Uber and Lyft drivers

[barbara]

http://www.businessinsider.com/san-f...icenses-2016-4



I'm not sure I understand how Uber and Lyft operates. Don't we make taxi cabs get business licenses? Wouldn't that be comparable?

[nailer]

The government makes cab drivers get a license.

Not yet.

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by nailer

The government makes cab drivers get a license.

Not yet.

Yeah they do.

https://www.sfmta.com/services/taxi-...me-taxi-driver

As to the business license, perfectly appropriate. Uber and Lyft drivers are all independent contractors. As such each individual driver is running his own little business.

[icenine]

I remember back in 1985 seeing black conservative Walter Williams speak at Ohio University. Although most of us students totally disagreed with him when he spoke about the minimum wage (he was not for it of course) he mentioned how poor people were actually hurt by the way the local city governments held a monopoly over just what company could provide cabs and who could drive a cab legally. In short city governments keep the number set at a certain amount and charge thousands of dollars for the medallion (or permit to taxi people) that cab drivers display on their cars. If you are a gypsy cab and get caught you face penalties. Williams was suggesting there should be no law against letting poor people charge money to give people rides.

So that is basically what Uber is doing. I have to say that in this case I find the universal monopoly of cab services sort of distasteful but it appears to be worldwide. In Paris they do this, and in my wife's country they do for the jeepneys and the motorcycle side-car taxis, or trikes.

Here is a good article about LA:
http://www.latimes.com/local/califor...120-story.html

[barbara]

So..... If they have a business license, does that mean they have passed some kind of background check?
How do you know if an Uber driver isn't some sort of maniac?

For that matter, how does one know that the cab driver isn't some sort of maniac?

[whell]

Originally Posted by barbara

So..... If they have a business license, does that mean they have passed some kind of background check?
How do you know if an Uber driver isn't some sort of maniac?

For that matter, how does one know that the cab driver isn't some sort of maniac?

Uber drivers must pass a background check pre-hire. Applicants may be rejected if any of the following pop in the background check:

• DUI or drug-related offenses.
• Incidents of driving without insurance or license.
• Fatal accidents
• History of reckless driving.
• Criminal conviction history

[nailer]

Originally Posted by barbara

So..... If they have a business license, does that mean they have passed some kind of background check?
How do you know if an Uber driver isn't some sort of maniac?

For that matter, how does one know that the cab driver isn't some sort of maniac?

Ever see Taxi Driver?

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by whell

Uber drivers must pass a background check pre-hire. Applicants may be rejected if any of the following pop in the background check:

• DUI or drug-related offenses.
• Incidents of driving without insurance or license.
• Fatal accidents
• History of reckless driving.
• Criminal conviction history

There are similar requirements for a taxi license and required training programs.

[barbara]

Thanks for the information.