Driving Trainigs

Uber's questionable Price Gouging tactics require in depth examination

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong>Uber's  price gouging tactics</strong> also referred to as surge pricing are not justifiable compared with all other  car services because Uber Nuts largest number of  cars participating on their network, Uber does not have a human dispatch infrastructure and the related expenses and the secret partners emails about dynamic pricing raise an eyebrow.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhOa5wCXLBx7NlKBWKSnkiPGvqsBn99mOyLZMb8UAUEOsFMFNyEb6KbEDyPzPia2YEB2cwhgE0bjddet30oM7rFzOY0ZxA-VAA_kQUKV_PLWsr0bxT__X1MrmOxS_6yWGGCk_fj2ZWGZLh/s1600/Uber-nuts.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhOa5wCXLBx7NlKBWKSnkiPGvqsBn99mOyLZMb8UAUEOsFMFNyEb6KbEDyPzPia2YEB2cwhgE0bjddet30oM7rFzOY0ZxA-VAA_kQUKV_PLWsr0bxT__X1MrmOxS_6yWGGCk_fj2ZWGZLh/s1600/Uber-nuts.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>First I would like to educate readers that Uber does not own, nor do they operate any vehicles. Uber has drivers who own their vehicles and pay Uber commissions for referals. Most of these drivers are full time  affiliated driver with Uber and some are part time non affiliated driver owned cars. Uber has 4 registered bases with the taxi and limousine commission in NYC and has the highest number of affiliated drivers compared with all other car services.<br /><br />There are 3,053 dedicated Uber cars which are affiliated and working with Uber on a full time basis.<br />The second largest black car base (Skyline Car service)  has 598 affiliated drivers who are also cooperating with Uber in taking trips. In addition, there are other drivers from other black car bases who are working with Uber. Isn't it ironic that a company having the highest numbers of affiliated drivers on its network on any given day compared to any other bases in New York City, plus having drivers from Skyline and other bases on it's network is using excuses about shortage of drivers and need to surge price? Uber has always given consumers the argument that with supply shortage and high demand,  adding a dynamic pricing will get more vehicles on the road. When examining the statistics, Uber already highest ratio of supply (vehicles) to serve consumers when comparing it with all other bases. So where are they getting more supply (driver/cars)  from? Why is it that Uber has to price gouge whereas other licensed bases which are a fraction of Uber's size are not price gouging? In addition, Uber does not have the additional staff expense the smaller bases have.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyvLEUxEekjqZjPx4qcEzXHUqNHgHSg68kPLUE3_df0eyc7Jm5qDZzag5ffo2KRrAWyuE8vV_avo-Zx69ZeNEeb7Eygrs57wllPo4rP7KlC2dZfcSxo7-aP_Ibya7NHI8250UAEyvmWb_6/s1600/uber-finger1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyvLEUxEekjqZjPx4qcEzXHUqNHgHSg68kPLUE3_df0eyc7Jm5qDZzag5ffo2KRrAWyuE8vV_avo-Zx69ZeNEeb7Eygrs57wllPo4rP7KlC2dZfcSxo7-aP_Ibya7NHI8250UAEyvmWb_6/s1600/uber-finger1.png" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>All these conventional smaller bases have to pay the expenses for dispatchers, reservationist, customer service representatives,computers, two way radios and phone lines. Whereas Uber does not have such expenses. Uber's drivers are carrying the task of mobile customer service, mobile dispatchers and drivers on the road. The electronic app  bypasses the human staff thereby eliminating related expenses. So given that Uber having this competitive advantage and savings, should they not be passing on these savjngs to consumers? Uber's claims are in contradiction. Even the partner emails indicate Uber's carefully crafted gouging days.