Yeah that makes sense. I would ultimately pay at least the same price as a taxi to use an Uber-type service, fwiw, because taxis have just never been easy to get where I live. Plus they have the child seat option, which taxis do not have. So maybe there is an opening for that. I typically use Juno now (which I think is only available in NYC and maybe a few other cities) instead of Uber, because drivers prefer it (it pays them better). Consequently there are also more drivers for Juno available at any given time--they all drive for multiple services but tend to prefer a Juno ride to an Uber or Lyft ride. No idea if the company is profitable though.
― longtime caller, first time listener (man alive), Wednesday, 28 August 2019 14:37 (four years ago) link
Well, apparently Juno is not profitable, and is up for sale:
https://qz.com/1574399/ride-hail-service-juno-is-up-for-sale/
It's funny how the company that makes out ok while paying a living wage is Via, which focuses solely on shared rides -- it's basically like one of those airport shuttles that does a bunch of pickups and dropoffs. I.e. it's a shittier version of...PUBLIC TRANSIT.
― longtime caller, first time listener (man alive), Wednesday, 28 August 2019 14:40 (four years ago) link
Also didn't realize that Gett owned Juno now. In Tel Aviv, Gett is the only app you can use and it works only with regulated taxis that are also street-hail taxis.
As a funny aside "Gett" is also the hebrew word for a religious grant of divorce.
― longtime caller, first time listener (man alive), Wednesday, 28 August 2019 14:53 (four years ago) link
the median cost of salary, benefits and overhead for an engineering/product employee at uber has to be half a million dollars. this is a big cut https://techcrunch.com/2019/09/10/uber-lays-off-435-people-across-engineering-and-product-teams/amp/.
― ๐ ๐๐ข๐จ (caek), Wednesday, 11 September 2019 01:21 (four years ago) link
Not enough to cover 20bn a year in losses of course.
― ๐ ๐๐ข๐จ (caek), Wednesday, 11 September 2019 01:24 (four years ago) link
My wife's friend's husband is a director of engineering at Uber (maybe not anymore lol?)... and I'd guess he doesn't make that much, maybe half of your estimate?
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Wednesday, 11 September 2019 02:17 (four years ago) link
if you're a director of engineering at uber in the bay area then you are making an absolute *minimum* total comp (cash, bonus, stock grant) of $300k. i'd be surprised if it wasn't significantly more than that, likely over $500k. i think you've seriously underestimated this guy's income. here's a link to crowdsourced data which matches what i know from working in the industry https://www.levels.fyi/?compare=Uber,Google,Facebook&track=Software%20Engineering%20Manager.
― ๐ ๐๐ข๐จ (caek), Wednesday, 11 September 2019 03:19 (four years ago) link
also like i said: salary, benefits and overhead. if you fire someone you pay $100k/year you save a lot more than $100k/year.
― ๐ ๐๐ข๐จ (caek), Wednesday, 11 September 2019 03:20 (four years ago) link
to be clear my point is not that this is going to save them a significant amount of money relative to their losses (although it's probably more money than people outside tech would guess). it's more: this is a messed up company and seems like it was very badly run for a long time (and possibly still is). some gossip on this https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20931644
― ๐ ๐๐ข๐จ (caek), Wednesday, 11 September 2019 03:29 (four years ago) link
yeah no i'm just talking salary, although they did just buy a house (modest 2BR) with exercised stock options once the embargo ended. as an aside, he has NEVER has mentioned where he works.
i just asked my wife if she knows if he was affected and shes not sure yet.
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Wednesday, 11 September 2019 04:33 (four years ago) link
Uber pushed back on Wednesday against a newly passed California bill that effectively requires companies to reclassify their contract workers as employees, in a sign of the emerging resistance that the measure is prompting across the gig economy.Tony West, Uberโs chief legal officer, said in a news conference that the ride-hailing company would not treat its drivers, who are independent contractors, as employees under the California bill. He said that drivers were not a core part of Uberโs business and could maintain their independent status when the measure goes into effect as state law on Jan. 1.Uberโs business, Mr. West said, is not providing rides but โserving as a technology platform for several different types of digital marketplaces.โ He added that the company was โno stranger to legal battles.โ
Tony West, Uberโs chief legal officer, said in a news conference that the ride-hailing company would not treat its drivers, who are independent contractors, as employees under the California bill. He said that drivers were not a core part of Uberโs business and could maintain their independent status when the measure goes into effect as state law on Jan. 1.
Uberโs business, Mr. West said, is not providing rides but โserving as a technology platform for several different types of digital marketplaces.โ He added that the company was โno stranger to legal battles.โ
― mookieproof, Wednesday, 11 September 2019 20:41 (four years ago) link
FWIW I sometimes think it would be better to improve regulation of "gig economy" jobs and companies rather than try to shoehorn them into the existing employer/employee framework. Like maybe another category is needed btw employee and independent contractor.
