Thai Transport gets tough with 'Uber Taxis'

[bubba]

All Über Blacks that I have used have been licensed, green plate commercial vehicles that are owned by limo companies. If we are talking about normal taxis, how many times have you seen the license on the dashboard bears no resemblance to the driver? Go ahead, ask him, and we will say "Oh, that is my Uncle Somchai. He said I could drive today." Do you think that would happen with Uber?

And just how certain are you that insurance cover would be worth anything in Uncle Somchai's taxi? And what about his taxi's condition and safety? Have a look at the tyres sometimes, or a listen to the squeaking, worn out brakes. Seat belts in the back? Maybe 50% of the time.

Uber is fully insured in Bangkok. From their site:

END-TO-END INSURANCE, WE HAVE YOU COVERED

From the moment you get into any Uber product (e.g. uberX, UberBLACK) to the moment you’re dropped off, your ride is covered by commercial liability insurance. That goes for every trip in every city around the world.

Also, maybe ask yourself: your wife needs to take a taxi home at 10 pm. Would you prefer:

1. Uncle Somchai's nephew in a beat up old car who may or may not be sober and of unknown background and trust, or;

2. An Uber Black car, new, insured and in good condition, with a professional driver who has undergone a background check?

No need to answer. My point is that I for one an thankful that I have a choice right now, and I believe you should as well.

I am not saying one way or the other whether Uber is better or worse than other alternatives.

But in all articles that I have read about Uber being banned, it indicates that the issue is insurance. The Uber services that use licenced taxis are not a problem, since they are *licenced* taxis.

The problem is private vehicles. I don't really care what Uber say in their marketing (which is all that "END-TO-END" statement is), if you look further into the website, it only talks about insurance in the US.

I haven't seen anything that indicates that Uber insures drivers/passengers in any other country.

Had you read about three posts you, you might have seen this, quoted from Uber's website:

END-TO-END INSURANCE, WE HAVE YOU COVERED

From the moment you get into any Uber product (e.g. uberX, UberBLACK) to the moment you’re dropped off, your ride is covered by commercial liability insurance. That goes for every trip in every city around the world.

I would assume 'international' means places outside the USA.

I still want to understand how these beat up old normal taxis in Bangkok are better insured than the green plate commercial limos that Uber use. Seriously, if insurance was really the issue, and even if Uber really was sending out uninsured new Camrys and Benzes (which I seriously doubt), is insurance was really the issue, don't you think they would just go out and buy some insurance cover?

You didn't read my post, did you? Try reading this one.

No one is saying the beat up taxis are better. Do you understand that?

The UberBlack taxis ARE insured since they ARE taxis.

The UberX "taxis" are not all insured, since they are often private cars, and private insurance doesn't cover you if you are carrying paying passengers.

The Uber "END-TO-END" insurance statement is marketing. There is nothing on the website giving any detail of insurance except for in the US.

Uber are not "sending out" anything. Uber is a technology company. The "taxis" and passengers use Uber to connect. The problem that the authorities have in many countries is that they have no control of whether these private "taxis" have insurance or not.

Yes, I did read your post, where you said:

I haven't seen anything that indicates that Uber insures drivers/passengers in any other country.

To which I replied:

END-TO-END INSURANCE, WE HAVE YOU COVERED

From the moment you get into any Uber product (e.g. uberX, UberBLACK) to the moment you’re dropped off, your ride is covered by commercial liability insurance. That goes for every trip in every city around the world.

Just trying to help, as you said you had not seen anything about drivers/passengers in any other country [outside the USA]. And as I said, I was referring to Uber Black. I have no experience with UberX, but that quote from their website states that any Uber product, including UberX, is covered. If you have information to the contrary, as you said that all UberX taxis are not insured, please post as we would all be interested to know.

Edited December 3, 2014 by bubba

[bubba]

Basically Grab-Taxi works as it supposed to do but the problem is that often the Taxi which won the bid to pick you up are far away or stuck in traffic.

Grab-Taxi promotes it's self to order a Taxi 5mins just before you want to be picked up but waiting times up to 40mins is a common problem.

The app shows you where the cab that accepted your request is and tells you how long until arrival. If it's too long then just cancel it with the app and try again. If it happens several times then try putting a 20B tip in the app and see if anyone closer accepts it.

Is it so hard getting a normal taxi in Bangers?

Yes it can be, if you live down a soi with little traffic and it's a long walk to the main road, especially when it is raining.

[KunMatt]

Basically Grab-Taxi works as it supposed to do but the problem is that often the Taxi which won the bid to pick you up are far away or stuck in traffic.

Grab-Taxi promotes it's self to order a Taxi 5mins just before you want to be picked up but waiting times up to 40mins is a common problem.

The app shows you where the cab that accepted your request is and tells you how long until arrival. If it's too long then just cancel it with the app and try again. If it happens several times then try putting a 20B tip in the app and see if anyone closer accepts it.

Is it so hard getting a normal taxi in Bangers?

Sometimes. Depends on where you are trying to pick one up. However what is so hard is getting a normal clean taxi with seatbelts in the back seats which is why I started to use GrabTaxi at all times as I am usually travelling with my children.

[louse1953]

Just took an Uber, awesome!

Clean car, a driver who actually would pass a driving test, free water and picked up in a spanking new Camry. Who wants a smelly, no seat belt, no MOT standard taxi when they can take an Uber.

