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Jezza
2023 PREMIERS!
Joined: 06 Sep 2010 Location: Ponsford End
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Uber is 'effectively legal' in Victoria after a major court decision involving Nathan Brenner is handed down in the County Court yesterday.
Quote: | Uber effectively legalised in Victoria as driver Nathan Brenner wins landmark appeal
A Melbourne UberX driver has won an appeal against a conviction for operating a commercial passenger vehicle without a licence, in a case that effectively legalises the ride-sharing app in Victoria.
The decision on Wednesday also puts pressure on the Andrews government, which has been slow to make a decision on whether Uber's low-cost UberX service should be permitted to operate in Victoria.
Nathan Brenner was found guilty last year by a magistrate of two counts of operating without a licence and one count of driving a commercial passenger vehicle without accreditation.
But a Victorian County Court judge on Wednesday dismissed the charges and ordered the Taxi Services Commission to pay Mr Brenner's appeal costs. |
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/uber-effectively-legalised-in-victoria-as-driver-nathan-brenner-wins-landmark-appeal-20160518-goxtjq.html _________________ | 1902 | 1903 | 1910 | 1917 | 1919 | 1927 | 1928 | 1929 | 1930 | 1935 | 1936 | 1953 | 1958 | 1990 | 2010 | 2023 | |
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David
I dare you to try
Joined: 27 Jul 2003 Location: Andromeda
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That's good news, right? Not so much for taxi drivers, but maybe it's about time that business model was disrupted. _________________ All watched over by machines of loving grace |
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Jezza
2023 PREMIERS!
Joined: 06 Sep 2010 Location: Ponsford End
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David wrote: | That's good news, right? Not so much for taxi drivers, but maybe it's about time that business model was disrupted. |
The Taxi industry needs to put up or shut up now. Either adopt a better business model that passengers will be enticed to or more people will begin to use Uber and the Taxi industry will eventually be made redundant.
I've never used Uber before, but many of my friends say it's superior compared to Taxis. _________________ | 1902 | 1903 | 1910 | 1917 | 1919 | 1927 | 1928 | 1929 | 1930 | 1935 | 1936 | 1953 | 1958 | 1990 | 2010 | 2023 | |
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Culprit
Joined: 06 Feb 2003 Location: Port Melbourne
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Jezza wrote: | David wrote: | That's good news, right? Not so much for taxi drivers, but maybe it's about time that business model was disrupted. |
The Taxi industry needs to put up or shut up now. Either adopt a better business model that passengers will be enticed to or more people will begin to use Uber and the Taxi industry will eventually be made redundant.
I've never used Uber before, but many of my friends say it's superior compared to Taxis. | They are going to go on strike and block the city on the weekend. Uber says thank you. |
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Dark Beanie
Joined: 06 Feb 2004 Location: A galaxy far, far away.
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I haven't used Uber but have in the past used Taxis quite often.
Main complaint is drivers that do not know where they are going. Although over the past 2 months, I have had drivers for evening trips that didn't have to be directed to my destination, cars were clean and drivers friendly. _________________ If you are foolish enough to be contented, don't show it, but just grumble with the rest. - Jerome K Jerome |
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5150
Joined: 31 Aug 2005
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Taxis are a mixed bag. You can get a clean one with a decent and awake driver or a stinker with a straight off the boat guy that's half asleep towards the end of his 14 hour shift.
Never used uber, but I can't fault their model. Not sure if they do or if its already part of the service but a GPS system with the drivers details would be hard to beat. |
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Pies4shaw
pies4shaw
Joined: 08 Oct 2007
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Dark Beanie wrote: | I haven't used Uber but have in the past used Taxis quite often.
Main complaint is drivers that do not know where they are going. Although over the past 2 months, I have had drivers for evening trips that didn't have to be directed to my destination, cars were clean and drivers friendly. |
In this day and age, it's a little scary that drivers can't, at the least, use a GPS. I do. It isn't difficult. |
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HAL
Please don't shout at me - I can't help it.
Joined: 17 Mar 2003
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""? You do? |
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stui magpie
Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.
Joined: 03 May 2005 Location: In flagrante delicto
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Never used Uber, I get good enough service from taxis. Generally.
Although I do usually have to give directions. _________________ Every dead body on Mt Everest was once a highly motivated person, so maybe just calm the **** down. |
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John Wren
"Look after the game. It means so much to so many."
