π Broward Forces UBER OUT with Oppressive County Regulation & Political Cronyism π RIDERS are MAD πππ
π UBER “Forced” to Turn OFF their system in BROWARD County. As of July 31, 2015 UBER had little choice but to "Turn-Off" its System for all of Broward County, to the dismay of hundreds of thousands of UBER Riders. WHY a reasoned person would ask???
π ANSWER – Huge Political Contributions by TAXI tycoon Jesse Gaddis to several Broward County County Commissioners, including Mayor Tim Ryan. Why else would Broward County give special treatment and Dispatcher privileges to the Fort Lauderdale International Airport for over 700 Gaddis owned & operated TAXI, LIMOUSINE, and SHUTTLES, to the dismay of other smaller TAXI competitors. UBER is not the first to be on the Wrong Side of this Corruption on the County Commission.
π Broward County Commission Disrupted the UBER System because of Political Cronyism & Oppressive Regulation, forcing UBER to pull the plug on their highly desired system. It has been said that a number of County Commissioners are in the "Pocket" for the TAXI and Limousine drivers and Companies owned by Jesse Gaddis. From everything we’ve heard, and what has been reported by the media, UBER Cars and Drivers are Superior to the Gaddis’s TAXI, Limousines, and most of the Drivers in most respects.
π MONEY, POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS to COUNTY COMMISSION Political CAMPAIGNS. Jesse Gaddis, TAXI tycoon now 83 years old, owns a huge Yellow Cab system, leasing and dispatching most of Broward’s Cabs, over 550 Cars. Gaddis also owns Go Airport Service that spans 150 limos and shuttles, plus Gaddis’s B&L Services Group has the Exclusive contract to Dispatch all cabs, limos and shuttles at the airport, a thorn in the side of many smaller cab companies that also service the airport. How does this happen one would ask?
π Friendliness of the UBER Drivers, On-Time Arrival of the Drivers, Clean Modern of the UBER Cars, and Competitive ride-cost are the frequent complements given the UBER system, as compared to Broward County TAXI services.
π South Florida Business Journal published an article in today’s Journal, mentioning that from Friday 7am July 31 through Midnight Sunday August 2nd, about 40,000 UBER Riders found the System Turned OFF, preventing UBER Riders from being able to hail any UBER Drivers.
π UBER, the Riders and Drivers, the $13 Million/Year Quagmire. Lets talk about the Dollars at stake with the Politicians, the Public and UBER. Media sources say that UBER has Delivered over 1 million Safe Rides in the 11 months Uber has been active in Broward County. As an experienced Uber Driver and a Uber Rider the average Uber Ride {for 77 recent rides} in my case as a Driver is $13.75/Ride. Other industry sources say the average ride is $10 or so, lets use $12/Ride for this analysis.
π Uber Average Ride = $12/Ride for 1,090,900 Rides/Year. One million rides in 11 months equates to roughly 90,900 Rides/Month, or 1,090,900 Uber Rides/Year. If the average ride is $12/ride, then 1,090,900 rides equates to $13,090,800 in Annual revenues paid by Uber Riders through the Uber system. Its well known that Uber/Driver revenue-split is 20%/80%, where Uber is retaining 20% of the Rider’s Fare.
π UBER Company Gross Revenues equals $2,618,000/Year for Broward County Uber traffic; Uber Drivers are receiving $10,472,000 in Uber Rider Fares. {Math: UBER Gross Income = 1,090,900x$12×20% = $2,618,000/Year.}
π UBER, whose APPLE iPhone App allows passengers to Arrange for a Uber Ride, plus pay for the trip with the Rider’s iPhone using their pre-registered Credit Card registered within the UBER’s secure system. UBER still operates in Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties, where new regulations are in the works.
π Palm Beach County agreed to “TRIAL” compromise arrangements with UBER, established in March 2015 for a 6 month period. Therefore in September the Palm Beach County Commission will reexamine the trial period to see if everything is “working properly” and according to the trial period agreements and conditions.
π UBER passengers can be dropped off in Broward County if the UBER Ride is originated outside Broward; however, folks located anywhere in Broward County cannot use the UBER system to originate a Ride anywhere inside Broward County or to anywhere outside Broward County.
π According to UBER sources they say “Broward’s new law is too onerous” the company said Monday, {Aug 10th}. The Broward County rules are oppressive and require each driver to obtain a county chauffeur registration {which is absurd for a standard passenger car}. The County is requiring UBER Drivers to have a Car permit {even though Uber Drivers dive properly registered and ASE Inspected Vehicle.
