Topic: Montreal company launches first all-electric taxi fleet in Canada

[Autos_Editor]

Pilot project set to run to late 2017
Read More...

[Noto]

The subtext here is that the truly lovely city of Montreal can be positively frigid between December and March, and cars used as taxis will take a lot of crap from drivers and passengersNo-san's bachelor party in February.

^^Fixed. 

It's nice to see investors doing something that benefits society.

[Cord]

So will current taxi drivers protest this upstart's arrival as with Uber?

[Noto]

I didn't even realize that this was a new Taxi company - I thought the 'upstart' was just providing the cars.  Interesting...that'll be good.

...and yes, all should hate Uber.

[PJ]

Wonder how they will manage?

The reason most taxis are Priuss (sp?) is the huge miles they drive everyday.  Electric cars are known for how little they can drive each day.  Multiple cars per driver?

[mixmanmash]

Wonder how they will manage?

The reason most taxis are Priuss (sp?) is the huge miles they drive everyday.  Electric cars are known for how little they can drive each day.  Multiple cars per driver?

DC Fast charging.  The Tesla's should do just fine.

[mixmanmash]

I didn't even realize that this was a new Taxi company - I thought the 'upstart' was just providing the cars.  Interesting...that'll be good.

...and yes, all should hate Uber.

Why the hate on Uber?  I've used the service twice.  Certainly more cost effective than a taxi service.  IMHO, taxi companies hate it along with municipalities simply because the municipalities make a ton of money off the taxi plates (license to operate a taxi) and the taxi companies are in cahoots together and with the city.  They all charge the same rates.  Not much competition there if you ask me.

[rrocket]

...and yes, all should hate Uber.

I don't hate Uber.  I hate the cartel of taxi license holders who run the scam.  Pay $50 (or whatever) for a taxi license and rent it for thousands upon thousands yearly.  Plus collusion between taxi companies.

It's their fault Uber exists.  So f-them.

[Blueprint]

So will current taxi drivers protest this upstart's arrival as with Uber?

No, TEO has regular taxi licences.

[Blueprint]

...and yes, all should hate Uber.

I don't hate Uber.  I hate the cartel of taxi license holders who run the scam.  Pay $50 (or whatever) for a taxi license and rent it for thousands upon thousands yearly.  Plus collusion between taxi companies.

It's their fault Uber exists.  So f-them.

Licences are around 120,000$ btw, so now you'll understand why cabbies hate Uber so much...

[rrocket]

...and yes, all should hate Uber.

I don't hate Uber.  I hate the cartel of taxi license holders who run the scam.  Pay $50 (or whatever) for a taxi license and rent it for thousands upon thousands yearly.  Plus collusion between taxi companies.

It's their fault Uber exists.  So f-them.

Licences are around 120,000$ btw, so now you'll understand why cabbies hate Uber so much...

That's the gouging the taxi license owners charge.  It costs ~$5K for a license in Toronto.  In turn, these are rented out/sold at about $150K+ a year. 

[mixmanmash]

...and yes, all should hate Uber.

I don't hate Uber.  I hate the cartel of taxi license holders who run the scam.  Pay $50 (or whatever) for a taxi license and rent it for thousands upon thousands yearly.  Plus collusion between taxi companies.

It's their fault Uber exists.  So f-them.

Licences are around 120,000$ btw, so now you'll understand why cabbies hate Uber so much...

That's the gouging the taxi license owners charge.  It costs ~$5K for a license in Toronto.  In turn, these are rented out/sold at about $150K+ a year.

Same sort of deal here in Edmonton.  It's a scam.

[SKYMTL]

Being a Montrealer, I heard an on-air conversation the other day which cemented my thoughts about the corruption in the taxi industry. 

The host was interviewing a taxi license holder who is renting out a pair of licenses.  The dude was beside himself in anger because Uber was essentially putting his RETIREMENT POLICY (those two licenses that he's gouging for) in jeopardy.  The host didn't even know what to say. 

The protests against Uber and other upstarts (there was even some grumbling about Teo as they're backed by an equity firm that bought new licenses at a huge discount) have nothing to do with the unions.  The drivers and taxi unions are just playing the patsy for folks and shell companies who continually take advantage of desperate individuals by charging obscene amounts of money for these licenses. 

[PJ]

Wonder how they will manage?

The reason most taxis are Priuss (sp?) is the huge miles they drive everyday.  Electric cars are known for how little they can drive each day.  Multiple cars per driver?

DC Fast charging.  The Tesla's should do just fine.

Fast charging reduces the life of the battery.  Not a big deal to the average owner who only does it occasionally but it could really be a problem for a taxi.