Gee i must be lucky,i have never been in a smelly,no seat belt taxi and never been lost either.Bangkok taxis are the best all round taxi service in the world.What do you blokes want for 100-200 baht.

[louse1953]

I believe UBER requires proof of insurance, license and medical certificate before you can be a driver in their network. The taxi mafia doesn't like the extra competition so they'll do anything to stop it.

I don't believe you can get insurance for carrying paying passengers in a private vehicle in Thailand.

Sorry, what I tried to say was that you have to prove that you're insurable. UBER provides insurance for all of its trips. A driver wouldn't have to have Thai Insurance. Here's the info from the UBER site:

From the time a driver accepts a trip request through our app until the completion of the ride, our partners have $1 million of coverage for driver liability. We were also the first ridesharing request service to include $1 million of coverage for uninsured/underinsured motorists, meaning that passengers and drivers are also covered for injuries when another party is at fault and lacks sufficient insurance. This $1 million coverage from trip acceptance to drop-off is consistent across cities. This coverage kicks in regardless of whether the driver’s personal insurance applies to the trip. We have also added contingent comprehensive and collision insurance during trips, up to $50,000/incident with a $1,000 deductible.

5555,ask the driver if he knows the name of the insurance company,betcha he says Uber.Good luck with that.

[Morakot]

What do you blokes want for 100-200 baht.

A sedan chair?

[Thai at Heart]

All Über Blacks that I have used have been licensed, green plate commercial vehicles that are owned by limo companies. If we are talking about normal taxis, how many times have you seen the license on the dashboard bears no resemblance to the driver? Go ahead, ask him, and we will say "Oh, that is my Uncle Somchai. He said I could drive today." Do you think that would happen with Uber?

And just how certain are you that insurance cover would be worth anything in Uncle Somchai's taxi? And what about his taxi's condition and safety? Have a look at the tyres sometimes, or a listen to the squeaking, worn out brakes. Seat belts in the back? Maybe 50% of the time.

Uber is fully insured in Bangkok. From their site:

END-TO-END INSURANCE, WE HAVE YOU COVERED

From the moment you get into any Uber product (e.g. uberX, UberBLACK) to the moment you’re dropped off, your ride is covered by commercial liability insurance. That goes for every trip in every city around the world.

Also, maybe ask yourself: your wife needs to take a taxi home at 10 pm. Would you prefer:

1. Uncle Somchai's nephew in a beat up old car who may or may not be sober and of unknown background and trust, or;

2. An Uber Black car, new, insured and in good condition, with a professional driver who has undergone a background check?

No need to answer. My point is that I for one an thankful that I have a choice right now, and I believe you should as well.

I am not saying one way or the other whether Uber is better or worse than other alternatives.

But in all articles that I have read about Uber being banned, it indicates that the issue is insurance. The Uber services that use licenced taxis are not a problem, since they are *licenced* taxis.

The problem is private vehicles. I don't really care what Uber say in their marketing (which is all that "END-TO-END" statement is), if you look further into the website, it only talks about insurance in the US.

I haven't seen anything that indicates that Uber insures drivers/passengers in any other country.

Had you read about three posts you, you might have seen this, quoted from Uber's website:

END-TO-END INSURANCE, WE HAVE YOU COVERED

From the moment you get into any Uber product (e.g. uberX, UberBLACK) to the moment you’re dropped off, your ride is covered by commercial liability insurance. That goes for every trip in every city around the world.

I would assume 'international' means places outside the USA.

I still want to understand how these beat up old normal taxis in Bangkok are better insured than the green plate commercial limos that Uber use. Seriously, if insurance was really the issue, and even if Uber really was sending out uninsured new Camrys and Benzes (which I seriously doubt), is insurance was really the issue, don't you think they would just go out and buy some insurance cover?

Not true

However, unlike a taxi service, Uber provides much smaller insurance protection for its passengers and liability coverage for other motorists on the road. The difference in insurance protection between Uber and more traditional ride sharing companies has caused a lot of controversy in Michigan and other states.

Uber’s insurance coverage is split up into different tiers, or stages. The first stage is when the Uber driver has turned on the Uber app and is available to pick up passengers using Uber’s network. The second stage is when the driver is en route to pick up a passenger and the third stage is when the driver has picked up the passenger.

For the latter two stages, Uber covers its drivers with a $1,000,000 commercial policy per incident. This includes liability for Uber drivers, as well as uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage for Uber passengers.

However, this insurance only kicks in when a potential passenger accepts a trip. Before a passenger orders a trip using the Uber network, Uber only covers drivers with a $50,000 liability policy per person and $100,000 per accident. This coverage is secondary to the driver’s own personal auto insurance coverage.

This liability coverage is very low, especially when compared to taxi companies that usually offer a commercial policy for an entire fleet. What is also very concerning is that most car insurance carriers do not provide personal coverage for Uber drivers while they are driving for Uber. This is because most car insurance carriers specifically exclude coverage for accidents that occur while the driver is driving for pay or for hire.

So in reality, before a Uber driver has been hired through the company’s wireless network, most Uber drivers are essentially driving uninsured on Michigan roads unless they carry supplemental car insurance. Unsurprisingly, most Uber drivers don’t purchase supplemental insurance. This is a scary proposition for motorists and pedestrians in Michigan

.