π Broward requires “county-run” background check {even though UBER conducts thorough Criminal Background check and Driving Records checks using reputable third-party investigation firms} plus Uber Drivers must carry state-required commercial insurance {even though UBER provides blanket $1million commercial insurance for all its Drivers}.
π UBER has met most of the Background-Check requirements all over the country. However the Broward’s requirements are excessive and onerous according to UBER officials.
π Uber: “Broward County Officials implemented one of the most onerous regulatory frameworks for ridesharing in the nation, in a written statement to the media. UBER had no choice but to suspend operations on July 31. UBER hopes the Board of County Commissioners will revisit the issue when they return from break and work with UBER to bring the UBER System back to Broward. UBER has been valued by some investment bankers at somewhere around $50 billion.
π Broward Mayor Tim Ryan said he thought the county and Uber were working toward compromise, and he found the news “surprising and disappointing.” “To me it’s clear that Uber provides a very good service that people want,” said Ryan, who is asked about UBER everywhere he goes. “The regulations Broward County imposed are very reasonable. The county only asked that Uber have safe drivers, safe vehicles and insurance.”
π Dan Lindblade, president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce, said the county went too far in requiring individual licensure for drivers of Uber or other “transportation network companies.” “There regulations are bad for the citizens, bad for our tourism industry, bad for our economy,” he said. “The County is just over-regulating. They could have done something else than just hammer it all the way to the wall. They went too far.”
π UBER’s popularity hinged on the disdain for traditional cabs and Fare cost. At public hearings and in emails that poured into county commissioners’ in-boxes over the past year, customers said they favored Uber’s lower fares, cleaner cars and friendlier drivers.
π Retiree Steve Machoian, an occasional visitor to Fort Lauderdale who said he is planning a move to South Florida from Maryland, said he would never get in a traditional cab here. “Not only are they rude, the Cars A/C rarely works, they take you for long rides, most claim not to speak English, the cars are filthy, and most cases old and broken down,” he said when he learned of UBER decision. “If I can’t get a UBER ride in Broward, I’m going to take my second choice and move to Delray Beach.”
π Gaddis and his TAXI interests have contributed BIG money to County Commission campaigns and have hired a bevy of lobbyists, including Bernie Friedman, George Platt and Judy Stern, to push for the new regulations that have UBER threatening to leave. Ryan, however, said Gaddis and his companies, which also have to follow the fingerprinting provision, had no special influence on the April vote {Its hard to swallow that statement}.
π Mayor Ryan says Gaddis’ campaign contributions he’s personally received from Gaddis-related taxi industry and their lobbyists had no effect on his vote…. {Really, do you all believe that large campaign contributions from UBER’s competition with Gaddis’s TAXI business had no effect on the Mayor’s decision.}
π Commissioner Chip LaMarca, a pro-UBER County Commissioner, said the new background checks are unnecessary, since UBER is already providing third-Party Background Criminal Checks and Driving Records Checks. “The County setting up this whole new level of regulation in Broward County, to me is a complete waste of taxpayers’ money,” he said. LaMarca said UBER background checks, which track criminal records and other data, are sufficient. “I can’t understand why a progressive commission wouldn’t see this ride-sharing shared economy, what’s going on in this country, really in the world, as a benefit to open competition,” LaMarca said.
π Ryan said the commission will take up the Uber issue when it returns from summer break in August after Uber has promised to stop conducting pickups in the county. Ryan said he wants to negotiate with the company, but he doesn’t understand why it is so dead set against the fingerprint requirement when Uber continues to provide service in three cities that have the same requirement: Columbus, Ohio, Houston and New York City.
π Broward County is New Requiring UBER Drivers
β’ FBI background checks. Uber already requires their drivers to submit to rigorous, nationally recognized background-check process used by hotels, hospitals and other industries. Forcing drivers to undergo another level of review, one that includes fingerprints, only adds bureaucracy and cost, with little evidence for the need… lets face it fingerprints are used in Crime Scenes. Criminals have their records already in the data-base, no prints are needed.
β’ Chauffeur licenses for every driver. While most cab drivers work full-time, most Uber drivers only work part-time. In Broward, this means several thousand Uber drivers must dig into their pockets to pay over $80 for a two-year license. Uber fears that if their drivers’ names become public, competitors will alert insurance carriers and put the Uber drivers’ personal coverage premiums at risk for driving for the services, even though Uber provides a $1 million commercial umbrella coverage
β’ Around-the-clock 24/7 Commercial Car Insurance for every driver. Again, while cabs may be on the road 24 hours a day, Uber drivers most-times use their personal cars for only a few hours per day. Every time Uber Drivers pick up a Uber passenger, the Uber-Ride is covered by the company’s $1 million commercial insurance policy, which is 4-times what taxis are required to have in Florida. Yet Broward wants part-time drivers to carry personal insurance that matches what’s required of cab and limo drivers.