[Noto]

Why the hate on Uber?

I don't give a rat's as$ about the licencing requirements.

I care a lot about nomenclature usage to side-step regulations set in place for consumer protection.  I've used Uber once and it was the worst 'taxi' experience of my life.  The car was no cleaner, smelled worse, the driver was a hack, and it took me >2 hours to get from YEG to downtown AT NIGHT.

Was he a poor example of Uber?  100%.  Are all drivers like that?  Heck no.  But the fact that he can slip through the cracks is what bugs me.  A lot.  Licences aside, if Uber prescribed completely to all regulations that are in place over taxis, I'd have no reason to hate it.

Until then,

[PJ]

Why the hate on Uber?

I don't give a rat's as$ about the licencing requirements.

I care a lot about nomenclature usage to side-step regulations set in place for consumer protection.  I've used Uber once and it was the worst 'taxi' experience of my life.  The car was no cleaner, smelled worse, the driver was a hack, and it took me >2 hours to get from YEG to downtown AT NIGHT.

Was he a poor example of Uber?  100%.  Are all drivers like that?  Heck no.  But the fact that he can slip through the cracks is what bugs me.  A lot.  Licences aside, if Uber prescribed completely to all regulations that are in place over taxis, I'd have no reason to hate it.

Until then,

The current system and regulations are completely out of date and based more on back room deals and large donations to politicians then they are on safety or effective business practice. 

It would make no sense for Uber to follow these.  Nothing would get better.  In the end a wholesale change is coming in this industry. 

[Noto]

The current system and regulations are completely out of date and based more on back room deals and large donations to politicians then they are on safety or effective business practice. 

It would make no sense for Uber to follow these.  Nothing would get better.  In the end a wholesale change is coming in this industry.

It would make no sense for Uber to require background, maintenance, and/or insurance checks?  It would make no sense for each UberX driver to provide proof of commercial insurance as opposed to personal insurance?



http://www.whosdrivingyou.org/rideshare-incidents

Deaths from Uber and Lyft Accidents

Lyft facing a wrongful death lawsuit after one of its drivers allegedly struck and killed Miami motorcyclist (11/19/15)
Woman Dies After Being Run Over by the Rear Wheel of an Uber Vehicle in Columbus, OH  (8/28/15)
Manhattan Uber Driver Strikes and Kills Pedestrian (3/10/15)
Seven-Year-Old San Francisco Girl Struck and Killed by Uber Driver; Uber Denies Responsibility (5/7/14)
Alleged Assaults by Uber and Lyft Drivers

Woman Allegedly Punched in the Face and Racially Abused by her Uber Driver in Addiscombe, South London, UK (11/30/15)
Passenger Hit in the Face by Uber Driver in Indianapolis (11/20/15)
Australian Woman Allegedly Attacked by her Uber Driver Suffers a Broken Leg and Blood Clot from the Ordeal (9/8/15)
A Los Angeles Woman Says Her Uber Driver Threw Her onto the Street (6/4/15)
Denver Uber Driver Allegedly Drove Woman to Airport, then Went Back to Rob Her Home (4/1/15)
Hiring a Lyft: Uber Safe or Uber Dangerous? (3/18/15)
Boston Uber Driver Charged with Indecent Assault and Battery (2/9/15)
Alleged Assault by Chicago Uber Driver (12/10/14)
San Francisco Passenger Struck In Head with Hammer by UberX Driver (9/30/14)
Uber Driver Pulls Gun on Valet in Atlanta (9/8/14)
Philadelphia Uber Driver Beat Model, Pushed Earring through Skin in Traffic Jam (7/14/14)
Uber Driver Punches Passenger in Oklahoma (6/3/14)
Lyft Driver Attacks Pedestrian in San Francisco (1/14/14)
San Francisco Uber Customer Claims Abuse and Assault by Uber Driver (11/25/13)
Lyft Driver Brandishes Knife in Los Angeles (10/29/13)
Writer and Activist Reports Being Choked in DC; Uber Denies the Event and Responsibility (9/16/13)
Uber Customer Sues for $2M over Alleged Driver Stabbing in DC (9/8/13)
DC Uber Driver Allegedly Assaults Passenger for Burping (3/8/13)
Alleged Sexual Assaults and Harassment Incidents by Uber and Lyft Drivers