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyHAf1R4PIPNWrP0InO_pCLMFm7qn8pJepKnIWyHf1wZMTgaKQtIh_N5Q_ft-GBMHOP30VLxUQMkUk1GpVeSyJmCXPZU7AIjDUt5XTtt2t4krLXt9B2Jdj_Ov85_W1nY-j5z5L6Pp0-pfS/s1600/truck_dispatchers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyHAf1R4PIPNWrP0InO_pCLMFm7qn8pJepKnIWyHf1wZMTgaKQtIh_N5Q_ft-GBMHOP30VLxUQMkUk1GpVeSyJmCXPZU7AIjDUt5XTtt2t4krLXt9B2Jdj_Ov85_W1nY-j5z5L6Pp0-pfS/s1600/truck_dispatchers.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Uber weekly partner emails outline days and times they will be instituting surge pricing. Is it not ironic that Uber can forecast future supply shortages and high demand cycles? Any affiliated driver working with Uber can agree that Uber's weekly emails outline weather patterns and declared dates and times they will be price gouging. Usually Uber takes advantage of this in rain, windy weather, holidays, Friday and Saturday nights and or whenever they that timing is right. <br /><br />Uber continues to price gouge consumers even after the controversial price gouging throughout Hurricane Sandy, transit workers strike, New Years Eve. Uber was highly criticized by Paul Carr and consumers throughout these periods as they charged up to 6 to 10 times the normal rate. Uber sets a bad example to other transportation service providers and other businesses. Uber should halt price gouging amd operate as a responsible business.<br /><br />Data of Uber registered bases obtained from NYC Taxi & Limo Commission<br /><br />Black car bases registered with address 27-55 Jackson Ave, LIC, NY<br />Found in NYC TLC records.<br /><br />Hinter LLC base # B02598-1,028 affiliated driver owned cars <br />schmecker LLC base # B02682-142 affiliated driver owned cars <br />Unter LLC- base # B02512- 511 affiliated driver owned cars<br />weitter LLC- base # B02617-1,372 affiliated driver owned cars<br /><br />Uber Price Gouging articles<br /><br /><a href="http://pandodaily.com/2012/10/31/assholes-shrug/" target="_blank">http://pandodaily.com/2012/10/31/assholes-shrug/</a><br /><br /><a href="http://pandodaily.com/2012/11/02/a-final-word-on-uber-and-their-ghastly-attempt-to-spin-their-way-to-sainthood/" target="_blank">http://pandodaily.com/2012/11/02/a-final-word-on-uber-and-their-ghastly-attempt-to-spin-their-way-to-sainthood/</a><br /><br />Article on Uber CEO:<br /><a href="http://pandodaily.com/2012/10/24/travis-shrugged/" target="_blank">http://pandodaily.com/2012/10/24/travis-shrugged/</a><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh06L9arxXzhiEVC6NOt0tK0KnHXhw4Yz-r0bJMCnWNFZOWiajSqRAzBgXkRNKYKzoTDhqPhF-RKlnNvR9uO8i6PKBS8FWd6FR5RAO7ulsNQAeNQHqtJbUngKiVGpZJgVBswNbWuyrJfoGH/s1600/uber-finger1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh06L9arxXzhiEVC6NOt0tK0KnHXhw4Yz-r0bJMCnWNFZOWiajSqRAzBgXkRNKYKzoTDhqPhF-RKlnNvR9uO8i6PKBS8FWd6FR5RAO7ulsNQAeNQHqtJbUngKiVGpZJgVBswNbWuyrJfoGH/s1600/uber-finger1.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlZo4nBDfBGTvHnc-581v9x-3Na5WRUlFlBkmOON3Tb7HebXWI5IPuja8Sl-AuRAVC6n3bBl2k5rEIPwk_tG7cpXHM_0YbQtlpqZ9RbnxASI_333cB80I-lJAtDc1BJl-93po_b5DzypXn/s1600/f56c4_uber-finger1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlZo4nBDfBGTvHnc-581v9x-3Na5WRUlFlBkmOON3Tb7HebXWI5IPuja8Sl-AuRAVC6n3bBl2k5rEIPwk_tG7cpXHM_0YbQtlpqZ9RbnxASI_333cB80I-lJAtDc1BJl-93po_b5DzypXn/s1600/f56c4_uber-finger1.png" /></a></div><br />

Uber's questionable Price Gouging tactics require in depth examination

Uber's price gouging tactics also referred to as surge pricing are not justifiable compared with all other car services because Uber ...

