without the monopolistic protections of the cab structure, tough. That's how the free market is supposed to work.

But yeah, they do have a legitimate gripe that the playing field is not level.