[sukhoi30]

Looks like these services are being affected by jealousy and competition on the ground.

"Cars belonging to drivers driving for taxi aggregator Uber in Mumbai and Pune have been damaged, the drivers assaulted and their Uber-issed mobile phones snatched away, says a report.

The incident comes two weeks after the San Francisco-based company announced that it would invest $1 billion to expand its operations in India to grow beyond metro cities."


http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-...1-1380024.aspx

[ameyawaghmare]

Originally Posted by sukhoi30

Looks like these services are being affected by jealousy and competition on the ground.

"Cars belonging to drivers driving for taxi aggregator Uber in Mumbai and Pune have been damaged, the drivers assaulted and their Uber-issed mobile phones snatched away, says a report.

The incident comes two weeks after the San Francisco-based company announced that it would invest $1 billion to expand its operations in India to grow beyond metro cities."


http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-...1-1380024.aspx

Another excerpt from the Uber website Newsroom:
"Recently, a few politically motivated groups have publicly threatened to shut down aggregator services. They have called for city-wide strikes and resorted to violence, holding our Uber Mumbai and Pune driver partners to ransom by assaulting drivers, damaging cars, and forcibly taking away company-owned equipment (mobile phones).

Out of fear, thousands of drivers have been forced to stay off the roads, leaving commuters who rely on Uber and such services for their daily travel stranded while depriving honest driver-partners of their earnings.

There is pressure to enforce a rule that would allow the issuance of a Public Service Vehicle badge to only those applicants who:

1. Have lived in the state of Maharashtra for more than 15 years and;

2. Can read and write in Marathi."

Considering the sensitive issue and coupled up with the fact that it is now politically motivated, the average consumer is sure to lose! If not Uber, any other organized player would be at the receiving end of this flak.

[shankar.balan]

Oh I used an Uber X two ways last Tuesday or so. First time a 2 year old Etios with an extremely polite driver and the car itself was superbly clean and very nice smelling too.
The second trip on the same day was in another Etios with another very polite and nice driver and the car had lovely soft nappa leather seats. The car was 2 months old and the lovely new car smell and leather smell combined very well. I actually went to sleep in the car on the 8 km ride through heavy traffic.
For me, it is UberX all the way for sure, in India if required to do quick local trips!

[khoj]

My office has been using Uber Auto here in the Capital and the front line staff are very happy at the absolute decent behaviour of the auto drivers attached to Uber. No haggling, strictly by the meter and that's that. Best part is that they do not have to hunt around for one either. They relay their exact location to the admin and the auto appears in 5 to 10 minutes as if by magic (as one of the chaps put it).

[ajmat]

I was at ITPL today. At 3.30, I decided to call an Uber Black - nearest one what located at Hope Farm. 8 min away. Waited. After 10 min, it drove further away from me. The driver wold not pick up the phone. Luckily, it passed the 5 min threshold and I cancelled!

Strange!

[Jaggu]

Originally Posted by karts

On the way to my office, saw a huge crowd gathered on the ORR opposite country club on the road going towards marathalli, could not see anything, as I was in cab going towards ecospace. Anyone crossed that side? This was around 1:15 PM.

This might have been the incident, may not be accident related but apparently another Uber cab related incident.

For Manav and Amritha Trikha, the afternoon​ of August 18 turned out be one of their worst thanks to abusive Uber drivers who physically assaulted them and ​the ​cops who forced the couple to not file a complaint and write a ‘compromise’ letter, according to the couple’s version.

[AkMar]

Took an Uber X a couple of days ago in Mumbai, and to my pleasant surprise, it turned out to be a new Honda City! This was quite unexpected - I was expecting an Etios/Dzire. Are Honda City cabs regular on Uber X? I thought City would be classified in Uber Black. The car, as with my previous experiences, was clean and well maintained. Air con was set to a comfortable 24 degrees, and FM radio was played. The driving was not rash at all, and the driver was polite.

