Uber in Amsterdam
 

We visited Amsterdam 3 times last year and used Uber instead of taxis throughout our stays except when my cellphone died. Our taxi fare from the airport to downtown was around €50 plus tip but with Uber it was only €26! Of course uber prices fluctuate according to supply and demand but at least we knew each time how much it would cost and could decide beforehand.

We now live in San Francisco, the birth place of Uber, where Uber has been so successful that I was told that only 5% of local residents use taxis. WHY? Because Uber cars will come to pick you up (TREMENDOUS CONVENIENCE) and the prices are shown before you decide to order the car to pick you up (NO SURPRISE in pricing) and NO TIPPING. Uber drivers tend to be nicer and more personable than the average taxi drivers because passengers rate get to rate their experience & driver after the ride. Even if I have to pay more I still prefer to take an Uber car than a taxi. The last benefit is not to have to carry cash. What do you all think?

Having been in San Francisco years ago where we were told the "number of taxis is strictly controlled" I can understand why some alternative service would have arisen. What I would hope occurs is that competition would improve the competitors. Has it? If the answer is "no" then something has obviously happened to the long-held Economics adage or some force, or forces, are at work.

As to taxis and cash? Taxis I take accept credit cards.

I carry no cash. And no tipping in Amsterdam. Cheaper can appeal to me though.
but what about insurance of Uber 'taxis' ?

Thankyou for your Uber advert. I am not sure what else this post is. Do you work for them?

You could have taken the train, and used trams for less.

Why deprive people who have worked to get certified, and are fully insured and licensed, of work just to save a few euro?
No need to tip a taxi driver in Amsterdam either.

WoinParis,

I recently started a thread about Uber on the assumption that what is driving its appeal is its costs IOW because "it is cheaper."

I was pretty much told that the cost is not the main thing which appeals to people but rather the convenience.

Now, that said, if I were arriving at the airport in Amsterdam and wanted "convenient" I would certainly NOT wait for some Uber to drive up when I could walk out and get a taxi which <B>is already there</B> or drop down and take the train into town and cheaper than that convenient cab.

IN Amsterdam perhaps Uber is more convenient than trying to get a regular taxi. I don't know because I have in the past usually walked or taken a tram.

But, as most people on that thread I started plainly stated that it wasn't "cheaper" that attracted them to Uber who am I to disagree?

In Amsterdam almost everyone bikes for their ultra-local transport needs. Taxis have been a shambles since forever: sometimes very violent drivers, endless industry disputes, questionable licensing practices. And a government that can't make up its mind between strict regulation and a free market for taxis. Taxi fares are insanely high.

However, there are many taxi outfits who flip their cars between their regular taxi service and Uber. Often, Uber isn't cheaper of course.

I'm checking at the moment and for a journey Dam - Schiphol I see UberX for about 30 euros, Uber Black for about 55, and an Uber Van for about 75.

Fixed fare Amsterdam - Schiphol by regular taxi is around 50 euros

boring.... all been discussed before.
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-amsterdam.cfm

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...etherlands.cfm

So Uber is legal in Amsterdam now?

I live in San Diego where cabs seriously suck, drivers never know addresses, and they are expensive. So we have embraced Uber and Lyft here. I lived in San Francisco for a long time and I don't understand the comment "Uber cars will come to pick you up." In my years in San Francisco, we called cabs and they came to pick us up. Has something changed?

Not one thing in the OP is a convincing argument to use uber . . . Who tips cab drivers in Amsterdam . . Oh, yes, people from California who tip everyone. With the easy availability of trams and taxis in A'dam I don't see any benefit to uber. I do understand the attraction in San Francisco . . . But not Amsterdam.

After reading the dutch news on a taxi driver who tried to rip off passengers at Schiphol, I come to appreciate Uber system for their no direct cash payment to the drivers:
http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archive...am-hotel-trip/

Another great feature I like is the fact that I was able to remotely order an Uber car for my older aunt who asked for help because she couldn't get a taxi. I sent an uber car using the app from my workplace and informed her the uber driver's name,car make, color and registration plate that's coming to pick her up. I get the Uber bill and route description as soon as she was dropped off at her destination. There is a sense of security with that kind of real time tracking which is absent in the old taxi system. She told me it was like having her own private driver picking her up.

Hetismij2: I don't work for Uber, but I use it daily in San Francisco where the demand is so high that I often get rides from Uber drivers who who used to be taxi drivers. They understand that the old fashioned concept of taxi hailing/chasing is over, people want to be picked up and know the prices/options upfront.

Janis. I never fully appreciated the benefits of Uber until someone taught me how to use it. I don't know if you have. I remember when my parents used to say that they would never need a smart phone until they own their very own.