― longtime caller, first time listener (man alive), Wednesday, 11 September 2019 21:40 (four years ago) link
looking forward to Uber collapsing/being litigated out of business tbh
― ฮแฝฯฮนฯ, Wednesday, 11 September 2019 21:45 (four years ago) link
We don't need another category.
― Simon H., Wednesday, 11 September 2019 21:52 (four years ago) link
how about masters and slaves
― ฮแฝฯฮนฯ, Wednesday, 11 September 2019 21:55 (four years ago) link
the thing is they are employers
― Seany's too Dyche to mention (jim in vancouver), Wednesday, 11 September 2019 21:58 (four years ago) link
suck it, shitty companies:https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/California-governor-signs-labor-law-setting-up-14450116.php
― ฮแฝฯฮนฯ, Wednesday, 18 September 2019 19:59 (four years ago) link
This is huge not only for the obvious, but also because Uber will have to argue the *exact opposite* legal framework as it does in opposing AB5. The legal walls are closing in. https://t.co/RxnILrYb3t— Aaron W. Gordon (@A_W_Gordon) September 19, 2019
― ๐ ๐๐ข๐จ (caek), Friday, 20 September 2019 00:45 (four years ago) link
'130-year-old laws don't count'
― mookieproof, Friday, 20 September 2019 01:07 (four years ago) link
https://qz.com/1683778/lyft-sees-raising-ride-prices-as-its-path-to-profitability/
โWe believe we have a clear path to profitability,โ Roberts said. โWe began to adjust prices on select routes and in select cities based on costs and demand elasticities. We expect that these changes will accelerate Lyftโs path to profitability, and further, we believe these price adjustments reflect an industry trend.โ
So they plan to fix prices (in collusion with their competitors) and then expect not to suffer any reduction in demand...
lollllll
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Wednesday, 23 October 2019 00:04 (four years ago) link
cost and demand elasticities! impress man use big words!
― Li'l Brexit (Tracer Hand), Wednesday, 23 October 2019 00:07 (four years ago) link
If humanity is still around in 10 years, someone please revive this post in 10 years for the lols.
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Wednesday, 23 October 2019 00:09 (four years ago) link
uber and lyft shouldn't even be allowed to pick up at airports -- it's like an enormous game of hรผsker dรผ
take a fuckin cab
― mookieproof, Wednesday, 30 October 2019 21:10 (four years ago) link
I feel like I am a luber driver in another dimension.
― Yerac, Wednesday, 30 October 2019 21:15 (four years ago) link
uber and lyft shouldn't even be allowed to pick up at airports -- it's like an enormous game of hรผsker dรผtake a fuckin cabbuild trains
― now let's play big lunch take little lunch (sic), Wednesday, 30 October 2019 21:51 (four years ago) link
well, yes
― mookieproof, Wednesday, 30 October 2019 21:52 (four years ago) link
https://www.axios.com/uber-ceo-saudi-arabia-jamal-khashoggi-mistake-92865f2a-d97c-4d6a-b171-5e7c0a69e77a.html
― Fuck the NRA (ulysses), Monday, 11 November 2019 17:02 (four years ago) link
Who among us hasn't accidentally intentionally had someone killed
― Jordan Pickford LOLverdrive (Neanderthal), Monday, 11 November 2019 18:29 (four years ago) link
I'm sure in five years, his family will laugh about it.
It looks like Uber has been denied a license to operate in London as TFL found thousands of cases where they ID of the driver didnโt match the person actually doing the driving.
― Srinivasaraghavan VONCataraghavan (ShariVari), Monday, 25 November 2019 10:27 (four years ago) link
Interesting to see if this will extend to Uber Eats - tons of undocumented ppl from Brazil (and elswhere, I assume, but my connections are w/ the Brazilian community) driving for them, six or seven ppl sharing one ID. A friend who's involved told me the running joke is to say the vehicle's registered to Bolsonaro.
― Daniel_Rf, Monday, 25 November 2019 10:33 (four years ago) link
They can still operate while appealing so this will make no difference for now
― ๐ ๐๐ข๐จ (caek), Monday, 25 November 2019 14:20 (four years ago) link
I was at a licensing event largely focusing on taxi drivers last week and got a sense that a perceived issue with ride-share apps is raising regulatory barriers for traditional drivers as well. The guy from Uber referenced the idea that some of the new rules are, in part, motivated by xenophobia.
Iโm fully on board with banning them from the entire country but there has to be a way of mitigating the impact on the (mostly minority) drivers.
