Taxi Industry Strikes Back At Uber
BY BUDDY NEVINS
The taxi industry has fired back at Uber.
In a stinging television ad being broadcast on television stations in Palm Beach County, the Florida Taxicab Association, in conjunction with the Florida Limousine Association, hits out at Uber’s refusal to require its drivers to be fingerprinted.
The ad features television broadcasts highlighting one Uber driver who attacked his passenger with a hammer, another who sexually assaulted a woman and a third who was an ISIS supporter.
Palm Beach County mandate that Uber drivers be fingerprinted. Broward, Hillsboro and Orange Counties have similar regulations.
It is not known if the ad will reach the Miami television market, which covers Broward County.
Here is the script for the ad, called “Uber vs. You”:
Narrator: “In the debate about Uber versus Taxi Companies, it’s about your safety”.
NBC Palm Beach: “Under the new proposal Uber and other non taxi companies will do their own background checks, county administrator Bob Weisman says it’s user beware”.
Palm Beach County Administrator: “They’re putting themselves in a certain situation where they may not be as safe, because we aren’t running the most advance background checks”.
Narrator: “Uber is unregulated with no oversight”.
NBC San Francisco: “Attacked by an Uber driver with a hammer, the passenger said the driver assaulted him after he was just trying to advise him that he was going the wrong way”.
NBC Miami: “FBI agents say this man is an ISIS supporter…A man who wanted to buy weapons to shoot people…and according to these documents he also worked as an Uber driver”.
ABC Houston: “An Uber driver accused of sexual assault wasn’t even permitted to be driving in Houston to begin with. He allegedly took her to his home and sexually assaulted her”.
Narrator: “It’s about Uber versus you and your loved ones”.
Palm Beach County Administrator: “They’re putting themselves in a certain situation where they may not be as safe”.
Narrator: “Uber should play by the rules”.
ABC Houston: “Uber did not respond to our repeated requests…..”
The ad can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJvYqCPdJDg
July 20th, 2015 at 2:17 pm
I am 70 years old and do not understand people under 50’s cultural values and do not generally judge their likes and dislikes as it is a free society. I understand the people Iknow under 30 all swear by Uber, which I personally don’t use, I use taxis. But on the issue of fingerprinting drivers who offer their services to the public, here I will make a judgement. It is dangerous to have drivers offering themselves to the public, including seniors, those with handicaps, young women, or women in general without them being finger printed and identifiable if something criminal or a serious civil breach occurs. I just think finger printing Uber drivers is not unreasonable but is advisable.
July 20th, 2015 at 4:05 pm
So we can compare, how many taxi drivers get convicted of violent crimes?
July 21st, 2015 at 7:37 am
Both sides of this issue have created commerials to further their own agendas. Even going after politicians that dare stand up to them.
http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/uber-takes-on-new-york-city-mayor/
As far as the question of “how many cab drivers have committed a violent crime”,the taxi medallion system is set up so that if they do committ a crime they are removed as drivers due to the structure of their background check system. Uber drivers can commit a crime before they become drivers and after they are drivers and there are no safe guards in the system to protect the public from them.
July 21st, 2015 at 1:30 pm
You do not need a fingerprint check to get a Taxi/Limo License in Broward county
July 21st, 2015 at 5:47 pm
I guess that was an effective ad.
FROM BUDDY:
I don’t know if it was the ad, but Palm Beach County commissioners earlier this week overwhelmingly agreed to require Uber drivers be fingerprinted. Uber now is making noise about pulling out of Palm Beach County. Sound familiar?
July 22nd, 2015 at 1:19 pm
The ad was very effective. The entire conversation centered around background checks. It clearly drove the messaging. Uber had zero control over the message. Uber driver after uber driver got up and volunteered the fact that they didn’t mind the background check, which made Uber look like the bad guys.
July 23rd, 2015 at 12:23 pm
Oh come on now. They had a local cabbie here in Broward (yellow cab) rape a passenger he picked up thi s past season. So don’t give me the Uber drivers are dangerous etc. These are basically blue collar positions . In other words I don’t think say att.Gerry Spence(one of th e best lawyers in the country will be driving a cab). I mean what s the big deal let Uber do th e back ground checks . Any screw ups they pay up($1mill to alleged victim). I don’t see whats the big deal here. Cash in county comm. Take Comm.Bogen’ offer. have Uber put up th e 250 g as collectral etc. I like the comment from Judy Stern -th e Uber driver stoned on pot”. Come on. This can be worked out. Lastly Mr.Gaddis -how much money do you want?. haven’t you made enough money over the years? So you share th e rides($) w/ Uber. And as far as thes e back ground checks -legally you can only go back 7yrs. I’m in if I want to be an Uber driver. Can you see it. Step right in to Caddy sir/madam….