Uber’s warnings of higher prices and shorter wait times in Toronto have some considering a move to the company’s ride-hailing competitors in the city.
On Monday, Toronto city council voted to freeze new ride-hailing licences for six months starting on April 24. The measure, which was unanimously supported, came as a result of Uber Toronto’s repeated protests about an earlier attempt to pass regulations that would have required the ride-hailing company to hand over more sensitive information about its drivers.
Uber Toronto strongly criticized the city’s decision, and said in a statement that the need for a filter that would have allowed competitors like Lyft and GoGo CarPool to see information about their drivers is “shameful.”
On Tuesday, Uber added that several “unnecessary, expensive and intrusive new requirements” have been imposed.
“We’re seeing higher prices and longer wait times in communities across Toronto, and we expect this to worsen during the upcoming peak tourism season. We’re also seeing lower mobility-related earnings and greater financial stress for our riders and drivers,” said Uber Canada President Tony Westcott.
Ride-hailing firms in Toronto took to Twitter to express their frustration with the city.
We’re offering drivers and riders hundreds of wagers on how long it will take #TOCinldo wait for a ride. Let’s see if @TTC can deliver. #TOIOU #DemandIt pic.twitter.com/grVRKBc3dV — GoGoCarPool (@GoGoCarPool) April 12, 2016
Several users have expressed interest in Lyft’s startup, which charges a flat $1 fee per ride plus a per mile, per minute fee.
Tomorrow is the day! Lyft for take out, Toronto.https://t.co/jE7KZMAkeu pic.twitter.com/yZyB1hlkJh — Zeroline (@zeroline) April 12, 2016
Uber has said for years that it needs more data to be able to truly track the quality of their drivers. As a result, the ride-hailing company has argued for ride-hailing to be regulated like a taxi industry.
According to the company, the city’s latest measure will add to ride-hailing firms’ woes.