Uber blasts email to media to rechange the rules in Portland and Paris France.

Uber has been emailing everyone to write on behalf of them to change the minimum prearrangement rules because it fears that it's creative, questionable and taxi operation disguised and  wrapped in limo and technology no longer may be sustainable. Why is Uber asking others to write for them when they are the beneficiaries of profits? This seems pretty upsurd, but if anyone ever has used Uber Car service has received these emails from Uber.<br /><br />In October 2013, Uber sent users an email to write and convince Mayor  of Portland to deregulate the 30minute prearrangement rule. In this email, Uber claimed that taxi business is bad and Portland requires improvement in service and the city should be technology friendly. Uber also makes claims that with deregulation there will be improvements in taxi service. So the question is that those Lincoln Town Car owner operators who are registered as Livery cars and bypass the city's taxi medallion system registrations, requirments and regulations will be improvement in service? It sounds more like disguised taxis operating on a different standard. Is Uber suggesting that the current taxi services cannot provide an app to consumers and provide the same technology? How are consumers benefiting with Uber's surge pricing charges?How is it improvement in service with existing  regulated taxi metered rates in Portland  compared to Uber instituting  Surge Pricing? Uber always portrays itself a victim from the taxi industry and not admitting that they are attempting to provide taxi service in real time disguised under the technology wrapper. In addition, Uber sends another email to users after regulators clearly defined Livery from taxis with the new minimum prearrangement rule making.<br /><br />Once again on October 16th 2013, Uber sent a blast email to users "Save Uber Paris".In this email, Uber claims to bring technology to an old industry bringing convenience to travelers and public. Uber never wrote in this email how the VTC "Vendor Transportation Companies" also known as the owner operators working Uber system are not registered as medallion taxis, and are not licensed and are not inspected as taxis are operating in a fashion similar to taxis. It asks readers to write to the French government. When reader clicks on the names of officials on the list, the email defaults in subject line and also in body without allowing reader to write their own opinion. This is exactly what appears in email browser subject line " VTC: I'm opposed to that 15min rule". In the body of email, it defaults to<br />"Prime Minster Ayrault<br />as one of tens of thousands of Parisians who relies on speedy, safe and reliable VTC transportation, I strongly urge you to reject a proposal Parisians to wait 15minutes before getting a VTC ride..."<br />The email goes on to bluff about how this limits transportation, process hurting consumers and jobs.<br />Really Uber? Giving a green light to gypsy type livery operators to operate as taxis without undergoing the existing taxi standards will be safe for Parisians? In addition, with Uber's surge pricing model will hurt the consumers as there is limited to no over watch and accountability.<br /><br />It is pretty clear that Uber's media campaign is designed for their own interests and not publics best interest. Shall Uber want to bypass the prearrangement rule, then the VTC's shall purchase a taxi medallion, be regulated as licensed taxis and held to same standards as the existing licensed taxis in Paris or anywhere Uber opposes prearrangement.<br /><br />No other Livery company in Portland, Denver or Paris opposes prearrangement except for Uber.

Uber blasts email to media to rechange the rules in Portland and Paris France.

Uber has been emailing everyone to write on behalf of them to change the minimum prearrangement rules because it fears that it's creativ...

