Uber in Santo Domingo

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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and now a demand that uber driver register themselves while taxistas don't have to...
http://www.diariolibre.com/economia...oco-mas-de-la-mitad-de-los-taxistas-XB1614541

more on this in dr1 news:

Uber still not authorized to operate

According to the head of the Taxi Management and Regulation Council (CART) Desiderio Ruiz, Uber does not yet have a permit to operate in the Dominican Republic. Ruiz told the press, CART has sent a legal notice to Uber to register with the organization in order to have legal status.

Nevertheless, Ruiz admitted that only 11,000 out of 20,000 taxi drivers operating in the DR have begun the regularization process with the CART. Statistics revealed by Uber show that only 3,000 taxis have regular status.

The international online travel service has already begun to affiliate drivers as it prepares to start operating here.

Ruiz says that CART is not opposed to the operation of Uber or any other company that guarantees advances in taxi service.

Earlier this week, the leader of Conatra, one of the country's largest transport unions, said that his members would fight the operation of Uber in the Dominican Republic.

As reported in Diario Libre, Ruiz believes that Uber is a threat to the taxi sector because it charges less. He said they have legally notified Uber because it needs to register its drivers.

Ruiz added that he has informed the head of Conatra and the Tuv Sud taxi company that he does not have the authority to hinder the Uber's operations. "He is not a regulator, he is a player in the system. Everyone who violates public order or takes on the role of the authority is violating the law," said Ruiz.
 

equinn2823

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Sep 30, 2013
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For those that never used Uber. The customer has an account on a Smartphone. He has to have data or internet access to even hail a car. Then the driver goes to the site of your phone by GPS.

i think that will be one of the obstacles here in the capital. i drove for uber all summer in New Jersey, I live in the capital 9 months a year and I dont have a data plan. its too expensive here and I dont really see a need for it as I have wifi everywhere else I go. I dont know how successful uber will be here for that reason. As a driver you really dont make decent profits until you get surge fairs which is why I generally only drove on weekends when people went out to bars and clubs.
 

Mauricio

Gold
Nov 18, 2002
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i think that will be one of the obstacles here in the capital. i drove for uber all summer in New Jersey, I live in the capital 9 months a year and I dont have a data plan. its too expensive here and I dont really see a need for it as I have wifi everywhere else I go. I dont know how successful uber will be here for that reason. As a driver you really dont make decent profits until you get surge fairs which is why I generally only drove on weekends when people went out to bars and clubs.

My maid has a data plan......Dominicans prefer to spend on a data plan before they spend on food.
 

drSix

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Oct 13, 2013
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My maid has a data plan......Dominicans prefer to spend on a data plan before they spend on food.

When my Gardener/handyman/drinking buddy/Gringo tax advisor was staying in my guest room, he spent a fortune on data on his phone. I even told him he could use the WiFi, but he couldn't figure out how to connect.
 

drSix

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Oct 13, 2013
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I would actually like to try Uber. And Vayable. Be some good extra beer money, and it'd be fun to cruise around with tourists and show them the cool places I know, that are off the beaten path.

But, alas, I'd probably get caught and scalped.
 

IEatTravelnCode

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Oct 29, 2014
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I actually think, that when Uber starts working, and Taxistas see their success, they will switch to Uber.
And for people saying this might not work, In the company I work(Small tech company), we see more than 20 taxistas everyday come and go everyday, and if you have the chance between Uber and a Aero Taxi 1986 Toyota Corolla, with no A/C, GLP smell, and rude driver, guess who will the nerds from my work pick?
 

Mauricio

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Nov 18, 2002
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I just took a taxi of Tuv Sud and asked the guy if he already signed up for Uber. No, why, he replied, we have already an equal app for a long time. He put me on the phone with an operator in the company who explains me the app they have, I downloaded it, doesn't look bad. You can apparently pay with cc (but in the taxi, not by the app), they have wifi on board, a panic button, and comfortable cars with uniformed drivers. Charged me 200 pesos from Agora to Las Praderas, which is the same as Apolo charges.

