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Battle To Regulate Ridesharing Moves Through States
New submitter jeffengel writes: The push to regulate services like Uber and Lyft has spread through state legislatures nationwide. At least 15 states have passed ridesharing laws in 2015, joining Colorado, California, and Illinois from last year. More could follow, with bills pending in Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, and others. All this activity has led to new clashes with companies, city leaders, and consumers. Ridesharing bills have stalled or been killed off in Texas, Florida, New Mexico, and Mississippi. Meanwhile, Uber has exited Kansas and is threatening to leave New Jersey and Oregon, while Lyft has ceased operations in Houston, Columbus, and Tacoma. How this plays out could affect the companies' expansion plans, as well as the future of transportation systems worldwide.
Licensed, legitimate cab companies run a gauntlet of state & local regulations before they can collect fares. Uber and Lyft bypass them, start operating, and then act surprised when their illegal operation using unlicensed, unvetted drivers run into trouble.
In most places, the individual drivers and/or the company itself are required to have mercantile licenses... where are theirs?
Uber is as much ridesharing as ordering pizza using a Pizza Hut app is foodsharing. I think. Not sure if Pizza Hut drivers are independent contractors. Well, anyway...
I would propose that if any "taxi" driver earns less than $200/month, that they should have looser regulations. I'd also propose that auto insurance should have to cover situations like that (regular auto insurance) provided that no more than $200/month is being earned. This $200/month figure calculated by averaging the previous three month's income derived from being a "taxi".
Well Uber, is a good way for people to create/supplement their income with a relatively low starting cost.
The problem with today's economy, it is too tough for the average citizen to work to control their income, If they work part time, they get unpredictable hours so they cannot get a second job, If they work full time, they are either salaried or forced to work their hours.
Our IT infrastructure, has created many good Starter jobs (Mail Room) obsolete, So you will need to be skilled in order to get in.
I will need to applaud Uber, as its business model, allows for people to work for their money, the harder they work the more they get paid.
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
Auctions. They are they ultimate free market. People bid on something up to the point they believe the product is worth. No government interference or price controls.
What about price reserves?
The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
Yet as a member of the public, I have no interest in this. Why does my opinion that the rights of others matter more than your claim of a so-called "public interest".
I say the public has a public interest in regulating the government and making it justify its interests whenever and wherever possible and restricting those interests as strictly as possible.
"I opened my eyes, and everything went dark again"
To people who have the simpleton view that the taxi companies are hiding behind these laws to protect their own income, consider for a moment what will happen to the marketplace if it is deregulated. First of all, the market can't be regulated for some and not for others. If any player is exempted from regulation at all then you might as well not have any, because the average customer just wants the cheapest price and doesn't really give a shit about regulation when they use a service. To get the lowest price, everyone must cut things like regular service and insurance coverage to compete. Now the customer expecting the lowest price will never think of these things when they get in the vehicle, but they benefit from them all the same every time they use the service.
Before you get into an Uber car, will you check the brakes? Will you take a close look at the tires? Will you ask for proof of adequate insurance? Hell no. Therefore you will be riding in an unsafe car, and even worse, safer cars will be unaffordable and therefore nonexistent. Do you really want to be relying on an industry full of shitty cars, and shitty drivers? Do you want an industry where your driver is making pennies and stretched, forced to lie and cheat to keep his living going? Just wait until cars actually are automated. Then no one makes any money at all.
There is no doubt that capitalism is a race to the bottom, we can try to hold it up a little longer.
Laws are rules for the court, but merely a bottom bar to hit for life. Think beyond laws in your actions always.