Thursday 30 January 2014

Auckland Uber

So Uber's looking to expand into Auckland. This is great news.

I had thought that regulations around taxicabs might stop them.

Any taxicab in New Zealand must have 24-hour dispatch and must have a suitable camera monitoring device. Any vehicle that can be flagged down counts as a taxi. Uber's dispatch system might count as suitable 24-hour dispatch support, but the camera installation would block any part-time folks from entering the market with their own vehicles.

However, there's also a very nice "Private Hire" designation. Those vehicles cannot accept casual hires but must instead be booked in advance. I expect that Uber's booking service would meet this requirement, but I am not a lawyer. The driver may not use a taxi meter to determine the fare - again, Uber should be fine. Drivers would need to put up a driver identification card, and Uber would be responsible for ensuring that these meet spec. Sections 3 and 6 of the Code would apply.

I expect that drivers would have to get a P endorsement on their drivers' licences, which requires taking a course and passing a test. So current cabbies could flip to Uber in their own cars, retired cabbies who still have the P endorsement could start up again, and others willing to sit the test could come into the market.

I also expect the Taxicab Federation to have a fit and demand that Uber come under taxi licensing.

Auckland Uber, after all.

2 comments:

  1. haha the funniest man from Manitoba on taxis New Zealand. I wish I could say hello
    to the brilliant Eric’s Dad and Mum.
    But back to the business of the post,
    I took a taxi last time from the Bangkok airport to the beautiful Miss Bangkok
    Wan, 45 minutes away.
    Yes it was terrifying, we were travelling, we were travelling down the road at 140
    km per hour.so I took a sip of that whisky and I said to him you think we are going to fast. He said at 7am this morning I go back home and see my dear wife and child, I have to make money for them. We got there , and he said its 400 baht. I said what are you talking about and I gave him one thousand. Its not that I have money but I refuse to underpay people . And If I need a taxi in NZ I ring my friend, I say these people want $NZ50 for a drive to the airport, I give you that money. They always arrive

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  2. Thank you for sharing. Yes it goes on to argue that the
    heavy regulation imposed on the taxicab market, because it protects and
    benefits customers. These claims are not backed by the evidence. In Amsterdam
    must adhere to a defined fare structure.

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