π {Absurd, an obvious conflict of interest comes to bear on any County Commissioners that have taken contributions from the TAXI Cab owners including Gaddis}.
π UBER Rider App and the UBER Driver App, Sounds Simple, however, the UBER systems that support these Apps are extremely sophisticated and revolutionary. The Apps were created by Uber Technologies, a/k/a UBER.
π UBER Rider App. The Uber App may be downloaded from Apple’s App Store free for everyone. When the UBER App is launched you’re able to pinpoint a location of the Uber Driver that the Uber System has determined to be closest to you. GPS pinpoints you ad the Driver, so there is no wasted time for the Driver looking to find you. Displayed on the Uber Rider’s iPhone is the Uber Driver’s Car, Color, TAG number, the Driver’s picture. Upon arrival at your destination, you finish the ride by “charging” the fare right to your credit card that you “registered” into your Personal Uber Account, linked to your iPhone. That means you don’t need the physical plastic card with you.
UBER App has a companion ο£ΏWatch App, which permits the Uber Rider to request a Driver directly from one’s ο£ΏWatch. Marilyn and I decided to go out to the Waterstone Resort Hotel for Happy Hour which is about a 2 mile trip from our Royal Palm apartment. So instead of driving our own Car, we summoned a Uber Driver using my ο£ΏWatch Uber App. The ride is about $4 each way; however, we save the $8 Valet and Tip cost, and the aggravation of getting our Car from the Garage. The Uber Drivers are terrific with modern, late-model, clean Cars.
UBER Local Statistics. Uber launched their system in south Florida June, 2014, and August for Broward and Palm Beach Counties. Over the represented 11 to 12 month period, Uber has logged over 1,000,000 safe Rides in Broward County. Miami-Dade county Drivers have delivered over 1,300,000 safe Rides and Palm Beach county has delivered 900,000 safe Rides. For the three south Florida Counties, the total safe rides equates to roughly (by data extrapolation) 3.3 Million Safe Rides in slightly less than 12 months, or 300,000 Rides per Month, or 10,000 Safe Rides every Day.
UBER Driver App is downloadable only to Approved Uber Drivers’ iPhones or Android device. Once the Uber Driver downloads the App, Drivers open the App, the UBER Driver-Partner system, for your first time use, directs you to Verify your Account, by providing the Driver’s ID and Password, the first time only, thereafter the Login is automated, when the App is launched.
Uber Partner App is specially designed only for UBER DRIVERS, not Uber Riders. The Uber Partner App is available by “Invitation Only” from the UBER’s Corporate site upon “approval.” This App is not available on Apple’s App store. This article is written from the perspective of the UBER Partner Driver.
UBER Driver Applicant passed: Screening, Background Checks, Auto Insurance verification, Clear Driving Record, Review of the Auto Registration, Uber’s approval of the Driver’s Vehicle ASE certification… When Uber verifies and approves the documentation, UBER issues a TEXT message directly to the Uber Driver’s iPhone, providing a Link to download the UBER PATNER App directly from UBER’s Corporate offices in California.
Uber Partner App. Once the UBER PARTNER Driver opens the App, UBER’s system requests the Driver to GO ONLINE. By a simple TAP on the blue GO ONLINE bar, the UBER System locates the Uber Driver, and the Uber Driver is displayed as an Available Car that UBER Riders will be able to visualize on their UBER App, within a several mile circle around the Uber Rider looking for a Ride. If the Uber Driver is within several minutes of arrival to the Requesting Rider, the Closest Uber Driver is Notified of the rider’s hail.
Uber Driver App and Uber Rider App. The Uber Driver is hailed on his Driver App, the system makes a Request for the Driver to Accept the Rider’s request. If the Driver does not accept the rider’s hail in 60 seconds, the system looks for the next closest Uber Driver. Once a Driver accepts the rider’s request, the Rider can Visually see the Uber Driver’s map location, and tracks the driver’s route to the Rider using the iPhone’s GPS capability. As the Uber Driver arrives at the Rider’s location, the Uber Driver Taps the ARRIVED button on his App.
A notification is sent to the Rider, stating that the Driver has Arrived. Once the Uber Rider is identified by name and confirmed, the Uber Driver Taps a Button “Commence Ride to Destination.” Typically the Rider initially inputs the destination for the Ride. The Uber Driver’s App gives the Driver turn-by-turn directions to locate the Rider; Once the Ride begins, the Driver App gives turn-by-turn directions to the Driver, to the Rider’s Destination.
