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General Category => Off the Record => Topic started by: Baron von Schtinkenbutt on July 09, 2012, 09:52:13 PM

Title: Regulation + corruption == not-so-free-market
Post by: Baron von Schtinkenbutt on July 09, 2012, 09:52:13 PM
QuoteDC City Council "Uber Amendment" Would Force Sedans To Charge 5x Minimum Taxi Prices (Kill UberX) (http://techcrunch.com/2012/07/09/dc-city-councils-uber-amendment-would-force-sedans-to-charge-5x-taxi-prices-and-kill-uberx/)

Uber cannot catch a break in Washington, DC. The city taxi commission tried to shut the private car service down last January over rule violations that it wasn't actually committing. Now the local government is taking another shot, considering a legislative amendment tomorrow that would force sedan car services like Uber to charge at least five times the minimum cost of cabs.

To be clear, the overall legislation is great, in that it forces taxi companies to start taking credit card payments and using GPS. But the amendment part does not even bother to hide its intentions.

The section's name is literally "Uber Amendments," and comes with a layman's explanation that "[t]hese requirements would ensure that sedan service is a premium class of service with a substantially higher cost that does not directly compete with or undercut taxicab service." (I've obtained the full amendment from Uber, and you can check it out below.)
Title: Re: Regulation + corruption == not-so-free-market
Post by: Ideologue on July 10, 2012, 12:57:00 AM
I got some sedan service the other day. :)
Title: Re: Regulation + corruption == not-so-free-market
Post by: garbon on July 10, 2012, 08:39:50 AM
Poor DC.
Title: Re: Regulation + corruption == not-so-free-market
Post by: Scipio on July 10, 2012, 10:25:49 AM
We have always been at war with Uber!
Title: Re: Regulation + corruption == not-so-free-market
Post by: garbon on July 11, 2012, 09:49:55 AM
Oh yay, NYC is expected to have cab fares rise by 17%!
Title: Re: Regulation + corruption == not-so-free-market
Post by: DGuller on July 11, 2012, 09:59:56 AM
Those million dollar medallions don't come cheap.
Title: Re: Regulation + corruption == not-so-free-market
Post by: garbon on July 11, 2012, 10:13:06 AM
Quote from: DGuller on July 11, 2012, 09:59:56 AM
Those million dollar medallions don't come cheap.

Just makes me more likely to stick to public transport.
Title: Re: Regulation + corruption == not-so-free-market
Post by: DGuller on July 11, 2012, 10:16:43 AM
Quote from: garbon on July 11, 2012, 10:13:06 AM
Quote from: DGuller on July 11, 2012, 09:59:56 AM
Those million dollar medallions don't come cheap.

Just makes me more likely to stick to public transport.
:x This just made me less likely to stick to public transport.
Title: Re: Regulation + corruption == not-so-free-market
Post by: garbon on July 11, 2012, 10:33:33 AM
Quote from: DGuller on July 11, 2012, 10:16:43 AM
Quote from: garbon on July 11, 2012, 10:13:06 AM
Quote from: DGuller on July 11, 2012, 09:59:56 AM
Those million dollar medallions don't come cheap.

Just makes me more likely to stick to public transport.
:x This just made me less likely to stick to public transport.

:yeah:
Title: Re: Regulation + corruption == not-so-free-market
Post by: Darth Wagtaros on July 11, 2012, 11:00:37 AM
Quote from: garbon on July 11, 2012, 09:49:55 AM
Oh yay, NYC is expected to have cab fares rise by 17%!
That is a huge hike, especially with gas prices going down or staying about the same.
Title: Re: Regulation + corruption == not-so-free-market
Post by: The Brain on July 15, 2012, 11:33:28 AM
Good old USSA.
Title: Re: Regulation + corruption == not-so-free-market
Post by: garbon on July 16, 2012, 06:47:28 PM
Quote from: Darth Wagtaros on July 11, 2012, 11:00:37 AM
Quote from: garbon on July 11, 2012, 09:49:55 AM
Oh yay, NYC is expected to have cab fares rise by 17%!
That is a huge hike, especially with gas prices going down or staying about the same.

Actually I've revised my opinion. I've taken a few cabs as of late and they are actually pretty cheap right now.
Title: Re: Regulation + corruption == not-so-free-market
Post by: Darth Wagtaros on July 17, 2012, 06:38:07 AM
Quote from: garbon on July 16, 2012, 06:47:28 PM
Quote from: Darth Wagtaros on July 11, 2012, 11:00:37 AM
Quote from: garbon on July 11, 2012, 09:49:55 AM
Oh yay, NYC is expected to have cab fares rise by 17%!
That is a huge hike, especially with gas prices going down or staying about the same.

Actually I've revised my opinion. I've taken a few cabs as of late and they are actually pretty cheap right now.
Yays!