Kansas City, MO, Police Report 7 Sexual Assaults by Ride-hailing Drivers Since 2014 (11/23/15)
Los Angeles Uber Driver Accused of Sexual Battery after Allegedly Groping USC Student (11/22/15)
Uber Driver Accused of Sexually Assaulting a Passenger in Denver, CO (11/19/15)
Lyft Driver Held at $1 Million Bond After Allegedly Raping Passenger in Dallas, TX (11/16/15)
Austin, TX Police Investigating 7 Cases of Alleged Sexual Assault by Uber, Lyft Drivers (11/13/15)
British Uber Driver Gets 8 Months in Jail For Sexually Assaulting a Passenger (11/5/15)
Lyft and Lyft Driver Sued by San Diego Passenger for Alleged Sexual Battery, Gender Violence, Civil Rights Violations and Negligence (10/30/15)
‘Ridesharing’ Driver Charged with Allegedly Raping a British Tourist in Sydney, Australia (10/22/15)
Community Advocacy Director at Austin, Texas Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Prevention and Counseling Nonprofit SafePlace Testifies the Organization Has Counseled 4 Victims of Sexual Assault by TNC Drivers in 3 Months (10/16/15)
Uber Driver Sought for Alleged Sexual Assault in Toronto in June, 2015 (9/25/15)
Toronto Uber Driver Accused of Sexually Assaulting a Passenger in His Vehicle (9/17/15)
Woman in Ohio Allegedly Sexually Assaulted by Uber Driver (9/10/15)
Uber Driver in New Jersey Accused of Raping a Female Customer (8/28/15)
An Uber Driver in China Charged with Robbery and Rape (8/26/15)
Philadelphia Uber Driver Accused of Rape in June Loses Bail Request (8/12/15)
Uber Driver Accused of Kidnapping and Raping a Female Passenger in South Carolina (8/12/15)
Uber Driver Charged with Sexual Battery in Virginia (8/6/15)
Uber Driver Accused of Sexual Assault in Dallas (8/1/15)
Uber Driver Allegedly Caught Masturbating In Front of Female Passenger in India (7/22/15)
Uber Driver Linked by DNA Evidence, Witness Accounts to Five Other Sexual Assaults in Boston between 2006 and 2010 (7/14/15)
Uber Driver in Chicago Allegedly Exposes Himself to a Female Passenger, Uber Admits He Should Have Failed Background Check (6/26/15)
Virginia Mother Alleges Uber Driver Molested Her 13-year-old Daughter (6/16/15)
Lyft Driver in Seattle Allegedly Drags Customer Behind Car After Demanding Sex (6/5/15)
Uber Driver in New Jersey Fondles Himself in Backseat with Female Passenger (6/3/15)
Uber New Delhi Molestation Case: Uber Cab Driver Suspended After He Molested Female Passenger in Gurgaon (6/1/15)
Mississauga, Canada, Uber driver is facing a charge of sexual assault after allegedly assaulting a female passenger (5/20/15)
University of Southern California Student Says Uber Driver Raped Her After Party (5/1/15)
New York Woman Says Uber Driver Grabbed, Assaulted Her (4/30/15)
Wisconsin Woman Tells Police Uber Driver Inappropriately Touched Her (4/27/15)
Houston Uber Driver Accused of Rape Started Work After 14 Years in Federal Prison (4/7/15)
Houston Uber Driver Accused of Sexually Assaulting Customer (4/2/15)
Uber Driver Arrested on Sexual Assault Charges in Paris (3/25/15)
Philadelphia Woman Says She Was Raped and Kidnapped by an UberX Driver (3/24/15)
Uber Driver Investigated After Alleged Sexual Assault in Mar Vista, California (2/3/15)
Chicago Uber Driver Charged with Sexual Assault, Unlawful Restraint and kidnapping of 21-year-old male passenger (1/14/15)
Uber Driver Arrested Over Alleged Sexual Assault in Melbourne, Australia (1/10/15)
London Uber Driver Asks Rider for Oral Sex (12/11/14)
Uber Driver in India Accused of Rape (12/8/14)
Orlando Uber Passenger Allegedly Touched by Uber Driver (9/25/14)
Three San Francisco Women Say Uber Driver Sexually Harassed Them (9/25/14)
DC Uber Driver Accused of Molesting Rider (7/28/14)
Uber Driver Charged with Fondling Passenger in Chicago (4/10/14)
New York-based Journalist Sexually Harassed and Stalked by Uber Driver (3/28/14)
DC Uber Driver Arrested for Alleged Rape but Not Charged Despite Strong Evidence (9/14/13)
“Rideshare” Driver Sends Seemingly Endless Amount of Creepy Text Messages to Rider (7/16/13)
Alleged Kidnappings by Uber Drivers

Philadelphia Woman Says She Was Raped and Kidnapped by an UberX Driver (3/24/15)
Uber Driver Takes NYC Woman on Nightmare $293 Zigzagging Odyssey (12/13/14)
Los Angeles Woman Claims Uber Driver Kidnapped Rider; Uber Claims “Inefficient Route” (10/14/14)
DC Uber Driver Takes Riders on High Speed Chase (7/9/14)
Driver Allegedly Kidnaps Drunk Woman in LA (6/3/14)
Felons Behind the Wheel