Uber Technologies Inc. is an American international transportation network company headquartered in San Francisco, California. It develops, markets and operates the Uber mobile app, which allows consumers with smartphones to submit a Ride request which is then routed to carefully screened and background checked Uber Drivers who use their own Cars that are annually Safety Inspected, with proper Insurance coverage. As of May 28, 2015, the service was available in 58 countries and 300 cities worldwide.
Safety is a top priority at Uber, which is why every driver-partner in Florida must undergo stringent local, state and federal background checks and every single trip is covered by a $1M commercial insurance policy, four times what taxis are required to have in the state of Florida
UberX Driver’s Gross Compensation Average $1.55/mile, however, net about $1.25/mile, as Uber’s share is 20% of the Driver’s gross. On average for short Rides of 4 to 10 miles the Rider is charged about $2/mile for the Ride. The Uber Driver receives 80% of $2/mile or $1.60/mile driven. For longer destinations of 25 to 50 miles the Rider pays roughly $1.20/mile. UberXL Drivers earn roughly twice that of UberX. See Fee Charts for details.
UberX Driver’s Net-Net $1.00/mile including Fuel Cost, but no maintenance costs are accounted for. Detailing my particular scenario, my Honda Crosstour consumes roughly 15Β’/mile for Fuel only. Since we already own the Car in Warranty, Insurance, Licenses, and giving no deductions for Tires, Wear and Tear, if I net from Uber $1.25/mile and my fuel cost is 15Β’/mile, then we’re receiving about $1.10/mile net of Fuel cost; lets round down another 10Β’/mile for down-time, to $1.00/mile. Simple, Drive 125 miles/Day (assume 5-hour Driving Day) and earn supplemental income of $125/Day, not accounting for Auto Maintenance or Tires.
Personal Opinion. If you already own a late model UberX qualified car, and want to earn some supplemental income, using your spare time to be a Uber Driver to earn some extra Cash, UBER may be something to consider. However, to buy or lease a vehicle, obtain insurance, maintenance, license tags, etc, Earning $1.00/mile makes no sense whatsoever, IMHO.
UBER Partner App. If you want to GO ONLINE as a Uber Driver AVAILABLE to be Hailed by a requesting Rider, DRIVERS simply open the App, TAP onto the blue GO ONLINE Bar, then the System confirms your Location, and the Driver is Live and OnLine for all potential Uber App Riders to “see.” The beautiful part of the Uber System is the requesting Rider waits only several minutes for an available Uber Driver.
Uber Busy times are from 7am to 11am, and 4pm to 7pm in the evening, plus 9pm to 11:30pm on weekends.
UberX is an inexpensive Ride. The cost of the Ride is automated by the UBER System, and is determined by the type of CAR, the Miles Driven, and the Time of the Trip, and Tolls if any. Everything about the RIDE transaction is Automated, including your Payment when you Arrive at your destination. No Cash needed, except if you want to TIP the Driver, which is not necessary, however appreciated.
Uber, upon arrival at your destination your UBER Private Driver, with his iPhone Uber Partner App, slides the ARRIVAL button to the Right, indicating the trip is complete, the FARE is Computed and displayed the RIDER’s iPhone. The Uber Rider confirms the Charge, selects Five Stars βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ {hopefully} and the Rider, is Good to exit the Car, collecting their possessions, luggage, etc. The Driver should make sure all the Rider’s possessions are collected before departing.
Uber Experiences. The Uber Ride is really surprisingly nice. The Uber Partner’s Cars are super clean, odor free, late-model fully inspected vehicles, plus the Uber Drivers are motivated to give great service, as there is a βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ, 5-Star rating offered by the Passengers when they Pay; and similarly a 5-Star rating by the Uber-Driver is awarded to the Passenger.
Personally, I was surprised with the quality of the Uber Passengers, FAU students, Private School Students, Folks traveling to Italy needing a Ride to the Airport, Apartment dwellers in the City of Boca Raton, riding to Publix to grocery shop, a Housewife whose Car is at Service needing a Ride home because of a 2-Day repair, a Restaurant manager Riding home for a mid-day nap between shifts, a disabled businessman needing a ride to a Client’s office…
Uber Rides are roughly 25% to 30% less expensive than a typical TAXI Commercial services, plus the Uber RIDE arrives for the pickup within 2 to 5 minutes, where a TAXI may arrive in 20 to 25 minutes, or not arrive at all. These estimates were offered by my Uber Riders when I “interviewed” each for this article.