I do however agree with your good suggestion on taking the tram, which I often do on my own besides walking/running for exercise, but my wife really dislikes taking the metro/tram and strongly prefers a door to door transportation. So to accomodate her, I almost always use uber or taxi when I travel with her.

I don't see the comparison between a cellphone and Uber.
When I call my taxi I can send it wherever I want.
When I pay I pay plastic and I could register on line and pay on line.
All this with old taxis who give a training to their drivers and insure them.
Of course you'll find horror stories about taxis but I suppose I could find about Uber.
You prefer Uber.
I don't.

The trick seems to be to say the taxi meter is not working. If that was the case I would not be using a taxi anywhere in the world.
The Chinese in that report were foolish to use the taxi. In the first place.
Maybe we should look up the attacks on UBER passengers world wide? I bet we can all site one bad egg!
Yes certain levels of UBER are allowed. But they have to be professionals and to ensure they have correct insurance use blue registration plates on vehicles of any size.

I'm still waiting for an answer to my question as to whether of not the presence of Uber in San Francisco has actually improved the poor taxi services in that city.

Some horror stories ...

The first basically says that Uber drivers are racist.

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/284686

Then horror stories, most from the part of the driver, including rape, and a Uber driver who shot 6 persons... (must be in the US admittedly, not in Amsterdam).

http://www.therichest.com/rich-list/...-stories-ever/

Horror stories told by the drivers..
http://www.businessinsider.com/uber-...-man-any-day-1

And I only cliked on 2 links...

I'm sorry, but just because a cab driver is "licensed" does not preclude much of anything including murder, rape, "bad" driving and all the rest of it.

I'm not even sure licensure ever COULD absolutely prevent any of those things.

Now, vehicle insurance, etc., is another matter entirely.

There is more screening when hiring a taxi driver. The guy comes, is tested vetted etc. bad driving should therefore happen less with taxi drivers. It is their job.
Now I just wanted to post horror stories not to say who is worse.
And there are rapists who are not even taxi drivers.

I know that is some countries background checks are done on Licensed cab drivers. Which countries do what or how much could be found on the Interweb.
UBER= nothing.
I am all for a free and common market, but at the same time I want some regulations in place to "protect" me.
The so called sharing websites like UBER and ABnB are going beyond that sharing and are big business now.

I really hate Amsterdam taxi drivers. Everyone does. Fact is, they're freelancing as Uber drivers too: it's the same pool, so you run into the same people all the time.

Strange. The forum doesn't like Walt Disney for the moment. Or at least their oldest characters.

WoinParis,

"There is more screening when hiring a taxi driver. The guy comes, is tested vetted etc. bad driving should therefore happen less with taxi drivers."

I'm curious where you got your information. I know the French, particularly in Paris, have been highly critical of Uber but have yet to provide a viable report detailing the Uber vs. Taxi safety. I would be suspicious of any Parisian sponsored comparison as the taxi industry there has much to loose. However, anecdotal evidence of many cities throughout the globe would indicate Uber is usually cheaper, safer and offering better vehicles with better overall service.

PPAAS - Poor People As A Service.

Comes from long trips with a taxi company owner in south east france who explained how she does her job and what administrative shoot she has to deal with. And she gave more than anecdotal info on insurance compliance etc. I guess I could double check on Internet. But I don't think she is a liar and I know for sure that france loves papers.
Btw for the anecdote she is the taxi driver mrs Sarkosy uses when at cap negre.

My disdain for taxi drivers in Amsterdam was when I fell on a Jordan cobbled stone street and could barely walk (unbeknownst to me I broke my ankle). We flagged down so many taxis but none would take us back to our hotel because it's only a 5 minute ride so not worth the short taxi fare for them even after we told them I couldn't walk. That was the very first time I thought of using my uber app in Amsterdam.

Someone asked whether Uber drivers carry insurance to cover passengers which got me thinking. I asked one of the uber drivers in San Francisco and checked his answer online. I don't know how it is in Amsterdam but in the US, Uber provides the commercial insurance automatically up to $1 million per incident.
https://newsroom.uber.com/227972/

Melig, in Amsterdam, regular taxi drivers moonlight as Uber drivers. And yes, I share your disdain for taxi drivers. In Amsterdam, they're scum. Uber drivers are not much better. It's the same market, with the same hands on the steering wheel.

Let's wait tonight to see if not only taxi drivers, but the whole of Amsterdam is scum.

That's odd. I was always under the impression that taxi drivers in Amsterdam could not, by law or regulation, refuse a fare based upon a "short" distance.

Perhaps my understanding was incorrect or somebody didn't press the issue as they should have.