[Thai at Heart]

All Über Blacks that I have used have been licensed, green plate commercial vehicles that are owned by limo companies. If we are talking about normal taxis, how many times have you seen the license on the dashboard bears no resemblance to the driver? Go ahead, ask him, and we will say "Oh, that is my Uncle Somchai. He said I could drive today." Do you think that would happen with Uber?

And just how certain are you that insurance cover would be worth anything in Uncle Somchai's taxi? And what about his taxi's condition and safety? Have a look at the tyres sometimes, or a listen to the squeaking, worn out brakes. Seat belts in the back? Maybe 50% of the time.

Uber is fully insured in Bangkok. From their site:

END-TO-END INSURANCE, WE HAVE YOU COVERED

From the moment you get into any Uber product (e.g. uberX, UberBLACK) to the moment you’re dropped off, your ride is covered by commercial liability insurance. That goes for every trip in every city around the world.

Also, maybe ask yourself: your wife needs to take a taxi home at 10 pm. Would you prefer:

1. Uncle Somchai's nephew in a beat up old car who may or may not be sober and of unknown background and trust, or;

2. An Uber Black car, new, insured and in good condition, with a professional driver who has undergone a background check?

No need to answer. My point is that I for one an thankful that I have a choice right now, and I believe you should as well.

I am not saying one way or the other whether Uber is better or worse than other alternatives.

But in all articles that I have read about Uber being banned, it indicates that the issue is insurance. The Uber services that use licenced taxis are not a problem, since they are *licenced* taxis.

The problem is private vehicles. I don't really care what Uber say in their marketing (which is all that "END-TO-END" statement is), if you look further into the website, it only talks about insurance in the US.

I haven't seen anything that indicates that Uber insures drivers/passengers in any other country.

Had you read about three posts you, you might have seen this, quoted from Uber's website:

END-TO-END INSURANCE, WE HAVE YOU COVERED

From the moment you get into any Uber product (e.g. uberX, UberBLACK) to the moment you’re dropped off, your ride is covered by commercial liability insurance. That goes for every trip in every city around the world.

I would assume 'international' means places outside the USA.

I still want to understand how these beat up old normal taxis in Bangkok are better insured than the green plate commercial limos that Uber use. Seriously, if insurance was really the issue, and even if Uber really was sending out uninsured new Camrys and Benzes (which I seriously doubt), is insurance was really the issue, don't you think they would just go out and buy some insurance cover?

Actually, the big issue is whilst any of these taxis are touring around waiting for business. The insurance only kicks in ONCE A CLIENT ACCEPTS A TRIP.

For all other moments, the car is operating as a private car for hire under ITS OWN INSURANCE. This is extra insurance beyond the standard personal car insurance. If an Uber car operating as a taxi, is driving around unbooked and runs someone over, it is highly likely that it is uninsured to operate as either a taxi or covered by Uber. Basically, the Uber taxis should be parked statioinary at the side of the road awaiting being booked I suppose.

[louse1953]

I cannot remember how many times I have used Uber Black, but it's at least dozens of times. The cars, usually a Camry, Accord, or Benz, have all been late model, clean, well-equipped and have functioning seat belts/shoulder straps. They do not smell like old, perfume or vomit. That covers the vehicle safety aspect for me. How many regular Bangkok taxis can make these claims?

All of the cars have been green plated and owned by various licensed limo companies in Bangkok and are fully insured. All drivers undergo background checks. I have asked at least a couple of drivers and they did have commercial driving licenses. Most speak good to excellent English, they are professional, and even assist you with packages or baggage if you wish. None I have encountered have been drinking or appear under the influence of yah bah. They do not refuse fares. Contrast this to regular Bangkok taxis.

You receive an estimated charge before you embark. Once you are in the car, you can follow your route's progress on your phone. The driver is equipped with GPS, so he will know how to get there. Transactions are cashless and completely secure. After the payment transacts, you receive a receipt that shows a breakdown of all charges as well as a map of the route you took, just in case you would like to debate whether you were driven around.

So I don't get it. What are Land Transport trying to protect us from here? May I suggest that they allow us the choice so that we can elect to be driven in a clean, safe, insured car with safety belts, by professional, sober drivers, and with an honest transaction. Granted, Uber Black costs a bit more per KM, but why are we not allowed to decide which service we want and how much we would like to pay.

I get all of the above with normal taxis hailed from the footpath.Had drivers help with my heavy pack without being asked.If you want to pay more,be my guest.

[louse1953]

I cannot remember how many times I have used Uber Black, but it's at least dozens of times. The cars, usually a Camry, Accord, or Benz, have all been late model, clean, well-equipped and have functioning seat belts/shoulder straps. They do not smell like old, perfume or vomit. That covers the vehicle safety aspect for me. How many regular Bangkok taxis can make these claims?

All of the cars have been green plated and owned by various licensed limo companies in Bangkok and are fully insured. All drivers undergo background checks. I have asked at least a couple of drivers and they did have commercial driving licenses. Most speak good to excellent English, they are professional, and even assist you with packages or baggage if you wish. None I have encountered have been drinking or appear under the influence of yah bah. They do not refuse fares. Contrast this to regular Bangkok taxis.

You receive an estimated charge before you embark. Once you are in the car, you can follow your route's progress on your phone. The driver is equipped with GPS, so he will know how to get there. Transactions are cashless and completely secure. After the payment transacts, you receive a receipt that shows a breakdown of all charges as well as a map of the route you took, just in case you would like to debate whether you were driven around.