― Srinivasaraghavan VONCataraghavan (ShariVari), Monday, 25 November 2019 18:26 (four years ago) link
I finally gave in and put fucking Lyft on my phone because the cab dispatch service Iโve been using for years has gone to utter shit + the curb app suuuuuuuuucks
― El Tomboto, Wednesday, 4 March 2020 16:16 (four years ago) link
I am really grouchy about this
from 8KLYFT layoffs: 17 percent of workforce, or 982 employeesfurloughing 288 employeessalary reductions: 30 percent cut for execs20 percent for VPs10 percent for all other employeesboard pay cut by 30 percent of *cash* comp for 2nd quarterhttps://t.co/8fSVnbPgOr— rat king (@MikeIsaac) April 29, 2020
― ๐ ๐๐ข๐จ (caek), Wednesday, 29 April 2020 16:03 (three years ago) link
Uberโs CTO steps down as company reportedly mulls 20 percent layoffs https://t.co/MIoNUJFjUw pic.twitter.com/6kXbfn5FUS— The Verge (@verge) April 28, 2020
― ๐ ๐๐ข๐จ (caek), Wednesday, 29 April 2020 16:04 (three years ago) link
Deep cuts at Uber today:- 3,000 more layoffs (on top of 3,700 earlier this month)- 45 offices closing globally- Transit downsizing- delivery services merging (Eats, Cornershop, direct)— rocket surgery (@kateconger) May 18, 2020
― ๐ ๐๐ข๐จ (caek), Monday, 18 May 2020 15:40 (three years ago) link
Uber Eats is bigger than the rides biz now https://t.co/o7VuMVITuF— kate conger (@kateconger) August 6, 2020
― ๐ ๐๐ข๐จ (caek), Thursday, 6 August 2020 20:19 (three years ago) link
I wanted to know what Uber and Lyft would do if forced to comply with AB 5. Hereโs what I learned: https://t.co/dzkxFMrrtS— kate conger (@kateconger) August 18, 2020
― ๐ ๐๐ข๐จ (caek), Tuesday, 18 August 2020 15:52 (three years ago) link
christ, what assholes
In a cruel and petulant move, Uber just announced they are shutting down service in California on Thursday. Faced with a mandate to treat their workers fairly, they opted instead to leave them unemployed โ in the middle of a pandemic and a recession. pic.twitter.com/SuTvCOUDWT— Mike Bonin (@mikebonin) August 19, 2020
― ๐ ๐๐ข๐จ (caek), Wednesday, 19 August 2020 06:59 (three years ago) link
Haven't been in a rideshare since the beginning of March and can't imagine when I'll next be in one (that said, we have a car and I also can't imagine when I'll next travel so the situations where I'd actually be inclined to use one of these services are not really coming up. This WSJ article (the few sentences of it before paywall) says Uber ridership is a quarter of what it was this time last year.
― Guayaquil (eephus!), Wednesday, 19 August 2020 15:45 (three years ago) link
oops forgot link https://www.wsj.com/articles/uber-ridership-fails-to-recover-as-pandemic-drives-another-big-loss-11596744389
on monday i waited 30 minutes on a busy brooklyn avenue and saw one (occupied) cab. called a car service and was told there was a 45-minute wait. so i finally had to sign up for lyft just to get home ffs
― mookieproof, Wednesday, 19 August 2020 16:28 (three years ago) link
And did that work? Because I would think that as demand for the service drops, so would supply as drivers become less willing to drive around looking for fares and getting even less $$/hr while being exposed to who knows who.
― Guayaquil (eephus!), Wednesday, 19 August 2020 16:50 (three years ago) link
But I am not in a big city where the alternative to rideshare is crowded public transport; maybe ridership isn't down as much in brooklyn? But if so, why no cabs?
it did work; the lyft arrived in like seven minutes.
i assume the lack of cabs was due to the pandemic? this was the first time i'd used any kind of transportation at all since march, so i dunno. there were plenty of people and private cars out and about though
― mookieproof, Wednesday, 19 August 2020 17:25 (three years ago) link
cabdrivers are not wasting gas roaming around looking for fares. This also means fewer available for dispatch.rideshare drivers can park until a fare pops up.
― sound of scampo talk to me (El Tomboto), Wednesday, 19 August 2020 17:31 (three years ago) link
I guess I would have thought you just can't make enough money unless you're spending most of your time actually driving fares but my grasp of how the economics of this works on the driver's side is not that strong.
― Guayaquil (eephus!), Wednesday, 19 August 2020 17:36 (three years ago) link
From my limited experience, most rideshare drivers have pivoted to restaurant delivery and personal shopping.
another anecdote:I stopped by a grocery store that prepandemic had serviced a downtown/financial neighborhood, and it had been converted almost entirely into a personal shopper depot. My wife and I were pretty much the only customers who weren't messengers/couriers/delivery drivers. There was a line for their pickup/checkout that was like 25 deep and not a single soul in the regular line. It was pretty bizarre, but I'd probably go back based on how quickly I was able to get in/out of there.
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Wednesday, 19 August 2020 19:53 (three years ago) link