Uber says personal vehicles, not taxis, are the real competition

CTVnews.ca
Nov. 3, 2015

Uber, the popular ride-sharing service, says it’s not competing with taxis.

It’s actually competing with your car.

Christopher Schafer, Public Policy Manager for Uber Canada, said as much in Ottawa today. He says new services, like car-pooling app uberPOOL, will make ride-sharing so affordable you won’t want to use your car.

"You want to talk about people in cities leading car-free or car-light lifestyles, either completely or more often, the only way you do it is by offering a product that can compete on cost with personal car ownership," Schafer told the audience at a local business luncheon.

Bold plans from a company that, technically, isn’t even legal in Ottawa. Scores of drivers have been fined for breaking the City’s taxi by-laws.

About 70 local cabbies protested outside the Canadian Museum of Nature, the venue for the luncheon. "We are here to tell the business community that these people are not following any of the country's laws," says Amrik Singh, local taxi union President.

Adding to Uber’s problems, at least one insurance company has revoked the policies of some drivers, saying personal insurance isn’t enough for someone who’s driving on the job.

Undaunted, Uber is actively taking part in Ottawa’s current review of the taxi and limousine industry. Schafer says Uber is prepared to negotiate a regulatory fee to operate legally. “This is a policy, a political issue that needs to be dealt with,” he says.

Schafer points out that Uber is now operating in over 320 cities world-wide.

With its plans for continued expansion and new services, it might not be just taxi drivers who need to worry about Uber. Car dealers might start to wonder as well.