So I don't get it. What are Land Transport trying to protect us from here? May I suggest that they allow us the choice so that we can elect to be driven in a clean, safe, insured car with safety belts, by professional, sober drivers, and with an honest transaction. Granted, Uber Black costs a bit more per KM, but why are we not allowed to decide which service we want and how much we would like to pay.

"What are Land Transport trying to protect us from here?"

They are trying to protect us from getting an unlicenced (and uninsured) "taxi".

The issue isn't with the taxis that use the system, It's with the private cars that use the system.

All Über Blacks that I have used have been licensed, green plate commercial vehicles that are owned by limo companies. If we are talking about normal taxis, how many times have you seen the license on the dashboard bears no resemblance to the driver? Go ahead, ask him, and we will say "Oh, that is my Uncle Somchai. He said I could drive today." Do you think that would happen with Uber?

And just how certain are you that insurance cover would be worth anything in Uncle Somchai's taxi? And what about his taxi's condition and safety? Have a look at the tyres sometimes, or a listen to the squeaking, worn out brakes. Seat belts in the back? Maybe 50% of the time.

Uber is fully insured in Bangkok. From their site:

END-TO-END INSURANCE, WE HAVE YOU COVERED

From the moment you get into any Uber product (e.g. uberX, UberBLACK) to the moment you’re dropped off, your ride is covered by commercial liability insurance. That goes for every trip in every city around the world.

Also, maybe ask yourself: your wife needs to take a taxi home at 10 pm. Would you prefer:

1. Uncle Somchai's nephew in a beat up old car who may or may not be sober and of unknown background and trust, or;

2. An Uber Black car, new, insured and in good condition, with a professional driver who has undergone a background check?

No need to answer. My point is that I for one an thankful that I have a choice right now, and I believe you should as well.

I would use the nephew,because every top notch taxi driver i get,i then get their phone number.I have many,and its good to catch up,i have my own uber,mad if you dont in Bangkok.

[KunMatt]

I cannot remember how many times I have used Uber Black, but it's at least dozens of times. The cars, usually a Camry, Accord, or Benz, have all been late model, clean, well-equipped and have functioning seat belts/shoulder straps. They do not smell like old, perfume or vomit. That covers the vehicle safety aspect for me. How many regular Bangkok taxis can make these claims?

All of the cars have been green plated and owned by various licensed limo companies in Bangkok and are fully insured. All drivers undergo background checks. I have asked at least a couple of drivers and they did have commercial driving licenses. Most speak good to excellent English, they are professional, and even assist you with packages or baggage if you wish. None I have encountered have been drinking or appear under the influence of yah bah. They do not refuse fares. Contrast this to regular Bangkok taxis.

You receive an estimated charge before you embark. Once you are in the car, you can follow your route's progress on your phone. The driver is equipped with GPS, so he will know how to get there. Transactions are cashless and completely secure. After the payment transacts, you receive a receipt that shows a breakdown of all charges as well as a map of the route you took, just in case you would like to debate whether you were driven around.

So I don't get it. What are Land Transport trying to protect us from here? May I suggest that they allow us the choice so that we can elect to be driven in a clean, safe, insured car with safety belts, by professional, sober drivers, and with an honest transaction. Granted, Uber Black costs a bit more per KM, but why are we not allowed to decide which service we want and how much we would like to pay.

I get all of the above with normal taxis hailed from the footpath.Had drivers help with my heavy pack without being asked.If you want to pay more,be my guest.

9/10 of normal taxis do not have working seatbelts in the back seats. They are also likely to reject you if you are trying to travel from Sukhumvit. Services like GrabTaxi and Uber are safer because you know who is driving you also which may be peace of mind to some people or anyone who has lost any property in a taxi as you can contact them later.

[louse1953]

I cannot remember how many times I have used Uber Black, but it's at least dozens of times. The cars, usually a Camry, Accord, or Benz, have all been late model, clean, well-equipped and have functioning seat belts/shoulder straps. They do not smell like old, perfume or vomit. That covers the vehicle safety aspect for me. How many regular Bangkok taxis can make these claims?

All of the cars have been green plated and owned by various licensed limo companies in Bangkok and are fully insured. All drivers undergo background checks. I have asked at least a couple of drivers and they did have commercial driving licenses. Most speak good to excellent English, they are professional, and even assist you with packages or baggage if you wish. None I have encountered have been drinking or appear under the influence of yah bah. They do not refuse fares. Contrast this to regular Bangkok taxis.

You receive an estimated charge before you embark. Once you are in the car, you can follow your route's progress on your phone. The driver is equipped with GPS, so he will know how to get there. Transactions are cashless and completely secure. After the payment transacts, you receive a receipt that shows a breakdown of all charges as well as a map of the route you took, just in case you would like to debate whether you were driven around.

So I don't get it. What are Land Transport trying to protect us from here? May I suggest that they allow us the choice so that we can elect to be driven in a clean, safe, insured car with safety belts, by professional, sober drivers, and with an honest transaction. Granted, Uber Black costs a bit more per KM, but why are we not allowed to decide which service we want and how much we would like to pay.

I get all of the above with normal taxis hailed from the footpath.Had drivers help with my heavy pack without being asked.If you want to pay more,be my guest.

9/10 of normal taxis do not have working seatbelts in the back seats. They are also likely to reject you if you are trying to travel from Sukhumvit. Services like GrabTaxi and Uber are safer because you know who is driving you also which may be peace of mind to some people or anyone who has lost any property in a taxi as you can contact them later.