Boston Man Arrested for Allegedly Dragging Two Police Officers with his SUV had a Long History of Driving Offenses; Drove for Uber in Month Preceding Arrest (11/10/15)
California District Attorney Says Flaws in Uber’s Background-checking System Allowed 25 Drivers with Criminal Records (8/19/15)
8 California Uber Drivers with Extensive Criminal Histories (8/11/15)
Dallas Uber Driver Arrested for Sexual Assault Had Prior Conviction of Felony Weapons Possession (8/1/15)
ISIS Sympathizer/Uber Driver arrested by FBI in Miami (7/17/05)
Houston Uber Driver Accused of Rape Served 14 Years in Federal Prison (4/7/15)
Convicted Felon in California Passes Uber’s Background Check (4/24/14)
Chicago Felon Found Driving for Uber (2/14/14)
San Francisco Uber Driver Accused of Assault Had Served Prison Time for Felony (1/6/14)
Driver DUIs & Other Offenses

Uber Driver in Elsemere, KY, Accused of Returning to Passenger’s Home and Burglarizing It (12/1/15)
Passengers Allege Uber Driver Picked Them Up While Intoxicated in Santa Barbara, CA (11/25/15)
San Francisco Uber Driver Threatens to Rape and Kill Woman After She Cancels Her Ride (10/16/15)
Uber Driver Stopped in Chapel Hill has Three Warrants in North Carolina, including Assault with a Deadly Weapon (10/14/15)
Uber Driver Charged with Unlawful Restraint in Texas (9/27/15)
LA Uber Driver Used Gig As a Cover to Sell Drugs (8/21/15)
Arlington, Virginia Police Seeking Alleged Uber Driver in Assault (8/3/15)
Chicago Uber Driver Arrested for Threatening to Shoot Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Others (7/20/15)
UK Uber Driver Leaves Woman a Voicemail Threatening to “Cut Her Neck” after She Canceled a Ride (7/8/15)
Florida Man Faces 4th DUI while Working as an Uber Driver (6/6/15)
Qunnipiac University Student Assaulted in Presumed Uber Taxi (4/1/15)
Uber Driver in Denver Arrested After Attempting to Break into the Home of  a Passenger He Had Dropped Off at the Airport (3/31/15)
Imposters

Man Impersonating an Uber Driver Picks Up Woman in Portland (10/28/15)
Chicago Criminals Posing as Uber Drivers to Commit Robberies (9/22/15)
Fake Uber Driver Tried to “Lure” a Simmons College Student into a Vehicle in Boston (9/14/15)
Man Posing as an Uber Driver Picked Up Two College Students in Texas (9/7/15)
Man Posing as Uber Driver Arrested for Attempting to Abduct Tallahassee College Student (9/1/15)
Fake Uber Driver Picks Up a Couple in Kansas City (6/23/15)
Man Posing As Uber Driver Sought for Sexual Assault by D.C. Police (5/11/15)
False Uber Driver Sexually Assaults Passenger in Manhattan (5/11/15)
Uber Imposter Reported in Dallas (10/22/14)
Man Posing As Uber Driver Robs Atlanta Passenger (7/21/14)

[PJ]

Lol.  Simple little rules like the that are not what the taxi industry is worried about and can you imagine the length of the list if you searched for accidents, crimes, fraud, dangerous driving, etc involving taxi drivers. 

[Silverbird]

Not to break into the Uber discussion, but the fleet of vehicles seem like a problem given the Montreal environment:

Leaf and Soul:
Battery Range is short - In the non-climate control seasons best case 200 km of slogging through traffic at low speeds. (more like 150 if you can get up to speed on an expressway)
Winter time much worse, since I don't think a passenger is going to be happy with the heat turned down.  maybe 100 km.
Even with DC fast charge, it's (i seem to recall) 30 min to recharge.  so every 3-4 hours (or less) the taxi is forced out of service for 30 min - not even counting travel time and km back to the Chademo plug.

Tesla Model S
Range should be OK- can probably get through most of a shift and can probably get to a supercharger over lunch
The real concern however is the potholed nasty streets, the cost of bubbled tire sidewalls (and also bent rims) may negate any fuel savings.

I guess the real issue might be when the taxi has some range, but not enough for whatever the person next in the cab requires - A little different scenario than a cab that can take 5 min to get a tank of gas.

I like electrics and may get one for my next car, but they are best suited for planned / expected routes.