Apparently Lyft is threatening to leave town due to new regulations. Would suck as Uber would have essentially no competition on rates. Why is this city so unfriendly to this business model when is seems to have been accepted across the country?


http://www.chron.com/news/transportation/article/Lyft-pulling-up-stakes-unless-paid-ride-rules-5856079.php

Months of debate and deliberation occurred for the ordinance and now they're complaining about this AFTER the ordinance passed?

Swahili cab lobby coming through to serve you!

we are supposed to be the most business friendly large city in the country yet we run off legitimate competition thanks to the ****ing yellow cab political hand outs.

http://advocacy.lyft.com/save-houston/?utm_medium=Email&utm_source=ExactTarget&utm_campaign=67806683
Tell these freedom hating *******s to back off

I prefer Uber anyway.

They're *****ing about an extra step in background checks? Seriously? That doesn't seem like a huge deal. Part of the selling point that both Uner and Lyft has always claimed is thier use of background checks. Complaining about this additional requirement makes me feel like they're trying to hide some known flaw in thier current background checking system.

An unknown flaw? They aren't a start up. Their model has worked successfully in dozens of other cities.

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we are supposed to be the most business friendly large city in the country

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That's only true of big businesses that can grease the palm. The city is very unfriendly to small businesses.

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An unknown flaw? They aren't a start up. Their model has worked successfully in dozens of other cities.

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Not an unknown flaw, a known flaw. Not even a flaw so much as something they gloss over and ignore. Ie. thier background check isn't as extensive or stringent as they claim and the additional check required would lead to the having to fire current drivers and/or deny new drivers.

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I prefer Uber anyway.

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Uber can raise prices without the competition now.

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An unknown flaw? They aren't a start up.

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A lot of businesses know where they have a gap in their system. The key is keeping those hidden if you can.

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The rules set to go into effect Tuesday include requirements that drivers present their vehicle for inspection, submit a warrant check and personal information to the city and undergo drug screening.
The companies already take many of these steps, but their procedures are not exactly the same. While the companies use online background checks, Houston requires applicants to use the state's fingerprint-based background check company. This was a sticking point for Lyft.
"We have found a more efficient way to do these things," said David Mack, Lyft's director of public affairs.
The drivers would face expensive drug tests and permits just to do something many consider a hobby or side job. Estrada said drivers consider the process onerous. "It treats them like a criminal first," Estrada said.
The city-required method would cost drivers about $62. Lyft covers the cost of its procedures when it approves drivers.
Both companies have defended their policies as in line with current best business practices, and many cities have agreed. Uber recently applauded new rules approved in Washington, D.C., that use seven years worth of background checks to verify drivers, compared to the taxi-industry standard of three years.

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There was a Freakonomics podcast about these type of sharing sites. Basically regulators can't stand them and are eager to shut them down. The whole podcast was a great example of how government regulation drives up costs as well as picks winners and losers. It's a great listen.

http://freakonomics.com/2014/09/04/regulate-this-a-new-freakonomics-radio-podcast/

They are falling back on this "hobby" defense too much IMHO. I don't think the public wants to hear about how not-serious Uber and Lyft employees are about their jobs.

Having a stoned hipster driving you around town is a real issue and kind of defeats the purpose of the whole thing.

If the $62 figure is a real number, I don't think that is unreasonable, even for someone doing this part-time. If it weeds out the complete riff-raff, so be it.

Agree with everything Diggity posted.

I am definitely a supporter of Uber, Lyft, etc. but do not agree with Lyft's position on this.

Any chance Cars2Go coming to Houston?

It seems to work well in Calgary. I think Austin has it.

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I prefer Uber anyway.

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Uber can raise prices without the competition now.

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No competition?? What about good old Yellow Cab?

Uber and cab could be a competitive market just the same as uber and lyft... so can't really complain about lyft leaving this wide open to a monopoly.

Aren't you the perrys steak loving dude that moved to Denver?

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They are falling back on this "hobby" defense too much IMHO. I don't think the public wants to hear about how not-serious Uber and Lyft employees are about their jobs.

Having a stoned hipster driving you around town is a real issue and kind of defeats the purpose of the whole thing.

If the $62 figure is a real number, I don't think that is unreasonable, even for someone doing this part-time. If it weeds out the complete riff-raff, so be it.

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How many times have you used lyft or uber? I've always found the quality of the hipsters to greatly exceed your average yellow can degenerate driver.

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Aren't you the perrys steak loving dude that moved to Denver?

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yep.