How do you know who is driving you?

[Tatsujin]

The arguments some of you are making with regards to vetting, licensing, insurance etc have a big gaping hole in them.

Whilst they might be valid in a country that respects and upholds the law, here they just don't apply.

Somchai might well have been vetted, got his license and insurance, but in a large number of instances it's not him driving, it's the brother, uncle, nephew, son or casper the friendly ghost actually doing the driving, in which case vetting and licensing means diddly squat and the insurance is invalidated and won't pay out if anything should happen.

Next time to take a taxi, check the drivers face against the picture on the license, I'd hazard a guess and say 50% of the time they are not the same person.

[KunMatt]

9/10 of normal taxis do not have working seatbelts in the back seats. They are also likely to reject you if you are trying to travel from Sukhumvit. Services like GrabTaxi and Uber are safer because you know who is driving you also which may be peace of mind to some people or anyone who has lost any property in a taxi as you can contact them later.

How do you know who is driving you?

Because when the driver accepts your journey you get emailed his photo, his name, his taxi registration and his phone number. It also stores this info in your history in the app.

[whybother]

All Über Blacks that I have used have been licensed, green plate commercial vehicles that are owned by limo companies. If we are talking about normal taxis, how many times have you seen the license on the dashboard bears no resemblance to the driver? Go ahead, ask him, and we will say "Oh, that is my Uncle Somchai. He said I could drive today." Do you think that would happen with Uber?

And just how certain are you that insurance cover would be worth anything in Uncle Somchai's taxi? And what about his taxi's condition and safety? Have a look at the tyres sometimes, or a listen to the squeaking, worn out brakes. Seat belts in the back? Maybe 50% of the time.

Uber is fully insured in Bangkok. From their site:

END-TO-END INSURANCE, WE HAVE YOU COVERED

From the moment you get into any Uber product (e.g. uberX, UberBLACK) to the moment you’re dropped off, your ride is covered by commercial liability insurance. That goes for every trip in every city around the world.

Also, maybe ask yourself: your wife needs to take a taxi home at 10 pm. Would you prefer:

1. Uncle Somchai's nephew in a beat up old car who may or may not be sober and of unknown background and trust, or;

2. An Uber Black car, new, insured and in good condition, with a professional driver who has undergone a background check?

No need to answer. My point is that I for one an thankful that I have a choice right now, and I believe you should as well.

I am not saying one way or the other whether Uber is better or worse than other alternatives.

But in all articles that I have read about Uber being banned, it indicates that the issue is insurance. The Uber services that use licenced taxis are not a problem, since they are *licenced* taxis.

The problem is private vehicles. I don't really care what Uber say in their marketing (which is all that "END-TO-END" statement is), if you look further into the website, it only talks about insurance in the US.

I haven't seen anything that indicates that Uber insures drivers/passengers in any other country.

Had you read about three posts you, you might have seen this, quoted from Uber's website:

END-TO-END INSURANCE, WE HAVE YOU COVERED

From the moment you get into any Uber product (e.g. uberX, UberBLACK) to the moment you’re dropped off, your ride is covered by commercial liability insurance. That goes for every trip in every city around the world.

I would assume 'international' means places outside the USA.

I still want to understand how these beat up old normal taxis in Bangkok are better insured than the green plate commercial limos that Uber use. Seriously, if insurance was really the issue, and even if Uber really was sending out uninsured new Camrys and Benzes (which I seriously doubt), is insurance was really the issue, don't you think they would just go out and buy some insurance cover?

You didn't read my post, did you? Try reading this one.

No one is saying the beat up taxis are better. Do you understand that?

The UberBlack taxis ARE insured since they ARE taxis.

The UberX "taxis" are not all insured, since they are often private cars, and private insurance doesn't cover you if you are carrying paying passengers.

The Uber "END-TO-END" insurance statement is marketing. There is nothing on the website giving any detail of insurance except for in the US.

Uber are not "sending out" anything. Uber is a technology company. The "taxis" and passengers use Uber to connect. The problem that the authorities have in many countries is that they have no control of whether these private "taxis" have insurance or not.

Yes, I did read your post, where you said:

I haven't seen anything that indicates that Uber insures drivers/passengers in any other country.

To which I replied:

END-TO-END INSURANCE, WE HAVE YOU COVERED

From the moment you get into any Uber product (e.g. uberX, UberBLACK) to the moment you’re dropped off, your ride is covered by commercial liability insurance. That goes for every trip in every city around the world.

Just trying to help, as you said you had not seen anything about drivers/passengers in any other country [outside the USA]. And as I said, I was referring to Uber Black. I have no experience with UberX, but that quote from their website states that any Uber product, including UberX, is covered. If you have information to the contrary, as you said that all UberX taxis are not insured, please post as we would all be interested to know.

And once again you are quoting a marketing statement. If you read further you will see that there is no indication of insurance in any other country except the US.

If you read the OP (or one of the other threads about Uber) , they say that private cars are not insured. If you read any articles about Uber being banned in other countries or even some US states they say that private cars are not insured.

Unless you can show me more than a marketing statement that says that private cars are insured outside the US, then I an inclined to believe that private cars are not insured.

[Tatsujin]

I cannot remember how many times I have used Uber Black, but it's at least dozens of times. The cars, usually a Camry, Accord, or Benz, have all been late model, clean, well-equipped and have functioning seat belts/shoulder straps. They do not smell like old, perfume or vomit. That covers the vehicle safety aspect for me. How many regular Bangkok taxis can make these claims?