WoinParis, I don't know what your political preferences are. Turns out Amsterdam votes mostly left-liberal, the fascist vote is mainly a matter of the rural fringes. Rotterdam is split down the middle.

I think our right wing liberals and christian democrats are a bigger danger than is PVV. Or: PVV has infected the entire political discourse with its eliminationist and genocidal brand of politics.

LOL if you ask anybody from Rotterdam, the whole Amsterdam is............

Dukey, I didn't know that there's such a rule for taxis, they didn't seem to care at all that I was in pain.

Interesting to know that Rotterdam is split down the middle, I suppose because the demographic is also split down the middle?
From what I understand, Wilders has no chance of ever becoming PM as long as the big parties are not willing to form a coalition with PVV, except for Thierry Baudet of FVD. It seems that FVD is too small to be a kingmaker or am I wrong? Curious to see the results from today's election.

Menachem, the only reason why uber drivers would still pick up a very short the distance ride is because the passenger destination is not revealed until he/she is in the car. Often times my uber fare in San Francisco is only $3.99.

Melig. Interesting. That being said: Amsterdam taxi drivers are scum (Rotterdam drivers too, once, a taxi I was in, nearly crashed into a lamp post, because the driver (no local knowledge) was keying in the destination into his navigation unit)

Rotterdam is ahead of the rest of the country. You can see that in local elections: the city council is split down the middle too. I think it's going to be interesting to see to what extent the ethnic vote will be mobilised.
Rotterdam always was a social democrat stronghold, but that changed in 2002, with Pim Fortuyn. There too, the city was ahead of the big populist surge that came after.

My take: we'll have a very long formation, because 4 party coalitions will be too unstable. Rutte will probably be asked to form a government, but all attempts will fail. Then, after months of hand wringing and near successes, VVD, PVV and CDA will decide to form a government. And then we'll have a right wing - nativist governed country. I hope I'm wrong.

FvD is not going to be a factor, but is attempting to bypass parliament and the constitution with its plea to introduce binding, corrective referendums. Something the PVV is in favour of too, also to by-pass parliament in its drive to "de-islamize" The Netherlands.

Thierry Baudet was on TV a few nights ago, stating that it was clear that a "homeopathic dilution" was taking place of "the Dutch people", because of an "invasion of foreigners". There were other politicians at the table: all silent. No one batted an eyelid.

Menachem my political views are easy.
Somebody who hates his neighbour is one step closer to joining SS verband.
PVV saying immigrants should be kept away or Donald finding Mexicans rapists.
One step towards gas chambers.

Yep, those are my feelings too.

Well, we got interesting results. Now, a far more interesting period has begun: the formation of a government. Bumpy months ahead: it won't be an easy or short process.

Ah, you must ask us Belgians.

We took what 500 days to form a government not so long ago ?

I remember that when Wallonia was thinking of becoming the 28th province of France and Vlanderen to join the Netherlands. I used to wonder if Brussels was planning to remain as the sole Belgian city as the capital of what's left of Belgium and Europe all by itself.

Menachem, you're spot on about Rotterdam's even split result btw the PVV & VVD but why the social democrat has become the biggest looser in the election. They messed up somewhere? The PvdA mayor of Rotterdam is still popular?

Flying to Amsterdam today, can't wait to talk about it all to my cousins in Amsterdam and Rotterdam.

Never.
We never thought of joining france except one party called RW an which makes about 2 pc of the population. and this party even says as article one in case Belgium explodes.as for Flemish they will never ever join Netherlands. Never.

Melig, there's lots to say about PvdA's unprecedented loss. A few observations

In 2012 they got many strategic votes from voters that wanted to prevent the VVD from forming a government. The result was the reverse of that intention. Both VVD and PvdA now lost heavily because of this (VVD minus 10 seats, PvdA minus 29)

Many voters feel themselves betrayed by a PvdA that is only nominally social democrat, but has in fact become a neoliberal proponent of free markets. They were seen as betraying their core values in a coalition with VVD, where they did the dirty work for VVD and were punished for it.

I also think PvdA lost its ethnic voter base. I believe this can be most clearly seen in Rotterdam and The Hague. Newcomer Denk scooped up many of those votes. In Rotterdam, Denk is now larger than PvdA, same in The Hague.

I wonder what this time in the wilderness will bring to the table for PvdA. My family are old socialists, way back in the 1920s and 1930s, the forerunner of PvdA, SDAP was an emancipation party for many Jews. PvdA drew from this heritage, and for a long time fulfilled the same role for people of Moroccan and Turkish descent. But it was also clear the PvdA shifted toward nativist discourse and policies under pressure from PVV.