For those who don't know, the reason the Ride Sharing service is getting worse every day in Florida.
Before 2017, the companies Uber and Lyft worked hard to manage state-level regulation that would give them absolute power over this new business. This business model was something new and had many conflicts with the transportation regulations that exist in each city.
Uber and Lyft sold a speech that the government swallowed. These companies promoted the idea that this market would be beneficial to communities by offering
New transportation options
It would provide alternatives to generate economic profits
It would reduce the cases of accidents due to driving under the influence of alcohol
It would reach communities with problems accessing public transportation
They even mentioned that it would reduce combustion emissions, preventing many people from using their personal cars to get around.
During the Uber and Lyft battle, in search of a law that eliminates all types of obstacles, these companies turned to all drivers registered on their platform. They asked drivers to submit requests to their Legislators to pass HB221 of 2017.
But what was hidden behind all this management?
Everything was a deception with a purpose, to have the freedom to do and undo. Manage the market in their own way and for their own benefit. HB221 of 2017 was simply a tool that stripped all drivers of their rights and protections. They left us in limbo legally without any type of support. The result of his intentions is that
Uber, Lyft or any other company are not alternatives to generate profits. They are exploitative companies that take you and your resources and exploit you abusively, making those who work for them even poorer.
Accident cases have increased instead of decreased due to the saturation of drivers in the business. These companies have people driving without the required experience, with false documents, with false accounts, with false driver's licenses, without knowing the city and its streets, people driving irresponsibly, people addicted to drugs and alcohol, among others. . .
With the goal of reaching all communities, they simply saturate the market with drivers, trying to have availability in each area of the city. They want drivers who are online for hours without receiving trips just to cover remote areas.
Reduce combustion emissions, they never cared, because they put hundreds of drivers on the streets every day. They prevent people from using their cars, but at the same time they put a lot more cars on the road.
This shows that Uber, Lyft, InDrive or any other company does not care about creating a market of economic stability and profit for drivers. They have NO investment cost to put drivers on the streets, so it does not affect them. Having the streets saturated with drivers does not impact them economically at all, but it does impact 100% of the drivers who are already on the streets.
What these companies are doing is a total abuse against communities throughout the United States. By keeping their doors open indefinitely, constantly recruiting drivers, they are making people believe that there is a possibility of generating profits doing ride-sharing services. They don't put a limit on the number of drivers like they do in NYC because it's not in their interest. The power of manipulation and exploitation of these companies lies 100% in having a great availability of drivers. In this way, they can reduce the costs of what they pay progressively, because they know that eventually someone will grab what they offer because many do not know what they are doing. These companies take advantage of ignorance and need.
These companies do not care about offering a quality and safe service, but rather about quantity. If they focus on quality and safety, they would limit the numbers of drivers on the platform. They don't want that. They don't care about customer wait times. Not only that, but they don't care if what they charge is too high to the point of leaving no room for customers to tip.
How can we fix this whole mess and stop the abuse of these companies?
Many will disagree, but the market asks for it, not me. If it is not done this way, it will simply continue to get worse until there is a breaking point.
The first thing to fix this disaster is for the state of Florida to make an amendment to HB221 of 2017. The amendment must
Grant limited powers to the state's cities to regulate the Ride Sharing service.
Establish requirements at the state level that should not be managed by cities to avoid conflicts.
Once the amendment is made, each city must
Create a Ride Sharing license like taxis and limousines with an affordable cost of no more than $45 USD per year.
Require a car inspection annually or every 6 months depending on the year of the car with a cost of no more than $80 USD. At the same time, deliver an inspection certificate.
Perform a Tier II background check annually
Perform a drug test
Require Rideshare Endorsement on insurance policies and verify that drivers have current auto insurance.
Limit the number of active licenses in each city
Many people believe that only by protesting are we going to achieve changes in the Ride Sharing business. No company, absolutely none, is going to offer improvements to drivers by asking them, demanding it or imposing it. For what reason? Simple, RIDE SHARING DRIVERS HAVE NO LEGAL BACKUP OR LAWS THAT PROTECT US.
On several occasions I have heard drivers saying "What you have to do is go protest at the Uber office." My question is, why are Uber or Lyft going to pay you better? Why are you protesting at their door? Because you demand it? Firstly, for the pressure to work we must unite at least 60% of active drivers and that in MIAMI is impossible to achieve. In this city there is too much lack of empathy, we lack self-worth, we do not value our time properly, we do not know how to value our resources, and we do not give ourselves respect. We are brave and intelligent for many things, but for others we simply hide in a hole. The irrational fear of losing the privilege of driving for Uber or Lyft limits them from advocating for better treatment. Well know that fear does not bring food to your house, fear does not pay your bills, fear does not deposit into your bank account.
Why are these regulations necessary?
Many of us know the level of irregularity that exists in this market with fake accounts, borrowed accounts, rented accounts, people without documents driving, people without insurance driving, people with a criminal history driving, etc. For me, this only has one meaning, and it is called RISKS. Risks that the Progressive Commercial Auto Insurance company measures when imposing a commercial insurance cost. Commercial Insurance that we drivers pay for, not Uber, Lyft or any other company. That's why they don't give a damn, because they don't pay for it.
Uber, Lyft and other companies allow irregularities and chaos, profiting from everything, the good, and the bad. When something bad creates a problem for them, they solve it easily, with money. As long as the chaos doesn't cause issues, everything is fine.
Currently, the responsibility of verifying the drivers, the car insurance, the conditions of the cars, whether the drivers use drugs or not, whether the accounts are managed by the person who opened it, lies with each company. These companies do not control anything, they do not verify anything. They put the responsibility on the clients 100%. If a driver is not the owner of the account, they expect a customer to report it. If the car is not serviceable, they expect a customer to report it. If the person driving is using drugs, they expect a customer to report it. This lends itself to customers abusing the system and making fraudulent reports damaging drivers' jobs, but guess what, these companies don't care. That is why I believe that these responsibilities should pass into the hands of government entities.
Many people comment that if the government intervenes, everything will be lost. That everything they touch they screw up. I don't think this can be screwed up any more than it is. The idea of the state giving limited powers to each city is so that they are limited in what they can do. If you cannot understand that this is the only way this business can be improved, then we are more than screwed, and I recommend you go look for another job, because this is not going to improve.
Comments