On 2014/May/15, at 8:57 AM, Tom Worthington wrote: > On 13/05/14 00:39, Stephen Loosley wrote: > >> Victoria government issues $1700 fines to Uber ride-sharing drivers >> as media gaffe surfaces May 8, 2014 by Ben Grubb >> http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/smartphone-apps/uber-ridesharing-service-under-investigation-as-public-warned-off-app-20140425-zqzed.html > > A taxi driver license for country NSW requires no driver training or > testing, just an ordinary diver's licence and a medical form: > http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/content/applying-taxi-driver-authority > > Licences are renewed only every three years, so a sub-standard taxi > driver could be on the road for years. In contrast, if drivers are rated > on-line by each passenger after every trip with Uber (and similar > schemes), the bad ones would be quickly out of business.
So here we have new technology, crowd-sourcing the job the government does in issuing taxi licenses and overseeing the taxi service. Isn't that a conservative dream? > Presumably taxis are licensed to ensure public safety and to see a good > quality service is provided. In that case, those providing an in-kind > service should be similarly licensed. But the Australian Governments > encourage unregulated, unlicensed carpooling: > http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/usingroads/traveldemandmanagement/carpooling.html > > If receiving money for giving someone a lift is illegal, then car > pooling should also be illegal: the payment is in-kind, receiving a lift > in return for giving others a lift. I thought it was in some parts of the US. Especially if you use phones to help the process: http://www.dailytech.com/Cities+to+Carpoolers+Sharing+Your+Car+is+Illegal+We+Will+Seize+Your+Cars/article34659.htm > Uber, and similar schemes, would appear to promote public safety and > quality of service, better than a carpool, as they provide a form of > registration of the drivers and a quality control system. Nicely put. -- Kim Holburn IT Network & Security Consultant T: +61 2 61402408 M: +61 404072753 mailto:[email protected] aim://kimholburn skype://kholburn - PGP Public Key on request _______________________________________________ Link mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.anu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/link