All of the cars have been green plated and owned by various licensed limo companies in Bangkok and are fully insured. All drivers undergo background checks. I have asked at least a couple of drivers and they did have commercial driving licenses. Most speak good to excellent English, they are professional, and even assist you with packages or baggage if you wish. None I have encountered have been drinking or appear under the influence of yah bah. They do not refuse fares. Contrast this to regular Bangkok taxis.

You receive an estimated charge before you embark. Once you are in the car, you can follow your route's progress on your phone. The driver is equipped with GPS, so he will know how to get there. Transactions are cashless and completely secure. After the payment transacts, you receive a receipt that shows a breakdown of all charges as well as a map of the route you took, just in case you would like to debate whether you were driven around.

So I don't get it. What are Land Transport trying to protect us from here? May I suggest that they allow us the choice so that we can elect to be driven in a clean, safe, insured car with safety belts, by professional, sober drivers, and with an honest transaction. Granted, Uber Black costs a bit more per KM, but why are we not allowed to decide which service we want and how much we would like to pay.

I get all of the above with normal taxis hailed from the footpath.Had drivers help with my heavy pack without being asked.If you want to pay more,be my guest.

9/10 of normal taxis do not have working seatbelts in the back seats. They are also likely to reject you if you are trying to travel from Sukhumvit. Services like GrabTaxi and Uber are safer because you know who is driving you also which may be peace of mind to some people or anyone who has lost any property in a taxi as you can contact them later.

How do you know who is driving you?

Here's a hint ... the people they are booked through and who dispatch them, all logged and gps tracked, and with the drivers bank account details also recorded. Get it?

[Genericnic]

I believe UBER requires proof of insurance, license and medical certificate before you can be a driver in their network. The taxi mafia doesn't like the extra competition so they'll do anything to stop it.

Proof of what kind of insurance and what kind of license?

Unless it is commercial insurance, it probably won't cover anything that occurs during a ride for hire. License? I have a car license but it doesn't allow me to drive commercial vehicles, i.e., taxis.

David

[retarius]

This is raising some hackles....current taxi service is basically unregulated....or rather like with so many institutions in Thailand, there are many regulations but the enforcement agency doesn't bother to enforce them. Having said that, I've been here a few years and have only had two instances where I ended up in a shouting match with the driver....once about him turning on the meter and once about him not wanting to go where I wanted.

The taxi service has its issues and the quality wouldn't win any awards, but it is very cheap. For me the attraction of UBER is that it negotiates the fare upfront, it sets and monitors the route to your destination via GPS, and you have the profile of the driver and his identity so it's much safrer than a regular cab. I don't know the insurance details here, but generally speaking life is pretty damned cheap in Thailand, and if you lost an eye or a limb a fully insured payout would disappoint most farangs....I'd expect no more than 10,000 baht or so under a first class policy here.

[Christie Paul]

Old man Rockefeller once said that "competition is evil". And he was right for the monopolist. But for everyone else, it's honest competition that drives our us all towards a higher standard of living and comfort. Uber is a classic example.

In many Western countries, taxis are best described as horrendously expensive and you get the bare minimum. That's not the fault of the owners or drivers. A taxi licence plate in Australia for example costs a fortune and adds nothing for the owner or the customer. All this blather about background checks and insurance - pales into insignificance when you look at the costs of an authentic taxi licence plate. How are you going to amortise that cost? Obviously with huge fees and very average service, blended with a whole lot of gusty blather about safety, security and insurance etc.

I think Uber is going to win out in the end. People prefer a late model lovely car and a courteous driver, to a stinking bomb and a driver who knows only too well, that his service is the only game in town.

I've used Uber is several cities, in different parts of the world and I'm damned impressed.

[maidee]

who has knowledge enough to make an app to order a prostitute to your door with your phone

and rating here is also important

5555

[Genericnic]

I cannot remember how many times I have used Uber Black, but it's at least dozens of times. The cars, usually a Camry, Accord, or Benz, have all been late model, clean, well-equipped and have functioning seat belts/shoulder straps. They do not smell like old, perfume or vomit. That covers the vehicle safety aspect for me. How many regular Bangkok taxis can make these claims?

All of the cars have been green plated and owned by various licensed limo companies in Bangkok and are fully insured. All drivers undergo background checks. I have asked at least a couple of drivers and they did have commercial driving licenses. Most speak good to excellent English, they are professional, and even assist you with packages or baggage if you wish. None I have encountered have been drinking or appear under the influence of yah bah. They do not refuse fares. Contrast this to regular Bangkok taxis.

You receive an estimated charge before you embark. Once you are in the car, you can follow your route's progress on your phone. The driver is equipped with GPS, so he will know how to get there. Transactions are cashless and completely secure. After the payment transacts, you receive a receipt that shows a breakdown of all charges as well as a map of the route you took, just in case you would like to debate whether you were driven around.

So I don't get it. What are Land Transport trying to protect us from here? May I suggest that they allow us the choice so that we can elect to be driven in a clean, safe, insured car with safety belts, by professional, sober drivers, and with an honest transaction. Granted, Uber Black costs a bit more per KM, but why are we not allowed to decide which service we want and how much we would like to pay.

"What are Land Transport trying to protect us from here?"

They are trying to protect us from getting an unlicenced (and uninsured) "taxi".