UBER’s system is a very efficient and provides an easy method to connect to Your own Personal Driver, hailing a Ride, and payment in a CASH-less environment with your Credit Card. Tipping is not required, however, Uber Drivers may accept cash tips.
UBER cities. There are hundreds of Uber Cities that provides this service. If you’re looking for, and need a private driver, you can find one with the UBER App. The Uber App will locate and request a Uber Driver as well as let the Uber Driver know exactly where you are located to pick you up.
Uber Riders. You’re able to pinpoint a location of the Uber Driver, so there is no wasted time for the Driver looking to find you. Upon arrival at your destination, you finish the ride by “charging” the fare right to your credit card that you “registered” into your Personal Uber Account, linked to your iPhone. That means you don’t need the physical plastic card with you.
Uber Riders will be emailed a detailed receipts, plus Riders and Drivers will each be able to view their history in their respective Apps.
Uber Riders. When it comes to requesting a Uber RIDE you may choose from three Cars: uberX (standard 4-door sedan), uberXL (6-seat SUV), and uber SELECT (high value Cars such as Mercedes, BMW or LEXUS). You’ll be able to view a Fare-Estimate, and if you received a “Promotion” Code, you may enter it. Uber Drivers register their Car[s], and based on the Vehicle ID Number, UBER determines whether your is uberX, uberXL or uberSELECT.
Uber App. We’ve found UBER system to be very simple and easy-to-navigate App. The App gives you all the details you need about hailing for the Ride, actually seeing your Uber Driver as he/she travels to your Location, and walks you through the entire process keeping you in the loop until you Arrive and 5-Star your Driver.
UBER Driver Background Checks. Every UBER Driver in the USA is thoroughly screened and background investigated with a multi-step process that includes County, State, Federal, and multi-State Criminal Background checks, that reach back in date, as far as the Driverβs State Law allows, plus ongoing review of the Uber Driversβ motor vehicle records throughout the UBER Driver’s time driving as a “Uber Partner.” In south Florida, Palm Beach County for example, requires that UBER Driver’s automobiles are Checked annually with a comprehensive 33-point inspection performed by an ASE Certified Technician.
UBER Driver. In effort to verify the facts in this article, I became a Uber Driver, submitted my personal information for UBER’s thorough background investigations that required about three weeks to complete. I also submitted my HONDA automobile inspected by a Certified ASE automotive mechanic, required annually, evidence of Automobile Insurance, a copy of the Vehicle’s Registration.
Riders should be impressed and comforted with the thoroughness of UBER’s investigative process for their Drivers. Uber Driver candidates may check a BOX that on the Investigative Reporting forms, such that the candidate receives all the investigative reporting results, that is discovered in the Public Records and the Criminal Background Checks. Roughly weekly for three weeks, I received email updates on UBER’s investigative process.
As a UBER Driver, giving a number of rides in south Florida, I had many conversations with the Riders, asking them if they liked the UBER experience, the time required for the Uber Driver to arrive, did they like the Drivers, did they like the Cars, the Price of the Ride, etc. In sum, all those that I’ve “interviewed” were thoroughly pleased with the entire UBER Experience, and were impressed with the Clean Cars, and the excellent Uber Drivers. BTW, the Washington Post conducted an extensive survey recently and determined that nearly 50% of the UBER Drivers have College Degrees.
UBER. Make good money driving as a Uber Partner, you may love it like the other 200,000 Uber Drivers world-wide. Get details with this link: https://partners.uber.com/drive/?invite_code=jamesw5755ue When you click onto this link, the image below is a copy of the Uber Form to begin your Enrollment process.
UBER Riders should be comforted with the extensive effort UBER employs to screen all their UBER Driver Partners initially and on an ongoing basis.
UBER has 162,037 Active Drivers in the US. The Washington Post completed an analysis that revealed in January, 2015 that the size of Uberβs Driver pool in the United States and the rapid rate at which itβs expanding, accounted for 162,037 Active Drivers that completed at least four or more trips for the service as of December, 2014. The number of new Uber drivers signing up has doubled every six months for the past two years.
Uber has grown into a tech giant valued by investors at more than $40 billion, and has become something of an economic Rorschach test. Some see in it the hopeful future of work in a digital age, where almost anyone with a car with a clear-background check, (or a home, or a service to offer) can be his own boss, choosing hours and determining income with a flexibility that makes other pursuits β like raising children or going back to school β more feasible.
Make great money driving with Uber, you may love it too. Get details with this link:
https://partners.uber.com/drive/?invite_code=jamesw5755ue
UBER App is compatible: iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPod touch (3rd generation and above), all iPads using iOS 5.0 through iOS 8.4
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