Joined: 15 Jul 2007
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if i have to use a taxi i call my regular driver. always on time if not early and always know where they are going. tried uber for the first time the other day and was quite impressed. clean, new car. offered bottled water and mints. the driver used google maps but we told him the directions for the quickest route for that time of day b _________________ Purveyor of sanctimonious twaddle. |
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stui magpie
Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.
Joined: 03 May 2005 Location: In flagrante delicto
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^
I had a regular more than 10 years ago when I did a lot of interstate trips. Not now. The main times I catch a taxi these days is flagging one down near the corner of King and latrobe in the early hours. _________________ Every dead body on Mt Everest was once a highly motivated person, so maybe just calm the **** down. |
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John Wren
"Look after the game. It means so much to so many."
Joined: 15 Jul 2007
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^ i was down your way this afternoon and strangely enough thought of you as i wandered by. _________________ Purveyor of sanctimonious twaddle. |
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die4pies
Homeward bound
Joined: 07 Nov 2005 Location: Trenerry Cres.
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Hi guys,
Interesting discussion.
I drove for Uber for a little over six months from October 2014 to April 2015, which is pretty much the start of the Uber in Melbourne. Initially I just wanted to see what the fuss was about. I was going to drive for the Cup carnival and then give it away. I ended up going out for around 20 hours a week on average. It was very addictive. I took over 2,000 passengers in that time and heard a lot of stories.
Women love (and NEED) Uber. In 2,000 trips I would guess 70% were women and at least half of those had stories of harassment, assault and some of rape in Taxis. None of these are in the statistics as the stories of the Police handling of the complaints are equally sickening.
Ages and backgrounds varied greatly but Fitzroy was the most popular pickup/dropoff place.
Insurance would never be an issue as no one would ever know it was commercial trip. I could be just giving someone a lift. There is no financial transaction between the driver and passenger.
The money is not good. I drive a Camry Hybrid so my operating costs are minimal. In six months I made $20,000 fares driving around 15-20 hours a week.
The registration process was extraordinarily simple. A bit too simple. The checks are very thorough though and unlike Taxi's it is very difficult to 'share' accounts around. Passengers all expressed how much safer it was knowing who was coming to pick them up. Interestingly when I did my induction half the guys there were disgruntled taxi drivers and at the end two walked out and got straight into their VHA cars and drove off to work. They were double dipping I think.
Last Christmas I walked into the Taxi Services Commission on Collins Street and was given full driver accreditation too, so I was a licenced driver for purpose of driving a commercial passenger vehicle. My insurance was also business insurance which covered me for carrying business customers (I had this before Uber anyway)
I received a letter from the ATO last year in November saying they had detected that I had been earning "ride sharing" and that I needed to declare this in my tax. They got the amount spot on too. The ATO have access to my bank account which is normal, but it was a bit stupid them saying I needed to declare it when I had already done so THREE months earlier. They were too busy with their nose stuck in my bank account to check their own records I guess. On the tax issue, 80% of Uber fares are paid to the driver from an account in Amsterdam. the other 20% is taxed in Amsterdam at around 5% I believe. That is the biggest issue with Uber, they should pay tax in the countries in which they use the public infrastructure to generate their revenue.
The Taxi industry is in appalling disarray. The attacks on Uber drivers I heard about but never experienced myself, highlight why people are turning away from Taxis and coming over to Uber. Where they shot themselves in the foot was going down the safety path. Uber is by far the safer option, especially for women. _________________ "MAKE COLLINGWOOD GRATE AGAIN" |
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Jezza
2023 PREMIERS!
Joined: 06 Sep 2010 Location: Ponsford End
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Interesting perspective of things. Thanks for sharing.
It will be fascinating to see where this issue heads in the next five to ten years. Can the Taxi industry revitalise itself or will Uber officially make Taxis redundant? _________________ | 1902 | 1903 | 1910 | 1917 | 1919 | 1927 | 1928 | 1929 | 1930 | 1935 | 1936 | 1953 | 1958 | 1990 | 2010 | 2023 | |
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stui magpie
Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.
Joined: 03 May 2005 Location: In flagrante delicto
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I'd be surprised if the Taxi industry didn't bounce back. I don't know if having Uber as the primary would work well for anyone. Having competition is good as it makes the incumbent lift their game.
Once they shake it up and drivers start getting a fair whack, it will improve.
I might give Uber a go when I'm in the states. _________________ Every dead body on Mt Everest was once a highly motivated person, so maybe just calm the **** down. |
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