Saturday, August 9, 2014

Uber car service coming to West Palm Beach, 27% cheaper than...

This is a revolution in transportation delivery made possible through wide adoption of smartphone technology. It allows ordinary drivers to list their car "for hire" and act as a taxi for around town travel or short trips. The arrangement is consummated on a phone app. Of course, this raises concerns from taxi drivers who are heavily invested and regulated who now have to compete with people who already own cars originally designed for their personal use. I personally think Zip Car is a good business model for something like this and other rental car companies are following more flexible models like this one. Click title for link:
 The service allows users to tap the app on their smart phone to call for a vehicle, which can be anything from a swanky-looking limo to a regular car, in just minutes.
Uber’s northern push is drawing criticism from local taxi companies who argue Uber doesn’t follow the strict government regulations and safety standards that they they must meet.
Palm Beach County’s “vehicle-for-hire” rules require drivers of taxis, limousines and other vehicles to pass background checks and carry additional insurance. Taxis and other vehicles that are older than seven years or have more than 350,000 miles must be inspected twice a year.