The issue isn't with the taxis that use the system, It's with the private cars that use the system.

All Über Blacks that I have used have been licensed, green plate commercial vehicles that are owned by limo companies. If we are talking about normal taxis, how many times have you seen the license on the dashboard bears no resemblance to the driver? Go ahead, ask him, and we will say "Oh, that is my Uncle Somchai. He said I could drive today." Do you think that would happen with Uber?

And just how certain are you that insurance cover would be worth anything in Uncle Somchai's taxi? And what about his taxi's condition and safety? Have a look at the tyres sometimes, or a listen to the squeaking, worn out brakes. Seat belts in the back? Maybe 50% of the time.

Uber is fully insured in Bangkok. From their site:

END-TO-END INSURANCE, WE HAVE YOU COVERED

From the moment you get into any Uber product (e.g. uberX, UberBLACK) to the moment you’re dropped off, your ride is covered by commercial liability insurance. That goes for every trip in every city around the world.

Also, maybe ask yourself: your wife needs to take a taxi home at 10 pm. Would you prefer:

1. Uncle Somchai's nephew in a beat up old car who may or may not be sober and of unknown background and trust, or;

2. An Uber Black car, new, insured and in good condition, with a professional driver who has undergone a background check?

No need to answer. My point is that I for one an thankful that I have a choice right now, and I believe you should as well.

Unless they are self-insured, I'd love to see their commercial liability policy, especially the exceptions page. You know, the one that says it doesn't cover illegal activities.

David

[8OA8]

As a very biased Brisbane taxi driver, may i make a few points which apply in Oz and may well here.

A vehicle registered 'private' and operated to carry paying passengers will invalidate TPPI and Comprehensive insurance policies. Comprehensive for a cab is ~AUD4000/year.

Taxi drivers also carry public liability insurance which covers customers entering or leaving the cab

Taxi drivers are required to have annual health checks as well as criminal and driving history checks.

Detection of ANY level of alcohol or drugs, by police or Transport Enforcement, in my system will cause loss of licence. Good luck in ever getting it back.

As a biased cab driver from Perth Oz I have to agree with the above. We have to have our taxis inspected by the Dept of Transport every year "over the pits" is the jargon here. These are not things that Uber drivers have to submit to, neither are they compelled to undertake the training required to get taxi endorsement, have done this training in Perth and Brisbane at different times. This has little to do with Taxis in Thailand as they do not seem to have the training vehicle inspection requirement.

As a pair of biased Australian taxi drivers, everything you state is true. At least IMO.

You are forgetting that in countries like the USA, Canada, Australia N.Z. and most of Europe, Japan & S.Korea there are hindrances like professionalism, accountability, responsibility and liability.

Taxi drivers in the U.K. are required to pass rigorous testing part of which is "the knowledge". Presumably this is true of the other countries.

I somehow doubt that a London cabbie would say to a tourist" Where? Oh, let me think about that for a minute, sorry I think I'll look for a better offer"

But having said that, Bangkok taxis are generally amongst the cleanest, and cheapest in the world. I guess that also includes the fact that you get what you pay for?

In flagging down cabbies in London this past summer, I can recall the driver on more than one occasion telling me to "get in", this is because I'm standing at his passenger side window, telling him my destination, which at the same time is causing a traffic build up behind him. Why am I standing in the street talking to him through the window? Because on the rare occassions that I ever use a taxi, its a necessity to ask the driver if he'll take you to where you want to go.

I think all the London cabbies can tell which of their customers have just come in from Bangkok because of this habit.

[Lammbock]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Basically Grab-Taxi works as it supposed to do but the problem is that often the Taxi which won the bid to pick you up are far away or stuck in traffic.
Grab-Taxi promotes it's self to order a Taxi 5mins just before you want to be picked up but waiting times up to 40mins is a common problem.

The app shows you where the cab that accepted your request is and tells you how long until arrival. If it's too long then just cancel it with the app and try again. If it happens several times then try putting a 20B tip in the app and see if anyone closer accepts it.

That is another problem with Grap-Taxi. It only shows you the location of a Taxi after it has won the bid. It should show it before, like UBER.

[KunMatt]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Basically Grab-Taxi works as it supposed to do but the problem is that often the Taxi which won the bid to pick you up are far away or stuck in traffic.

Grab-Taxi promotes it's self to order a Taxi 5mins just before you want to be picked up but waiting times up to 40mins is a common problem.

The app shows you where the cab that accepted your request is and tells you how long until arrival. If it's too long then just cancel it with the app and try again. If it happens several times then try putting a 20B tip in the app and see if anyone closer accepts it.

That is another problem with Grap-Taxi. It only shows you the location of a Taxi after it has won the bid. It should show it before, like UBER.

How can it show you the winning taxi BEFORE the taxi has won the bid?? It does show you all the taxis in the area and which taxis are rejecting and which taxis are accepting the journey.

What it should have is a filter for how far the winning taxi can be so you can set it to 10 mins and any taxi that bids which is more than 10 mins away would be rejected by the app.

[8OA8]

Just took an Uber, awesome!

Clean car, a driver who actually would pass a driving test, free water and picked up in a spanking new Camry. Who wants a smelly, no seat belt, no MOT standard taxi when they can take an Uber.

Gee i must be lucky,i have never been in a smelly,no seat belt taxi and never been lost either.Bangkok taxis are the best all round taxi service in the world.What do you blokes want for 100-200 baht.