One point deserves separate mention. This was my first ride when the driver reached my location purely based on GPS, without calling me to ask my whereabouts.

[Latheesh]

I opted for Uber GO few times and got Innova and City. Drivers are very polite and cars are well maintained.

[pratyush6]

Originally Posted by Jaggu

This might have been the incident, may not be accident related but apparently another Uber cab related incident.

This is bad. Really Really bad. I regularly use Uber keep meeting the odd lunatic driver. The customer service seems pathetic except the money matters - which they are happy to refund or waive off.

I hope we can get a closure on this case as it would really put me off, if Uber did not do something about it.

Another thing I notice is that most of the loony drivers drive both OLA and Uber.

[hserus]

Several local cabbies - especially the indica / indigo types that drive for most other call taxi services and got themselves uber driver accounts - are not too far removed from goons. And generally getting into an argument with them means they will call up a dozen more such goons plus maybe one or two small time political party workers (though I think I am repeating myself there)

In such cases - yes, a dozen or more people will gang up on the rider. And also a given that the police will try to defuse the situation without filing any cases. If they arrest the drivers it is likely that there will be a MLA or MLC turning up with a lawyer to get "his boys" bail - and maybe also a stone pelting or road blocking incident.

[noopster]

Have been using Uber consistently over the past few days for a daily commute of about 15 km within Mumbai. It comes to about 250-270, the only exception was when we got stuck in a bad traffic jam and were on the road for nearly two hours. Even that was 325/- which is reasonable.
My other alternative is auto-metro-auto which adds to about 190/- one way with the additional time, hassle and discomfort to boot. Auto all the way was an option suggested to me but the old East-West divide rears its ugly head. Also taking an auto on fast stretch of road is scary. I felt I was going to fall out any minute the last time I tried it.
The only issue if you can call it that is availability of cabs in peak hour. I usually call for my cab before breakfast which gives me enough time to get ready before the cab arrives.

[Rehaan]

Originally Posted by AkMar

Took an Uber X a couple of days ago in Mumbai, and to my pleasant surprise, it turned out to be a new Honda City! This was quite unexpected - I was expecting an Etios/Dzire. Are Honda City cabs regular on Uber X?

Not sure if you've typed X when you mean Go?

If so, I've experienced the same (got a Swift Dzire as an UberGo - when normally it is an UberX).

Asked the driver, and he said they had the option of downgrading (or double-listing?) their car in the app -- which he had done since he wasn't getting enough business as an UberX.

[Altocumulus]

Visited the spanking new Uber office here in Kolkata for more information. Thinking of starting with a Hatch as Uber Go since the incentives are same for X and Go. Also Go is most in demand. Confused about the car at the moment.

1. Celerio Diesel
2. Ritz Ldi
3. Swift Tour
4. Toyota Etios D
5. Ford Aspire D

3-5 will be more investment but will have the option for logging in as Uber Go and X.

[ssjr0498]

Have been using Uber, in Kolkata for the past 2weeks as my daily commute to office! I must say, it is by far the best taxi service that you could get in Kolkata.

From the price perspective, on the very first day of me going to office, I happened to book a OLA cab, the distance from my aunt's home to my office is about 6ish km's, Ola cabs took Rs 180/- . Uber for the same distance, on my way back, took ~100/-. Was shocked! Have looked at nothing else but Uber in Kol! The drivers are extremely polite and customer friendly.

Would recommend Uber to anyone who wants to avail taxi service in Kolkata!

[AkMar]

Originally Posted by Rehaan

Not sure if you've typed X when you mean Go?

Asked the driver, and he said they had the option of downgrading (or double-listing?) their car in the app -- which he had done since he wasn't getting enough business as an UberX.

No, I meant to type X itself. I thought that the Honda City would be part of the higher priced Uber Black, and cars like Dzire, Etios, Manza would be part of Uber X. Hence was surprised when I got City as an Uber X.

Anyway, your post answered my query - that it is possible to list a car in a lower segment as well if there is no demand for a higher segment