I don’t know how this would work under U.S. law, but under UK law it would be illegal because the insurers would be entitled to void the drivers insurance, because “working for hire” and “private use” are clearly differentiated.
There are periodic smart-arse attempts to circumvent this but the insurers have the last word, and that word is always “NO”
You can get a taxi – IE, a vehicle and driver registered to ply for open hire – a minicab or Private Hire, which is a vehicle and driver registered and operating for the purpose of driving passengers who have previously booked, or you can have a ride in a private car for which you are allowed to offer a nominal compensation for fuel etc.
Note that the insurers CAN AND WILL attempt to refuse any cover in the event that there is any suggestion that the compensation is “remuneration”.
There is also the fairly obvious point that the driver has no security – no radio or controller, no schedule – and no idea who the passengers are.
1) Supposedly because they own the car and don’t have to pay a lease (just minor cut to the company for leads), nor special insurance beyond the normal liability, and they don’t need special licenses nor to pay Union fees, they can charge way less.
2) The people aren’t controlled by the company, picking and choosing their work areas, which means more friendly drivers since they want to pick up/drop off in the areas your are/you want to go.
3) You don’t show up in a cab… to many people the fact you are in a cab when you arrive can be considered humiliating, undignified, low class, disgusting, or various other negative feelings… while arriving in some guy’s Mustang, or Benz, or Cadillac, or whatever, at least doesn’t shout “Hey, I’m a loser” when you arrive.
4) Environmentalism… you can essentially car pool with a group that are going along the same route as you, and pay even less (even if you somehow never find someone else going on the same or similar route).
5) Supposedly Safer. Cabs get robbed because they’re obvious as a cab (you can see the colors from like a mile away), are known to have potentially hundreds of dollars on hand, and meander around areas waiting for fares. Lyfts don’t circle areas like vultures nor sit and wait for random passengers, they go and pick up people who they have info on and vice versa… the mustache may not be inconspicuous, but it is harder to see from a long distance away… and since both of those factors are removed, you become less likely to be robbed as a driver and as a passenger in one.
6) Three words: Pink Moustache Rides!!! (okay, probably not an actual selling point, but seriously, it was staring me in the face, I had to mention it somewhere, and since I was low on actual additional points , seemed like the time to throw it out)
7) Better service. Cabbies have to limit their hours and shifts due to union restrictions and overtime and such, but Lyft drivers are contractors, they own their vehicle, they can work whenever and for however long they want, this means odds are greater that when a lead comes up, someone can take it, because they want to and because they don’t have to surrender the car to the next shift, and because their job isn’t dependent on strangers flagging them down, they’re available because they’re eager to work.
All the cabs I’ve taken in America had super polite drivers who are very friendly and helpful… so not sure on TxSonofLiberty’s experiences with cabs. Also, never really heard of any stigma of arriving in a cab… most clients don’t really notice what type of car you arrive in as they don’t tend to be anywhere close to where cars drop people off (thank you high rise buildings).
But see The Register 25 Aug 2014 regarding Lyft and Uber.
Veo venir un deja-vu : http://www.atomiclaundromat.com/comic/yeah-they-do-have-legs/
I don’t know how this would work under U.S. law, but under UK law it would be illegal because the insurers would be entitled to void the drivers insurance, because “working for hire” and “private use” are clearly differentiated.
There are periodic smart-arse attempts to circumvent this but the insurers have the last word, and that word is always “NO”
You can get a taxi – IE, a vehicle and driver registered to ply for open hire – a minicab or Private Hire, which is a vehicle and driver registered and operating for the purpose of driving passengers who have previously booked, or you can have a ride in a private car for which you are allowed to offer a nominal compensation for fuel etc.
Note that the insurers CAN AND WILL attempt to refuse any cover in the event that there is any suggestion that the compensation is “remuneration”.
There is also the fairly obvious point that the driver has no security – no radio or controller, no schedule – and no idea who the passengers are.
That’s kinda the issue here. Depending on who you ask, these things are kinda almost illegal.
Would this count as a mustache ride?
1) Supposedly because they own the car and don’t have to pay a lease (just minor cut to the company for leads), nor special insurance beyond the normal liability, and they don’t need special licenses nor to pay Union fees, they can charge way less.
2) The people aren’t controlled by the company, picking and choosing their work areas, which means more friendly drivers since they want to pick up/drop off in the areas your are/you want to go.
3) You don’t show up in a cab… to many people the fact you are in a cab when you arrive can be considered humiliating, undignified, low class, disgusting, or various other negative feelings… while arriving in some guy’s Mustang, or Benz, or Cadillac, or whatever, at least doesn’t shout “Hey, I’m a loser” when you arrive.
4) Environmentalism… you can essentially car pool with a group that are going along the same route as you, and pay even less (even if you somehow never find someone else going on the same or similar route).
5) Supposedly Safer. Cabs get robbed because they’re obvious as a cab (you can see the colors from like a mile away), are known to have potentially hundreds of dollars on hand, and meander around areas waiting for fares. Lyfts don’t circle areas like vultures nor sit and wait for random passengers, they go and pick up people who they have info on and vice versa… the mustache may not be inconspicuous, but it is harder to see from a long distance away… and since both of those factors are removed, you become less likely to be robbed as a driver and as a passenger in one.
6) Three words: Pink Moustache Rides!!! (okay, probably not an actual selling point, but seriously, it was staring me in the face, I had to mention it somewhere, and since I was low on actual additional points , seemed like the time to throw it out)
7) Better service. Cabbies have to limit their hours and shifts due to union restrictions and overtime and such, but Lyft drivers are contractors, they own their vehicle, they can work whenever and for however long they want, this means odds are greater that when a lead comes up, someone can take it, because they want to and because they don’t have to surrender the car to the next shift, and because their job isn’t dependent on strangers flagging them down, they’re available because they’re eager to work.
Meant this as a reply to Jasae
So, it’s an American thing then, cabbies over here aren’t like that
All the cabs I’ve taken in America had super polite drivers who are very friendly and helpful… so not sure on TxSonofLiberty’s experiences with cabs. Also, never really heard of any stigma of arriving in a cab… most clients don’t really notice what type of car you arrive in as they don’t tend to be anywhere close to where cars drop people off (thank you high rise buildings).
How exactly are these supposed to be better than a cab?
Again, I don’t know about the US but in Europe, arriving in a cab is quite a normal thing to do at pretty much every level.