Actually I want to pay the extra cost and get a nice Uber Black, in which I know the driver won't use his mobile phone during the ride and I can happily sit peacefully without the need to ask him to reduce the volume on his Stereo, or having to listen to his communication with the company radio base.

I enjoy the temperature in the car being already set at a comfortable level and the bottle of wayer waiting in the central armrest.

I enjoy being able to ask the driver to drop a friend off at a hotel en route to my home and there to be no complaints from the driver.

I enjoy knowing that a large number of people no longer drive their own car after consuming a qty of alcoholic beverages, as they are now using Uber Black. These are people that because of the way of the Bangkok taxi driver, they wouldn't ever have previously considered to use a taxi in Bangkok.

I enjoy being driven by a driver that is happy with his income driving for double what he could earn as a taxi driver.

Did I forget to mention that I was a happy Uber user and very happy to pay any additional costs for that service.

[KunMatt]

Gee i must be lucky,i have never been in a smelly,no seat belt taxi and never been lost either.Bangkok taxis are the best all round taxi service in the world.What do you blokes want for 100-200 baht.

Actually I want to pay the extra cost and get a nice Uber Black, in which I know the driver won't use his mobile phone during the ride and I can happily sit peacefully without the need to ask him to reduce the volume on his Stereo, or having to listen to his communication with the company radio base.

I enjoy the temperature in the car being already set at a comfortable level and the bottle of wayer waiting in the central armrest.

I enjoy being able to ask the driver to drop a friend off at a hotel en route to my home and there to be no complaints from the driver.

I enjoy knowing that a large number of people no longer drive their own car after consuming a qty of alcoholic beverages, as they are now using Uber Black. These are people that because of the way of the Bangkok taxi driver, they wouldn't ever have previously considered to use a taxi in Bangkok.

I enjoy being driven by a driver that is happy with his income driving for double what he could earn as a taxi driver.

Did I forget to mention that I was a happy Uber user and very happy to pay any additional costs for that service.

I don't understand anybody's issue with these taxi service apps. If people are happy to pay extra for a clean and safer taxi then that is up to them. If they want to take a bargain basement taxi then that is up them too.

I use GrabCars all the time now because for the small extra cost you get a new clean new Toyota Camry with complimentary bottles of water and everything, such as the seat belts in the back, all work as they should. If anyone wants to spend 45 minutes praying all the way to the airport at 140km/h that their old taxi with no seatbelts and driver talking on the phone doesn't crash into the car in front that he is tailgating then that's up to them. I've had to do this in the past and now that I have the choice with a taxi service I won't ever do it again.

[fstarbkk]

I believe UBER requires proof of insurance, license and medical certificate before you can be a driver in their network. The taxi mafia doesn't like the extra competition so they'll do anything to stop it.

I don't believe you can get insurance for carrying paying passengers in a private vehicle in Thailand.

Sorry, what I tried to say was that you have to prove that you're insurable. UBER provides insurance for all of its trips. A driver wouldn't have to have Thai Insurance. Here's the info from the UBER site:

From the time a driver accepts a trip request through our app until the completion of the ride, our partners have $1 million of coverage for driver liability. We were also the first ridesharing request service to include $1 million of coverage for uninsured/underinsured motorists, meaning that passengers and drivers are also covered for injuries when another party is at fault and lacks sufficient insurance. This $1 million coverage from trip acceptance to drop-off is consistent across cities. This coverage kicks in regardless of whether the drivers personal insurance applies to the trip. We have also added contingent comprehensive and collision insurance during trips, up to $50,000/incident with a $1,000 deductible.

And in contrast to this, a Bangkok taxi is required to carry a total coverage of THB 30K (a little less than $ 1000). I know this from the time I was injured in one and had to pay out the remaining THB 300K in hospital costs myself.

[paddyjoe41]

Its a fact that to operate with uber taxis,they all have to be vetted,all insurances have to be upfront and correct,all licences have to be upfront and valid,the car cannot be older than 3 years.We all know the problem here,there is not room for scammers and mafia,the so called big boys can see the writing on the wall.The taxis here that are running bent,with the knowledge of the powers that be can see the writing on the wall.If only all the taxi owners had the balls and brains to check uber out,they would then realise how much better off they would be,(NO MIDDLEMAN)and guaranteed all monies go where it should go, and, when it should go to the owners bang on time every month.No waiting in queues,text message and the fare is there,not more than maybe 1 or 2 minutes away from home.Uber is hitting where it hurts and 100% legal.

[whybother]

Its a fact that to operate with uber taxis,they all have to be vetted,all insurances have to be upfront and correct,all licences have to be upfront and valid,the car cannot be older than 3 years.We all know the problem here,there is not room for scammers and mafia,the so called big boys can see the writing on the wall.The taxis here that are running bent,with the knowledge of the powers that be can see the writing on the wall.If only all the taxi owners had the balls and brains to check uber out,they would then realise how much better off they would be,(NO MIDDLEMAN)and guaranteed all monies go where it should go, and, when it should go to the owners bang on time every month.No waiting in queues,text message and the fare is there,not more than maybe 1 or 2 minutes away from home.Uber is hitting where it hurts and 100% legal.

Is it possible to get insurance for a private vehicle carrying paying passengers?

Besides that, in most places it is against the law to carry paying passengers unless you are licenced with the government.

[IAMSOBAD]

Thailand is the Hub of corruption and slow to see innovations that FIRST WORLD use. They just want money.