Presidential Limousine replica-The Beast, Cadillac limousine replica

Cadillac One. The Beast. President Barack Obama�s custom Cadillac <a href="http://www.limousine-rental.net/" target="_blank">presidential  limo</a> goes by many names, but as famous as The Beast is, we still don�t know  anything about its powertrain (rumor is it�s a diesel), armor, or even what the  interior looks like. That�s why when Sony studios representatives asked if we  wanted to drive their replica of the Beast from this summer�s �White House  Down,� we couldn�t say yes fast enough. <br /><br />But first, a little background. Starring Jamie Foxx and Channing Tatum,  �White House Down� is about a domestic terrorist group that�s taken over the  White House and is trying to do evil bad guy things to America, much like the  plot to �Olympus Has Fallen,� which opened earlier this year. Foxx plays the  president, while Tatum plays the secret service agent tasked with protecting  him.<br /><div style="clear: both;"></div>Each of the four <a href="http://www.limousine-rental.net/" target="_blank">Cadillac limo</a> replicas in the movie started  life as a run-of-the-mill Chevrolet Suburban, Cyril O�Neal of Ghostlight  Industries, the builders of The Beast, told. The Suburbans were stripped of  their body, stretched, and widened, and hand-built from Fiberglass. O�Neal said  it was so much work that they might as well have started from scratch with two  pieces of steel, rather than build their way up from a Suburban. The real Beast  is rumored to be built on a chassis of the GMC Topkick, the Suburban�s big  brother. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="266" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PQhIy_qjLdE?feature=player_embedded" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="320"></iframe></div>Building an accurate replica actually proved more difficult than he and car  coordinator Graham Kelley.<br /><br />When I first got asked to do this, I didn�t poo-poo it so much, but I figured  �oh that�s alright, it�s a <a href="http://www.limousine-rental.net/" target="_blank">Cadillac limo</a>, alright maybe the roof is a little  lower, we�ll figure it out,� Kelly said. �I�ll go and buy a stretch Cadillac and  make it the right length, and off we go. We�ll have three or four of them and it  won�t be a big problem.  And it wasn�t until we actually started getting into  this, which was actually probably a little too late, that we realized, very  quickly -- it was one of those moments where you go, �oh my god.��<br /><div style="clear: both;"></div>The problem Kelly and O�Neal ran into was getting accurate info  on The Beast so they could build a realistic replica. Not surprisingly, GM and  the White House were no help. So the company started building a model based on  the headlights, which they determined were from a current-gen Cadillac Escalade.  O�Neal and his team worked backward from there, using known measurements like  the 12-inch tall Escalade headlight, and Obama�s six-foot-one frame to determine  the proper proportions of the car. The result is a pretty dead-on replica from  the outside. <br /><br />The interior was actually a bit easier to build since not many images exist  of the Cadillac�s cabin. That allowed O�Neal and Kelly to use their imaginations  when it came to the limo�s insides, which resulted in the car getting James  Bond-like gadgets and screens. In reality, the replica�s interior is pretty  basic. The driver�s compartment feels like an Escalade�s with a familiar  shifter, steering wheel, and seats, with the main differences being the custom  instrument panel, kill switches, and fake buttons in the center stack. The back  seat looks how you�d imagine the President�s <a href="http://www.limousine-rental.net/" target="_blank">limo</a> looking, with two forward  facing seats and two rear-facing jump seats.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="266" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PQhIy_qjLdE?feature=player_embedded" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="320"></iframe></div>There�s really no way of knowing for sure what powers the real  Beast, and for the purposes of �White House Down,� it really didn�t matter. Each  Beast replica is powered by a Chevy LS3 V-8, mated to the standard Suburban  transmission and transfer case. Yep, The Beast replicas are all four-wheel  drive. As Kelly told us, apart from a single shot, all the stunts were done with  a driver in the car, �We had it basically performing as a rally car on the  field; it was sideways, and four-wheel drifting. It was being hit by Suburbans,  it crashed through trees and vegetable gardens,� he said.  Each of the  hand-built replicas cost near $1 million, so you can understand why he may have  been reluctant to crash one into a pool as part of the filming. <br />Despite all the work and money the �White House Down� crew put into building  its Beast replica from the ground up, the car drives like a cobbled-together  Franken-Caddy that�s been rammed by Suburbans and crashed through trees by  Hollywood actors and stuntmen. Still, when�s the next time I�ll get a chance to  drive the President�s limo?

Presidential Limousine replica-The Beast, Cadillac limousine replica

Cadillac One. The Beast. President Barack Obama�s custom Cadillac presidential limo goes by many names, but as famous as The Beast is, we ...