So word is Uber is making rounds in Taipei? Have you guys have any experience with them before?
I used them before in Los AngelesNYC and it was pretty convenient when there are no cabs around. Not sure if I’ll use Uber given the # of cabs here. Most of the cab companies here have their own apps where you can call and see where your taxi is. Thoughts
According to wiki uber has been fined for illegally operating in Taiwan, so are they legit?
Taxis are abundant and also cheap in Taipei, will be tough to be as successful as it is in London.
I have been a very happy Uber user in Taipei for the past few months. Even when they raised prices in the fall, because my wife and I became regular users, we qualified for the cheaper rates (at least, that’s how my wife explained it to me). Except for surge periods, we have noticed that Uber rides cost about 15% less than the same taxi ride.
Unfortunately, Uber has been “targeted” by the government commissions and by the taxi cab industry. I received Uber Taiwan’s call for support at the beginning of the month. And recent conversations my wife and I have had with drivers do indicate that life is tougher for Uber drivers. There are less cars on the road (for now). We were also told that police in Taiwan have been doing some sting operations (ordering a car and then ticketing them once they get in the car). We learned about this because we actually live next to a police precinct and more than one Uber driver pointed out that our location would deter some drivers from wanting to pick us up. All of this has only happened since late December - we just got back to Taiwan from year end holidays last week, so we are still assessing how much less convenient this will be.
Well, they are “legit” in that they offer a real, useful, and sustainable service. I’ve only used Uber in Taipei, Shanghai, and Manila and, boy, it totally works. Using Uber in the Philippines, in particular, surprised me - given the insane level of traffic. But I used it several times over the holidays, and it was a godsend.
Are they legit as in “legal under the laws of the land”? Of course not. The drivers are like most of us - licensed to drive, but not necessarily licensed to perform a livery service. They aren’t professional drivers - which is partly the point of Uber. When I hop into an Uber car, I do not expect the driver to know the way. It’s almost comical how much these guys rely on GPS. I don’t mind, because I usually have a pretty good idea which way I want to go and they are always happy to take directions.
I disagree. Thanks to Uber, my ridership in a car (taxi or Uber) has gone up. I have been holding off buying my own car, and Uber will help me happily continue to procrastinate on this. If I can plan a ride in advance, I will check Uber first. Not all the Uber cars I’ve ridden are nicer than a brand new taxi, but most seem to be! And when I do finally get around to getting my own wheels in Taipei, don’t be surprised if you see me behind the wheel when you order an Uber ride in the future.
As to the success and impact of Uber in Taipei, I consider the protests from the taxi industry as proof of how successful this could be. In the Philippines, Uber agreed to require it’s drivers to be government licensed as taxi drivers somehow, so I expect similar flexibility to eventually happen here from both Uber and the government’s side. Then, we can look forward to Uber’s competitors to come in (like Lyft) and for local innovation to spring up – as it has in the taxi sectors in Shanghai and Manila.
I got a note a couple weeks ago that Uber HK is now testing food delivery in that city. A friend of mine has already done this here (she was confined in a Zuoyezi Post-natal care center, and worked out a way for an Uber driver to pick up her takeaway food). If Uber Taiwan can survive this current hump, it’s just only going to get better.
‘Taxi licenses’ are rare and expensive in most countries and require health checks and a professional drivers license sometimes, and a special insurance
Do you think the cab driver requirements are strict here? Judging by the number of cabs I have smelled alcohol from drivers and their behavior I think not.
I’m generally a big fan of new innovative tech companies pushing aside stagnant entrenched incumbents to give us something better. That said, Uber is a shady company run by pretty unsavory management. Not a month goes by that there’s not another story about something else the company is doing that’s underhanded, dishonest, or downright disgusting.
Here’s a senior exec at Uber talking about the idea of spending a million dollars to dig up dirt and smear a journalist who criticized the company:
I don’t really see why Über would be useful here as a more professional integrated Internet and telephone service such as Taiwan taxi has existed for decades. I use those guys all the time they are great. Otherwise I go out on the street and stick my
hand out.
I can see why it’s nice to select the driver though for some reasons , for women or language ability etc…that is a useful function.
I will visit Europe soon and use Über there.
I just hope that people using Uber won’t come running to the government when an accident happens and the driver’s insurance doesn’t pay. And as far as Taiwan is concerned, NHI should not pay the hospital bill for people taking Uber “taxis”. I don’t see why my monthly premium should go toward a selfish prick who wanted to save a few NT$ by choosing risk over safety.
I don’t have a problem with the Uber model but there should be some level of regulation such as professional driver licenses, insurance (hat tip to hsinhai) and minimum car requirements (maintenance and general condition). Uber sounds like it maintains a high level of quality through self regulation but the rules that apply to Uber also apply to any dipshit that starts a driving service. If you are getting paid to drive then you need to have additional qualifications. What Uber is allowed to do has HUGE implications for taxis and future car delivery services.
I find that bad experiences in taxis are the exception here. I’m also guessing that you can report a driver if they for example smell like alcohol.
Think Uber is totally unfair on legitimate taxi drivers and should be banned. Rules and regulations are put in place for taxi drivers, who are often asked to buy their own cars and then governments allow a completely unlicensed shadow industry to emerge, without requiring them to follow the same requirements. At least give a grace period for actual taxi drivers to adjust. Have integrity, dont use Uber.
