Omaha Forums

Coyote wrote:What ever happened to the Uber/Lyft controversy? Was it resolved? Are they operating?

There was actually a story in the Sunday OWH yesterday.


http://www.omaha.com/money/lyft-drivers ... 00372.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

They are running. So far they have been left along as far as ticketing goes. Lot more questions than answers about regulations. That are the highlights I took from their story.

I took it home a few times from the post CWS festivities. Worked out really well. That time of night is considered "peak" so they suggest tipping 75% to help get more drivers on the road. Even with that charge my ride from the stadium to my house in Midtown was 12 bucks. Basically the same as a cab maybe a little more. Plus the drivers offered us bottles of water and were super friendly.

Heard Lyft had their busiest weekend winces the CWS this past weekend. Apparently most of the out of town students had their first weekend back and Maha gave them a lot of business.

Are most if their drivers college kids? Don't they have a car code i.e. no junkers... Good driving records...

The students back in town was an influx of customers.

Every driver I have ridden with from Uber or Lyft in Omaha has been 40+. May be coincidence though as I've only taken around 7-10 rides. In Chicago the couple of rides I took were from younger drivers.

My last driver was 71 years old, I was quite surprised. The rest have been were between 30-40 yo. I even met one driver working for both Uber and Lyft.

Per KETV the Public Service Commission has started to ticket Lyft and Uber drivers.

Guess they read your post Coyote and wanted to get the controversy going agian

Shoot, I almost thought about signing up...

Coyote wrote:Shoot, I almost thought about signing up...

I thought about it too but heard your car had to have at least 4 doors. Mine only has 3.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/09/upsho ... 0002&abg=0

Andrew Moylan, a senior fellow at the R Street Institute think tank, has examined ride-sharing regulations around the country and doesn’t see a clear partisan divide. On Monday, R Street and Engine, a group advocating policies that support start-ups, will release a report card rating the 50 largest cities on their friendliness to ride sharing. The eight cities receiving failing grades include ones in blue areas (Philadelphia and Portland, Ore.) and red ones (Omaha, Phoenix and San Antonio).

Not really anything new, just interesting.

Jerram introducing legislation to allow Uber/Lyft.

Uber entered the Cedar Rapids IA market on Dec 4. They have been in Iowa City and Des Moines a little longer. Here is a Story from The Cedar Rapids Gazette that I found interesting. The story is written that , to me any way, it sounds like the parties involved there are working to find a solution rather than saying THIS DOESN'T WORK

http://thegazette.com/subject/news/insu ... s-20141206" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Uber drivers drive their own vehicles and are summoned by customers via a smartphone app. The city of Des Moines, though, is concerned that Uber’s level of insurance coverage is available once the driver answers a customer request for a ride, but is inadequate during times when the driver has the Uber app turned on while driving around waiting for a customer request, McCoy said.

At the same time, she said some Iowa insurance representatives have told the city of Des Moines that an Uber driver’s own insurance coverage does not or might not protect the Uber driver if the Uber app on the phone is turned on and no Uber customer is in the car. In other words, the Uber driver might not have insurance coverage during that period, she said.

Maria Johnson, Communications Division manager for the city of Cedar Rapids, on Friday said the city still is early in the formation of its ordinance to regulate Uber and other transportation “networks.” The city is looking to treat Uber and its service under a new ordinance and not under the city’s taxi ordinance, she said.

The city of Iowa City is working on its taxi ordinance in anticipation of Uber bringing its service there, and Simon Andrew, administrative assistant to the Iowa City city manager, said this week that the proposed ordinance amendment generally follows Uber’s position on insurance coverage.

Another story from Cedar Rapids about Uber working with the city before entering the market.

Did this happen at all in Omaha?

http://thegazette.com/subject/news/gove ... r-20141204" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

CEDAR RAPIDS — Uber, the taxi-like service that connects riders to drivers via an app on their mobile phone, began business in Cedar Rapids on Thursday.

The move came even as city officials — who have been meeting with Uber officials for some time — had asked the company to wait until the city adopted a new regulatory ordinance to address the latest thing in transportation services.

However, Mayor Ron Corbett and Jasmine Almoayed, the city’s economic development liaison, said Thursday that the city is enthused by Uber’s arrival and the new transportation business model the company brings with it.

However, Almoayed said Cedar Rapids is creating a new ordinance different from its existing taxi ordinance to address transportation “networks” — which she said is the city’s view of what Uber is — and how it differs from taxis and limousines covered under a current city ordinance.

Corbett and Almoayed both said Uber is not in violation of the city’s current taxi and limousine ordinance because Uber’s service is not a taxi service.

“Cities across the country are updating ordinances to meet the new business model,” Corbett said.

I bet they tried but the NPSC was probably just like....umm no. We like our taxi monopoly.

One of the cab companies must have been giving free rides last weekend. I drive for Lyft and picked up two separate groups that said they were waiting for a free cab and gave up.

