How The Uber Economy Can Become A Race To The Bottom

[Stratego]

[Southern Dad]

[Professor]

As was stated before, if a company can provide better service for lower prices, then they should have an edge.

Of course it will have an impact upon taxi companies in all respects - profitability, survivability, and wages.

[Stratego]

It's going to lower the wage of taxi drivers or the number of taxi drivers, but it's not going to lower the aggregated wage of drivers. Uber drivers make more per transaction than taxi drivers. If you drive for Uber in SF you'd make a median wage of $75k vs. $50k for taxi ($40k plus tip)

[Southern Dad]

I see no love lost for taxi drivers. If they can't compete against unlicensed and unregulated competition, their loss. Does this apply in other fields? What if someone wants to start a haircutting club model across the USA? Unlicensed and unregulated beauticians, who avoid those rules through a loophole, call it hair care sharing. Personally, I'm finding this conversation to go at an odd angle. Generally, those on the left are very supportive of higher wages, not wage cuts and job losses. Normally, the left support union (many cabbies are union). But in this field it seems to be, "if they can't compete, screw them" attitude.

[Professor]

[Stratego]

[Southern Dad]

[Stratego]

I defer you back to my post about how Uber drivers make more than taxi drivers.

Trying to preserve the taxi industry is what's going to suppress wages.

[Southern Dad]