Uber faces criminal probe over software used to evade authorities

Re:Uber faces criminal probe over software used to evade aut... by laser on Friday May 05, 2017 @03:32AM (#14271731)

I generally agree with your sentiment, but just to give another perspective I thought I should point out that there's a significant difference between those that can afford to travel to Europe and hail a ride from a "professionally licensed driver", and those that can afford to spend $3.41* to pool home from Boston to Cambridge at 2:30am on a Thursday night, with a guy returning home from work looking to make a few extra bucks, and three pickups along the way happy to get home affordably. Those of the latter type are far more numerous, and far more harmed by the increased prices due to regulation of ride sharing markets, than the typical financially well-off hackernewsian would generally be aware of.

* VC dollars still subsidize Uber, but even as an operational whole to < 20% of the true cost of rides. On the other hand, the equivalent taxi would cost at least $12-15.

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Re:Uber faces criminal probe over software used to evade aut... by halflings on Friday May 05, 2017 @10:23AM (#14273639)

> with a guy returning home from work looking to make a few extra bucks, and three pickups along the way happy to get home affordably

Sounds nice, but I never had a single Uber driver that was doing it as a "casual" thing, or just to cover his fuel expenses and make some money on the side. It's a fulltime job for the vast majority of Uber drivers.

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Re:Uber faces criminal probe over software used to evade aut... by dec0dedab0de on Friday May 05, 2017 @04:25PM (#14276580)

Most of the Uber drivers I've had, only do it part time. With a few saying it would be impossible to do full time because they wouldn't make enough money.

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Re:Uber faces criminal probe over software used to evade aut... by burkemw3 on Friday May 05, 2017 @11:19PM (#14278492)

I notice a big difference based on where I am.

NYC, Bay Area: full-timers. Mid-west, PNW: "casual" part-timers

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Re:Uber faces criminal probe over software used to evade aut... by Karunamon on Friday May 05, 2017 @04:24PM (#14276572)

Casual Uber driver here who works full time in sysadmin/software engineering. Hello!

>It's a fulltime job for the vast majority of Uber drivers.

This statement is unsupported and contrary to every driver I know. It also runs contrary to Uber's own advertising.

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Re:Uber faces criminal probe over software used to evade aut... by pkkim on Saturday May 06, 2017 @04:17AM (#14279281)

I used to work at Uber and heard anecdotally that despite the advertising, something like 50% of Uber rides in the Bay Area are done by the top ten percent of drivers. And they do work a lot. So the vast majority might be part time but they don't do most of the work.

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Re:Uber faces criminal probe over software used to evade aut... by josefx on Friday May 05, 2017 @06:15AM (#14272334)

> regulation of ride sharing markets

You misspelled taxi markets.

> with a guy returning home from work looking to make a few extra bucks,

I don't know the local regulations, however isn't it still allowed to drive them at cost? Allowing the guy returning from work to cover the fuel cost by driving others? Sure its not the latest illegal getting rich quick scheme.

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Re:Uber faces criminal probe over software used to evade aut... by tormeh on Friday May 05, 2017 @09:24AM (#14273223)

Well, there's nothing stopping you from doing this in Germany. You just need taxi insurance. It's pretty lame that Uber can't accommodate this.

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Re:Uber faces criminal probe over software used to evade aut... by ghaff on Friday May 05, 2017 @09:12AM (#14273140)

Does UberPool really profitably work at 2:30am? Boston experimented with late night public transit and basically couldn't make the numbers work.

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Re:Uber faces criminal probe over software used to evade aut... by moeamaya on Friday May 05, 2017 @05:46PM (#14277064)

Routinely spent $40 on a taxi from Boston (Logan) Airport to Cambridge (Central Square) as a student. Couldn't really afford it but redeyes often leave one lacking for options. To your point of regulation and pricing, I'd happily accept less "professionalism" for a sensible discount—say $10-15 rides.

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Re:Uber faces criminal probe over software used to evade aut... by ghaff on Friday May 05, 2017 @08:26PM (#14277879)

And yet, there's a way to get from Central Square to Logan for about $2.25 for those who are cost sensitive.

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Re:Uber faces criminal probe over software used to evade aut... by vanilla_nut on Friday May 05, 2017 @11:11PM (#14278475)

Bus, I'm guessing?

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Re:Uber faces criminal probe over software used to evade aut... by ghaff on Friday May 05, 2017 @11:47PM (#14278558)

Subway to dedicated-lane bus line. (Red Line to Silver Line)

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Re:Uber faces criminal probe over software used to evade aut... by zjaffee on Friday May 05, 2017 @11:40AM (#14274225)

Additionally, in smaller American markets, Uber is simply where the drivers are. Lyft's are almost always 15 minutes away, and because of that, they will always have surge pricing where Uber might not.

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