Thank you cab companies for putting the idea in peoples minds that they should get a safe ride. Myself and fellow Lyft drivers will be happy to supply that service and do it in a nice, fun, inexpensive way.

A law firm has given free cab rides for a while now. I assume they did it again this year.

iamjacobm wrote:A law firm has given free cab rides for a while now. I assume they did it again this year.

Wasn't that on New Years Eve only or are / were there other dates?

nebugeater wrote:

iamjacobm wrote:A law firm has given free cab rides for a while now. I assume they did it again this year.

Wasn't that on New Years Eve only or are / were there other dates?

It was the entire holiday season I thought.

Edit: Just looked it up, runs from Dec 10th through Jan 1st.

Was told by a friend who drives for Uber that LB 629 passed which I guess opens the door for Lyft and Uber to operate in Nebraska

http://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDoc ... /LB629.pdf

Uber is now legal to operate, Lyft is in the process.

I heard several of the media members at the CWS say they were using Uber to get to and from the ballpark.

From what I understand business travelers are using uber more than taxis, at least in major population centers.

Brad wrote:I heard several of the media members at the CWS say they were using Uber to get to and from the ballpark.

You should uber the Brad-copter at the next Berkshire event.

MTO wrote:You should uber the Brad-copter at the next Berkshire event.

FBI wasn't happy with us flying around the CWS this year and Berkshire is a bigger event. Wouldn't surprise me if there was a TFR around the CenturyLink center for Berkshire. They may add one next year for the CWS.

MTO wrote:From what I understand business travelers are using uber more than taxis, at least in major population centers.

Makes sense. I've used Uber quite a few times when traveling on business. They send an email receipt, so expense reporting is much easier. And they have connections with Concur and American Express to make the process even more seamless for businesses that use those providers. I get status updates prior to the driver's arrival, payment is all handled through the app so no waiting around at the destination, and the Uber rides I've taken have all been in much nicer vehicles than any cab I've ever been in.

For most business travelers -- and even leisure riders -- it's easy to see why people would choose Uber/Lyft over the "legacy" taxi services.

Uber is more responsive to customers' needs than cab companies. Cab companies have spent decades basically writing the regulations which govern their industry with the goal of squelching any type of competition before it can establish itself. The Uber model has largely either worked around those protections or has inspired such popular support that the political class has had no choice but to acquiesce and not proscribe ride sharing services. The battles over Uber in New York and Portland have been interesting to watch (not to mention the crazy European stuff.)

The PSC has now approved Lyft to operate in Nebraska.

What services, options, improvements would you like to see from your drivers?

Right now all we get is a few of the positive reviews sent to us. I have always been curious if passengers really want water, gum, newer cars, bigger cars, dedicated pickup areas etc.

It sounds like Uber will be bringing back the “Uber Select” option for major events where you can order a Lexus, BMW type of car.

Offering water would be weird for the passengers. Gum would be a nice thing to offer.

PotatoeEatsFish wrote:Offering water would be weird for the passengers. Gum would be a nice thing to offer.

Are you kidding? A bottle of water after a night out drinking is always nice when I catch a lyft.

I totally agree. I drink a lot of water and Offering a bottle of water these days is a huge gesture of hospitality. I judge a restaurant on the waiter's attention to my water glass. In fact I will put extra on my tip (which is always 15%+) if my wait does so. If my ride offered me water, I would do the same!

iamjacobm wrote:

PotatoeEatsFish wrote:Offering water would be weird for the passengers. Gum would be a nice thing to offer.

Are you kidding? A bottle of water after a night out drinking is always nice when I catch a lyft.

Bottle of water and some rounders would be perfect.

Louie wrote:

iamjacobm wrote:

PotatoeEatsFish wrote:Offering water would be weird for the passengers. Gum would be a nice thing to offer.

Are you kidding? A bottle of water after a night out drinking is always nice when I catch a lyft.

Bottle of water and some rounders would be perfect.

One of the few things I enjoy about going to bars in the OM is rounders. Can't wait for them to open in Benson.

Sorry if you had to wait an hour+ for an Uber or Lyft this weekend. It is the new normal until the disaster declaration is over or Uber/Lyft change their policies.

Since most of Nebraska has been approved for a Major Disaster Declaration, Uber and Lyft have paused the surge pricing. This has caused a large number of part-time drivers to stop driving. There were a large number of people on Saturday still waiting for a ride at 3am.

The only place with a Surge is the airport but they have changed how they pay a driver. For example the passenger might pay 5x normal rates but the drivers portion of that is capped at $2. Saturday an individual took a $21, three mile ride and the driver was paid $5.25. If that same individual would have went 20 miles their bill would have been ~$140 with the driver getting ~$20.

We use Uber almost daily in México. Fast, friendly, with newer and air conditioned cars. And typically about 40% cheaper than taking a taxi. Once in a while they take a nutty path because their navigation system tells them to. Maybe 10% of the time the initial ride cancels on us for some reason, but a second ride usually arrives only 2-3 minutes later.