NYC becomes first city to place (temporary) cap on Uber and Lyft vehicles

[CitizenVectron]

https://apnews.com/amp/f20b094d823b46a8b2edfc967d56de6b?__twitter_impression=true

 

Quote

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City moved Wednesday to regulate the explosive growth of Uber and other app-based ride services with a temporary cap on new licenses for ride-hailing services.

 

The City Council approved a package of bills that included a one-year moratorium on new licenses for for-hire vehicles while the city studies the rapidly changing industry. The legislation also will allow the city to set a minimum wage for app-based drivers.

 

Backers of the proposals said both the traditional yellow cab industry and drivers for app-based services are suffering as Uber cars flood the city's streets. They said the growth of ride-hailing apps has also worsened traffic congestion.

 

This is a good move. There is no doubt that overall, Uber's disruption of the taxi industry has been a good thing for consumers. But it comes with its own issues, and those need to be addressed through regulation. The main things I think are of concern are:

 

- Lack of proper set minimum wage paid (which means drivers are responsible for costs of vehicle w/out compensation)

- More vehicles on road when the better solution (long-term) is more public transit

 

Or the city could just be getting ready to enforce Uber Medallions

 

 

[Jason]

20 minutes ago, CitizenVectron said:

- More vehicles on road when the better solution (long-term) is more public transit

 

In NYC, the collapsing subway system has a lot to do with making people use rideshare even during busy times. And the city doesn't directly control it, the state does. And Cuomo refuses to take the MTA seriously, and he keeps raiding its budget to plug other holes in the state budget. Plus it year it came out he wanted to raid the budget to the tune of $250 million to do fancy light shows on the bridges. 

[CastlevaniaNut18]

Is the subway really that bad in NYC? I think we're gonna take our first visit there year after next. We've been to Boston, DC, and Chicago and gotten around fine using the subway for nearly everything. Uber gets expensive when you're constantly calling for rides and you just pay one flat fee for a 7 day public transit pass. We used Uber 5 times for our Chicago trip, mostly just for to and from the airport and spent $170. Meanwhile a 7 day pass was $28 each.

[Joe]

42 minutes ago, CastlevaniaNut18 said:

Is the subway really that bad in NYC? I think we're gonna take our first visit there year after next. We've been to Boston, DC, and Chicago and gotten around fine using the subway for nearly everything. Uber gets expensive when you're constantly calling for rides and you just pay one flat fee for a 7 day public transit pass. We used Uber 5 times for our Chicago trip, mostly just for to and from the airport and spent $170. Meanwhile a 7 day pass was $28 each.

 

He's not exaggerating. It's an embarrassment.

[CastlevaniaNut18]

2 minutes ago, Jose said:

 

He's not exaggerating. It's an embarrassment.

Like, can you elaborate? 

[SilentWorld]

29 minutes ago, CastlevaniaNut18 said:

Is the subway really that bad in NYC? I think we're gonna take our first visit there year after next. We've been to Boston, DC, and Chicago and gotten around fine using the subway for nearly everything. Uber gets expensive when you're constantly calling for rides and you just pay one flat fee for a 7 day public transit pass. We used Uber 5 times for our Chicago trip, mostly just for to and from the airport and spent $170. Meanwhile a 7 day pass was $28 each.

 

I’ve never been to NYC but my mom has been taking a vacation out there once a year for close to a decade (now that she’s retired it’s become a bi-annual trip actually). She loves the subway! She apparently doesn’t use a taxi at all when she’s there. She’s a 66 year old woman so if she can handle it I’m sure you’ll be fine. 

 

 

[Kal-El814]

I’d also say that just about every American subway / city rail system is an embarrassment compared what you see in Vienna or London. And if you include Japan... forget about it. 

[CastlevaniaNut18]

Just now, SilentWorld said:

 

I’ve never been to NYC but my mom has been taking a vacation out there once a year for close to a decade (now that she’s retired it’s become a bi-annual trip actually). She loves the subway! She apparently doesn’t use a taxi at all when she’s there. She’s a 66 year old woman so if she can handle it I’m sure you’ll be fine. 

 

 

Thanks. I really cringe at the thought of spending a ton of money on cabs and ubers. 

 

I'd like to go to NYC nest year, but it's gonna be expensive and I think we'll save a little money by sticking closer to home and visiting Dallas. I've never been there and I can catch a Rangers game when the Sox are in town.

[CastlevaniaNut18]

2 minutes ago, Kal-El814 said:

I’d also say that just about every American subway / city rail system is an embarrassment compared what you see in Vienna or London. And if you include Japan... forget about it. 

You're probably right on that one. I was just wondering what's so bad about NYC compared to other major systems in the country. 

[Kal-El814]

1 minute ago, CastlevaniaNut18 said:

You're probably right on that one. I was just wondering what's so bad about NYC compared to other major systems in the country. 

As someone who has only been to NYC intermittently in recent years, the subway system feels a little worse each time I go. Less well maintained, dirtier, etc. It’s still significantly better than it was when I went there as a kid, though.

 

Hard to say if that’s an across the board thing or if it’s just where / when I happened to be.

[Jason]

4 minutes ago, CastlevaniaNut18 said:

You're probably right on that one. I was just wondering what's so bad about NYC compared to other major systems in the country. 

 

Age—they're using parts in the signals that have to be hand-made because they're so old you can't buy them any more—combined with lack of funding for proper maintenance and necessary overhauls. The budget raiding I mentioned means the MTA has to take out more debt, which means they've been having to spend more and more on just debt service. 

 

For tourists I think it's still fine but it's become increasingly unreliable for people who have to be at a certain place at a certain time every day. 

[RedSoxFan9]

http://www.businessinsider.com/why-new-york-subway-delays-getting-worse-2017-8

 

Quote

Staff members have to pull handles to operate track switches and signals so operators know it's safe to pass through, Business Insider's Graham Rapier reported. It doesn't give a precise location or speed, so it's hard to tell where the subways are. 

 

The L uses a system known as communications-based train control, which is safer and more reliable. But installing it on every subway line could take 50 years and cost $20 billion, the New York Timesreported.

 

[Joe]

8 hours ago, CastlevaniaNut18 said:

Like, can you elaborate? 

 

Sorry, I should have earlier. It's always been a very old and outdated system, but only in the past couple of years has that age really been evident. Random stations and trains will be out of operation without notice. It used to be some with notice on weekends, but now it's happening more often and suddenly even on weekdays. Also the worst is being on a train and the conductor randomly announcing that instead of the train being a C (as it's marked) it's now an A! This has happened to me on a couple of occasions and I barely use the subway. I ended up in Brooklyn once as a result. Totally ridiculous, especially because when they make these announcement it's barely audible and people usually talk over it. Total nightmare!

[finaljedi]

9 hours ago, CastlevaniaNut18 said:

Is the subway really that bad in NYC? I think we're gonna take our first visit there year after next. We've been to Boston, DC, and Chicago and gotten around fine using the subway for nearly everything. Uber gets expensive when you're constantly calling for rides and you just pay one flat fee for a 7 day public transit pass. We used Uber 5 times for our Chicago trip, mostly just for to and from the airport and spent $170. Meanwhile a 7 day pass was $28 each.

 

I was in New York for a week last year and I got around fine on the subway.  Apart from what I imagine we’re puddles of piss in half the stations it was all good.