Uber has some other advantages of course, but THIS is what the coming of Uber should do to the market, that other companies take the step to professionalize.

The app is called Tuv Sud on iOS and seems to be dedicated for Santo Domingo.
 

rafael

Bronze
Jan 2, 2002
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www.dr-tourist.tv
Just came back from Peru. Used Uber all the time. Heading to Barranquilla and cartagena, will also use uber. Miami? Uber. Brasil? Uber.
Los angeles, NYC, new orleans? Uber.

The only city I used taxis more than uber was las vegas. The strip is too congested and it would take the uber driver longer to arrive than the fare would be worth.
Hotels all have rapidly moving taxi lines. Used uber just for getting back to strip from any off strip locations. Dinner at Fogo De Chao? Pay bill and while having coffee order uber. When you see the car arriving, walk outside.

Not having a taxi driver yell "donde va", and then say "eh" a million times in SD will be priceless.
 

IEatTravelnCode

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Oct 29, 2014
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I just took a taxi of Tuv Sud and asked the guy if he already signed up for Uber. No, why, he replied, we have already an equal app for a long time. He put me on the phone with an operator in the company who explains me the app they have, I downloaded it, doesn't look bad. You can apparently pay with cc (but in the taxi, not by the app), they have wifi on board, a panic button, and comfortable cars with uniformed drivers. Charged me 200 pesos from Agora to Las Praderas, which is the same as Apolo charges.

Uber has some other advantages of course, but THIS is what the coming of Uber should do to the market, that other companies take the step to professionalize.

The app is called Tuv Sud on iOS and seems to be dedicated for Santo Domingo.

He can't go to Uber, because he does not own the car, the car is owner by TUD SUD.
 

Mauricio

Gold
Nov 18, 2002
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Tuv Sud is owned by one of the "owners of the country." They are known to have some of the best vehicles in the business.

Some of the reviewers of this app complain that it only allows you to summon a taxi- it doesn't show which units are available nor where they are.

They say they send the closest unit available to your location.
You're right, the owner is Marte, the idiot who threatened potential uber drivers. Let me delete that app!
 

4*4*4

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May 4, 2015
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Reading through this thread does not give me confidence that there will be an easy to use solution any time soon. It is such a crucial issue in everyone's day.
 

Mauricio

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Nov 18, 2002
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Last Sunday I took my chances with the Tuv Sud app which I deleted after hearing that Marte was behind that company but added again to try it out. I asked on the app to be picked up. According to the app it would be 8 minutes, after 30seconds I got a call from the base to ask exact address because they couldn't see it well in the system. Cab came about 10 minutes later. I asked him again about Uber and made reference to what Marte had said about it. He lashed out against Marte, stating the guy is an idiot that doesn't no what he's talking about. He said: none of us (the Tuv Sud taxi drivers, who by the way aren't all employees and many own their Tuv Sud vehicle) will jump over the Uber drivers with sticks and stones to get them out. He said they welcome the competition and are confidence their servo is better.

He gave me some reasons why Uber wouldn't be that good (not really valid reasons, actually based on not knowing well how it works, like that you can not easily make a double trip 'because you pay via the system in advance' which is not true, you pay after the service is done based on distance and time). And he claimed that the Uber system allows for picking up another passenger on the route, which many clients don't realize. I haven't heard if that's true, I doubt it, but if so, just tell the driver you don't want that.

I must say Tuv Sud gives a good service albeit a bit expensive, he charged me (after asking the central) 250 pesos from las Praderas to Camino chiquito. I had only 220 on me which he accepted. With Apolo taxi it would have been 200 max.
 

CristoRey

Welcome To Wonderland
Apr 1, 2014
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The transportation syndicos in this country run a very mean ship.
Anyone who steps out of line or tries to avoid paying their "tax" is dealt with
swiftly in a harsh manner. They are known to deal out punishment to anyone who gets in their way.
For Uber to think they can just open up shop in this country and pick up fares without paying a "tax"
I think is naive while putting a lot of innocent drivers in harms way.
Although I disagree with their tactics,
they call these people the country's owners for a reason.