[quote=“headhonchoII”]I don’t really see why Über would be useful here as a more professional integrated Internet and telephone service such as Taiwan taxi has existed for decades. I use those guys all the time they are great. Otherwise I go out on the street and stick my
hand out.
I can see why it’s nice to select the driver though for some reasons , for women or language ability etc…that is a useful function.
I will visit Europe soon and use Über there.[/quote]
Not in Belgium tho … or parts of Germany … or France … or The Netherlands … I believe 
[quote=“Abacus”]I don’t have a problem with the Uber model but there should be some level of regulation such as professional driver licenses, insurance (hat tip to Xinhai) and minimum car requirements (maintenance and general condition). Uber sounds like it maintains a high level of quality through self regulation but the rules that apply to Uber also apply to any dipshit that starts a driving service. If you are getting paid to drive then you need to have additional qualifications. What Uber is allowed to do has HUGE implications for taxis and future car delivery services.
I find that bad experiences in taxis are the exception here. I’m also guessing that you can report a driver if they for example smell like alcohol.[/quote]
In fact it’s back to the ‘wild chicken’ taxis from the past … only now you have an app and don’t get screwed on the bill, well, not by the driver anyways!
I think Uber is a great development for the industry. Why should a taxi company be allowed to monopolize the market and overcharge customers? Taxis are ridiculously expensive in many cities. Even in Taipei where taxis are supposedly cheap, Uber does it cheaper.
Governments should deregulate the entire industry and encourage competition. If customers want to pay more for quality then let them. If they want to pay as little as possible for an ‘unqualified’ driver then they should be allowed to do that too. Personally, I find it a laughable idea that the average taxi driver has special skills that add value to my ride. I just pay more for nothing, with no effective way to complain if the driver is chewing binlang. At least Uber has driver reviews.
[quote=“antarcticbeech”]I think Uber is a great development for the industry. Why should a taxi company be allowed to monopolize the market and overcharge customers? Taxis are ridiculously expensive in many cities. Even in Taipei where taxis are supposedly cheap, Uber does it cheaper.
Governments should deregulate the entire industry and encourage competition. If customers want to pay more for quality then let them. If they want to pay as little as possible for an ‘unqualified’ driver then they should be allowed to do that too. Personally, I find it a laughable idea that the average taxi driver has special skills that add value to my ride. I just pay more for nothing, with no effective way to complain if the driver is chewing binlang. At least Uber has driver reviews.[/quote]
What you get in a regulated taxi is third party insurance to cover your cost if a really nasty accident happens. You won’t get that, i.e. disability benefit if someone uses his private car for commercial transportation. That is the main issue.
[quote=“antarcticbeech”]I think Uber is a great development for the industry. Why should a taxi company be allowed to monopolize the market and overcharge customers? Taxis are ridiculously expensive in many cities. Even in Taipei where taxis are supposedly cheap, Uber does it cheaper.
Governments should deregulate the entire industry and encourage competition. If customers want to pay more for quality then let them. If they want to pay as little as possible for an ‘unqualified’ driver then they should be allowed to do that too. Personally, I find it a laughable idea that the average taxi driver has special skills that add value to my ride. I just pay more for nothing, with no effective way to complain if the driver is chewing binlang. At least Uber has driver reviews.[/quote]
First of all there is no monopoly in Taiwan …
Uber does it cheaper because they’re not covered by licenses, insurance and the drivers make less money … Uber takes it all!
Oh, I just read that Uber had a 1.6 billion US$ injection … probably to pay all the future fines and counsel.
I for one am not the biggest fan of Uber. My girlfriend has been using them for the past month and I’m never too happy when she says she’s going home or arriving by Uber.
The yellow taxi drivers are already struggling due to the sheer number of them and the convenience of buses and new MRT lines popping up left and right isn’t helping their business.
If there are no taxi’s in sight, or if it’s late and I need to get home from a bar, I do use the taxi app. The most I’ve ever waited was 3-4 mins (that’s probably the longest I’ve waited) for a taxi to arrive. On the flip side, I’ve waited almost 10 mins for an Uber car to arrive.
One I do like is their cars don’t smell of poo like some of the old yellow cabs do.
Uber Is Destroying The Value Of Taxi Monopolies In A Bunch Of American Cities
Uber ‘just getting started’ tackling taxi monopoly, Australian head David Rohrsheim says
Erie offers ‘first-of-its-kind’ coverage for drivers of ridesharing services such as Uber, Lyft
If drivers do not make money then they will stop working for Uber.
[quote=“antarcticbeech”]
If drivers do not make money then they will stop working for Uber.[/quote]
That’s why Uber works so hard to sabotage their competitors to create their own monopoly:
Yeah über is not some ‘cool startup that’s out to help you look after granny’, it’s backed by very serious Wall Street cash because they’ve calculated how much money can me made from this market and can use that cash to fight in each country.
[quote=“goose egg”]I have been a very happy Uber user in Taipei for the past few months…
…we have noticed that Uber rides cost about 15% less than the same taxi ride. [/quote]
Are you joking dude?
Taxi rides in Taipei are so bloody cheap I don’t know how these taxi drivers even scratch together a living. For that reason I always tip for short rides.
I don’t know if I’m reading your post correctly, but if your meaning is that Taipei taxis are expensive to the point where you want to save 15%, then you have reached a whole new level of skinflinting.