Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Brazil's Biggest City Wants To Charge Fees For Uber Rides (engadget.com)

Posted by samzenpus on from the pay-to-play dept.

An anonymous reader sends word that Sao Paulo's city hall has proposed levying fees on Uber to operate in the city. Engadget reports: "Many cities try to limit or ban ridesharing services like Uber, but Sao Paulo is trying an uncommon strategy to keep the companies in check: skimming a little off the top. The major Brazilian city has proposed a requirement these services have to buy government credits to cover their distance traveled, with rates changing based on when and where the trip takes place. App makers would also have to support a service that picks up multiple passengers headed in the same direction, although that won't be hard when options like UberPool already exist."

6 of 77 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Sounds like a good idea by amiga3D · · Score: 5, Insightful

    They tax everyone else, why should Uber get a free ride?

  2. That word... by pushing-robot · · Score: 4, Funny

    Many cities try to limit or ban ridesharing services like Uber, but Sao Paulo is trying an uncommon strategy to keep the companies in check: skimming a little off the top.

    If you think that's uncommon, you must not know any governments.

    --
    How can I believe you when you tell me what I don't want to hear?
    1. Re:That word... by rmdingler · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Legalization of a thing previously deemed unsavory or immoral is made proportionately more likely by the ability it has to fill government coffers.

      --
      Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.

      Ernest Hemingway

  3. Sharing? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    ridesharing services like Uber

    What's being shared exactly? There is no sharing. People pay money for the services rendered by taxi companies like Uber.

  4. Re:Sounds like a good idea by vivian · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The Uber drivers are already paying registration fees, and fuel taxes, which are proportional to mileage, not to mention income tax just like everyone else on the revenue they earn - and that revenue is 100% trackable because it's all electronic - unlike cash - so there's no tax dodging, which can happen with directly negotiated taxi rides. (eg. I'll give you $30 bucks to take me down town - no meter)

    In addition Uber (and taxis) helps support the entertainment and tourism industry - the main reason to get a taxi is because you can't drive - either because you are cashed up but don't have a car (eg tourist) or because you want to enjoy a few drinks at the bar / restaurant / friend's party, and are responsibly choosing not to drink and drive.
      In the latter two cases, if you drove yourself you would be spending less on alcohol resulting in overall lower income collected by the restaurant and lower tax revenue collected by the state. Taxi services and Uber actually allow the state to collect greater revenue just by existing, than if they didn't - and the restaurant / bar / entertainment industry should be rallying behind them to make it more affordable for people to get to their businesses for a nig

  5. Can we get rid of the "ridesharing" falsehood? by dbIII · · Score: 3, Insightful

    One very creepy business practice of Uber is to use the word "ridesharing" to pretend it is casual hitch-hiking of people already going in a direction instead of the taxi service done as piecework that it really is. There are political reasons for this falsehood to evade laws and fees, perhaps unjust laws and fees, but even if they are that is no reason for us to pretend that they are "ridesharing" instead of how it actually operates. Why should we be propagating PR bullshit instead of discussing it in terms of reality? It's like calling a mail order scam a religion.