My freind called Uber for me from the Chinatown Bus Station on Broad Street after learning that there is no city bus service out there from Richmond VA after 600pm (Which is a stone throw from the Old Southern Terminal on Broad and by the old Seaboard Headquaters which is being turned in condos) within minutes we could see the GPS position of the Uber Cab on his phone. A black unmarked Pontiac SUV van pulled up and my freind paid the driver from his phone. The rear door opened up and I reluctenly put my bags inside hoping that I would get out of this alive. The Driver was a handsome man of about 30 and we got on the freeway to Staples Mills. I mentioned that at one time I was a taxi driver in Buffalo NY and asked what the fare was charged to my freind. "12.00" which compared to the licenced city cab was a bargin. I asked if Uber Alows tips to be charged to the account. "Thats the bad thing about Uber is unlike waitresses they dont allow a 20% add on for tips to your credit card, Uber also sets the rates as well and they had recently lowered the rates" Driver is resposible for his own insurance (not sure if thats true) his own gas and maintance. The ride was smooth and took 12 minutes to get to the station where the bus had it been running took 2 hours with a transfer. A city cab would have gone the long way to max out the milage and fare to the station for a outta town customer charging 40.00 for the same ride. Uber does not take cash so if you are a from a differnt time era like me thats not a option and as well as having a I I I phone with apple pay.
My take is that while I recomend Uber when you have no other option the ethical thing to do is take local transit were possible and
Why is taking local transit so ethical,?
Its good for the enviroment and you are using union drivers
http://www.atu.org/
I don't see the ethical connections between environmental policy or labor relations. I can be be very ethical and be anti union. ( although I am pro union for the record. )
So when were you in Richmond? If I'd have known I would have stood by trackside and waved!
Oh, and that's not the old Southern station on West Broad, that's the station for the late, lamented Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Potomac RR. The Staples Mill Road Amtrak station is its sorry substitute.
But you got the Seaboard Building right!
ROBERT WILLISON I don't see the ethical connections between environmental policy or labor relations. I can be be very ethical and be anti union. ( although I am pro union for the record. )
I imagine it depends on one's set of ethical principles.
C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan
Licenced Cab drivers have to buy a licence and be vetted by the mucipality that they work in. These licences can run from 50.00 to thousands of dollers.
CandOforprogress2 Licenced Cab drivers have to buy a licence and be vetted by the mucipality that they work in. These licences can run from 50.00 to thousands of dollers.
The other dark side of Uber is there is no check to see if Uber drivers carry proper insurance coverage. If you get into an accident and the insurance coverage excludes "car for hire" activities or falls short on the liability end. It is up to you to make up the difference out of pocket or engage in a civil lawsuit against the Uber driver.
For me personally, the potential to earn a measely $260 a weekend is not enough to risk my personal wealth on an accident and a sue happy client.
It's interesting to see what happens when they have to play by the same rules as everybody else. The voters of Austin TX voted in favor of an ordinance requiring background checks by local police of cab and rideshare drivers. Uber and Lyft chose to discontinue service in Austin.
I have a friend that does the uber thing. Uber carries insurance when his car is on the road for uber, the company carries insurance for both the car and its passengers, some where in the area of 2000000 dollars
To some 260 bucks is a measly amount, not worthy of the time or perceived risked. To him it enables him to use a high dollar asset to provide a little more security for his family.
I personally have used uber in many different cities. I find thier drivers and cars to be superior to any recent taxi ride. Their will always be exceptions on both sides of the table.
I've talked with many Uber and Lyft drivers. A surprising number of them don't know about their personal insurance carrier's policies. Sure, Uber and Lyft have liability policies, but they only apply when a fare is active. Deadheading and layover you don't get sqaut.
In just the past couple of years, many personal automobile insurance providers offer a rider for ridesharing. They call it a "Transportation Network Company Driver Coverage" endorsement, or TNC rider. So many drivers have no idea about this that it's scary.
If I'm transporting my family, if given a choice between registered taxi livery or Uber/Lyft, I always choose the taxi.
I am aquanted with two Uber drivers, both are of "independent means". They are the reason I have no plans to ever use Uber service. Both don't need to work, ever. One of them, who provides what I think they call a black car service, does it and chuckles about screwing a c
CandOforprogress2 My freind called Uber for me from the Chinatown Bus Station on Broad Street after learning that there is no city bus service out there from Richmond VA after 600pm (Which is a stone throw from the Old Southern Terminal on Broad and by the old Seaboard Headquaters which is being turned in condos) within minutes we could see the GPS position of the Uber Cab on his phone. A black unmarked Pontiac SUV van pulled up and my freind paid the driver from his phone. The rear door opened up and I reluctenly put my bags inside hoping that I would get out of this alive. The Driver was a handsome man of about 30 and we got on the freeway to Staples Mills. I mentioned that at one time I was a taxi driver in Buffalo NY and asked what the fare was charged to my freind. "12.00" which compared to the licenced city cab was a bargin. I asked if Uber Alows tips to be charged to the account. "Thats the bad thing about Uber is unlike waitresses they dont allow a 20% add on for tips to your credit card, Uber also sets the rates as well and they had recently lowered the rates" Driver is resposible for his own insurance (not sure if thats true) his own gas and maintance. The ride was smooth and took 12 minutes to get to the station where the bus had it been running took 2 hours with a transfer. A city cab would have gone the long way to max out the milage and fare to the station for a outta town customer charging 40.00 for the same ride. Uber does not take cash so if you are a from a differnt time era like me thats not a option and as well as having a I I I phone with apple pay. My take is that while I recomend Uber when you have no other option the ethical thing to do is take local transit were possible and
BTW. I do travel from time to time, I haven't been gioven the proveral cab ride in a very very long time.
Firelock76 So when were you in Richmond? If I'd have known I would have stood by trackside and waved! Oh, and that's not the old Southern station on West Broad, that's the station for the late, lamented Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Potomac RR. The Staples Mill Road Amtrak station is its sorry substitute. But you got the Seaboard Building right!
Nah, I like the Wendy's across the street, I need MEAT!
Never been in a bad Wendy's, by the way.
Too bad Martins Grocery Closed they had great fried chicken
Ahhh, no great loss, Martins changed the old Ukrops fried chicken batter to another type not as good. It's tolerable if you don't mind burping all night long.
No wonder they're in trouble around here, you don't mess with a winner!
Can't wait for Wegman's to open here.
If they are going in at Short Pump its going to still be outta reach of any bus service. Will Broad street ever get light rail?
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