Comments on: Houston’s Taxis Uber-Concerned About Ride-Sharing Apps

By: Kyle Nazario

Kyle Nazario — Mon, 21 Jul 2024 15:31:45 +0000

Thanks for the feedback, Huwy. A few points:

1. You seem to have confused us, Free Press Houston, with the Houston Press. An understandable mistake, given the similar names and that we cover the same beat.

2. The handicap issue was debated at length in the city council meeting. I omitted mentioning it in the story because it’s overblown, honestly. Taxicabs will still exist alongside Uber and Lyft. Even if they don’t, METROLift exists. See:

http://www.ridemetro.org/Services/Lift/WhatHow.aspx

3. The barrier to becoming a taxi driver is at least as great. Read the city code (Chapter 46, Article II) for taxi cabs. Besides, isn’t it better to give disadvantaged citizens more companies and more options for work?

4. Area of service was debated at great length in the city council meeting. No one offered conclusive proof that Uber does service low-income areas worse than taxis. I can’t write that and say it’s a fact without some kind of proof.

5. Because taxi drivers never misbehave, right?
https://www.google.com/search?q=taxi+driver+rape&oq=taxi+driver+rape&aqs=chrome..69i57.4052j0j4&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=91&ie=UTF-8

Besides, the city’s proposed regulations would make it a lot easier to track Uber drivers. Isn’t that a good thing?

By: Kyle Nazario

Kyle Nazario — Mon, 21 Jul 2024 15:17:43 +0000

Thanks for the pointer, Huwy. We should have disclosed that Uber was an FPSF sponsor this year.

That said, advertisers did not dictate the content, tone or viewpoints in this story.

By: Huwy Feildman

Huwy Feildman — Fri, 18 Jul 2024 03:21:41 +0000

How much advertisement has Uber and Lift done with Free Press lately?…. Uber was a sponsor of FPSF…. Can you really believe anything this article said based on the business arrangements between Uber and Free Press?

By: Huwy Feildman

Huwy Feildman — Fri, 18 Jul 2024 03:17:15 +0000

Houston Press, your better than this, don’t misinform the public because someone is “cooler”.
This article doesn’t mention the flaws of Uber and Lift. It currently doesn’t serve the needs of the handicap, and city council has put a “suggested time line” of 5% of vehicles to be out fitted in 5 years to meet the needed of the handicap. We all know that’s not going to happen, because Uber doesn’t own any vehicle, they are a techno company.
They also don’t serve the disadvantaged communities in 2 ways. Taxi drivers with little resources and low educational back ground can easily obtain a permit and start earning money without much of an investment. Uber and Lift you must own your car that is 7 years old or less, quit an investment to many low income people. Based on their app system, they also don’t serve low income communities very well. Low income people are the ones of the most need of a vehicle service.
Their vehicles are not marked like taxis, if for any reason they commit a crime (like hit and run) it would it more difficult to track them down. Their background check is a joke… You’re going to leave a security issue to a business instead of a government entity, which will lead into all kind of future problems like terrorism, rape among many more issues.
Uber and Lift have already pushed out competition in many cities. The people that will be affected the most will be the poor and handicapped if Houston allows Uber and Lift to do business here. In that way…. Uber is not cool!

By: Matt Pursley

Matt Pursley — Thu, 17 Jul 2024 17:08:28 +0000

I am an avid Uber user and absolutely hate Taxi's. What never seems to be mentioned is the fact that taxi's always want to go around the law by only accepting cash. I have had many taxi rides in the past where driver's would become angry and irrate when trying to pay with a credit card. I have had other experiences where a cab would not pick me up simply because I was an individual and it was not worth their time. I have never had a single issue with Uber. Taxi's are just pissed because now they have a competitor who is all around superior to them.