PROTESTAS

Family members in Guadalajara just notified me that there is a planned protesta by the taxistas today in the city against the Uber drivers.
Probably will make the airport even more problematic, as well as getting to and from the camioneras centrales, and as well as traffic in  general, around the city depending on where the protestors localize.

Ugh. I'm going to Guadalajara this afternoon. Hmmmm. Thanks for the warning.

Yes. Thank you.

I can understand why taxistas are upset about Uber,two of my neighbors own taxis and they paid big time fees to get their licenses,their taxis are immaculate.
It's one of the few jobs available to men over 40 in a country where age discrimination is so prevalent.
Do Uber drivers pay any license fees?

I can catch a cab in less than two minutes anytime of the day or night in Guadalajara.

Differnt country but my nephew took a uber to go to the airport in Paris. The uber driver fell asleep and flipped the car. They all came out ok but my nephew and his wife, missed the plane , there were no other seats available, lost 3 days of prepaid hotels as well. Uber reimbursed the trip to the airport...

viajero wrote:I can understand why taxistas are upset about Uber,two of my neighbors own taxis and they paid big time fees to get their licenses,their taxis are immaculate.
It's one of the few jobs available to men over 40 in a country where age discrimination is so prevalent.
Do Uber drivers pay any license fees?

I can catch a cab in less than two minutes anytime of the day or night in Guadalajara.

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I don't know if this is true, completely or even in part, but I was told by someone who should know, that the governor bought a lot ... 200?....of Uber vehicles. So of course there is no way Uber will be contained....money, money, money. And yes the taxistas and private taxi drivers who pay through the nose for everything are rightfully upset.

Thats what I thought too. Maybe this is Mexico's spin on Uber. lol

Uber is also investing in Self Driving cars. Long term not much job security in this company.

Z

What is a 'Self Driving' car?
Far as I knew Uber drivers drive their own cars.

Its a car that drives itself. Apple, Google, Uber and others are all working on it.

Yes. I had no idea they were being bought up like that. Very interesting.

Heard about the possible protests between Uber and Taxistas on the radio again as I was driving in. But on my simple route between Ajijic and Galerías via Lázaro Cárdenas, I saw nothing at all unusual, coming or going. Typical thick but not horrifying weekday traffic. If there were problems, it wasn't on my route. Nothing unusual approaching the airport either, in both directions at the times I was driving. Whatever protests there were must have been elsewhere.

The whole UBER versus Taxistas thing leaves me conflicted. I understand and sympathize with the Taxista's complaints, but I also appreciate the idea of UBER and the efficiencies and economies it represents for ride-seekers. Tough call.

I frankly think that in the long run Uber will be the only way to go with modifications so their price will go up.

brigitte wrote:I frankly think that in the long run Uber will be the only way to go ...

I agree. With the growing ubiquity of smart phones, it breaks the traditional taxi model (except maybe in some truly highly-trafficked, dense areas). The traditional taxi syndicate has to demand a level playing field from the government, then adopt the same technologies/efficiencies/economies, etc., or it's just a matter of time til they're dead. Change or die. It won't be the first time high-tech and new technologies have killed off old business models, not by a long shot.

Good article, and link. Thanks.

Rosa makes a good point regarding the gob leveling the playing field for the taxistas. However, I agree, the UBER business model is the future and smart taxistas should make the switch.

Robot taxis are being tested in Japan. No drivers at all.

Does anyone think that the majority of Mexicans, those that use busses, care what uber does?

I guess the main protest routes were Gonzales Gallo, Vallarta, Lopez Mateos, and I forget which else, if any. I saw a couple of photos. I got lucky on my trip to Guadalajara going and returning, because I had no idea where they would be. Traffic was all messed up in the areas it took place, leading to a mass disruption in el centro.

Not surprisingly, it was a mess, therefore there was trouble. UBER wins the public relations award, that's for sure.

mattoleriver wrote:Taxi protest news report.
http://laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=2407415&CategoryId=14091

The story says in part:
Merchants responded by throwing stones and other objects at the taxi drivers, media reports said.


Mexicans stop border patrol and policia vehicles on both sides of the border with caltrops and I forecast the taxistas will do the same to uber drivers.

Ojalero wrote:Does anyone think that the majority of Mexicans, those that use busses, care what uber does?

Maybe not the majority of Mexicans, so you have a point, but do you have any idea how many taxis and taxistas there are between Tijuana and Chetumal and all points between that fear the spread of Uber?

slainte39 wrote:

Ojalero wrote:Does anyone think that the majority of Mexicans, those that use busses, care what uber does?

Maybe not the majority of Mexicans, so you have a point, but do you have any idea how many taxis and taxistas there are between Tijuana and Chetumal and all points between that fear the spread of Uber?

Oh yes I do and I support the taxistas all the way. Uber is bad news for everybody. Thousands upon thousands of taxis exist ready to serve those without smart phones and or credit cards in the remotest of places, packing each seat much like a pesero/colectivo/combi does to save the populace money. They are the cheapest of thrill rides a gringo can enjoy and uber might   make that less of a stress on the monied with their reporting of the driver's performance after each ride. I ramble as the uber thing makes my blood boil for the working folks, the taxistas of Mexico.