Those Silicon Valley geniuses have done it again!

Next week- “it’s like the subway, but with AI!”

  • TheFriar@lemm.ee
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    6 months ago

    That’s…not a very good example.

    The EU has the Public Service Obligation law. So it’s an agreement to keep the rail routes that went private under obligation to be a public good, where, yes they do give private companies a monopoly on a certain route, but often the lines and sometimes even cars are owned by the government. But they impose regulations and price caps.

    So, again, it’s the state shoveling off the cost of running the day to day operations, while empowering a company to take the reins under pretty strict guidelines because the service is public. They’re given subsidies to operate and it still saves the government money, as well as assuring the lines that aren’t profitable enough for the state to run on their own are still running under government contract with private companies.

    So…not the same at all.

      • TheFriar@lemm.ee
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        6 months ago

        lol because that’s what this conversation is about. Excuse my omission of the word “could,” but the point remains. It’s not a good example. If anything, you’re kinda proving my point. It takes a special case, heavily regulated, in-the-public’s-best-interest situation for the government to dump off a money losing route onto a contractor instead of losing the route entirely—as long as you cap the price and force the private company to operate entirely on your terms, often with your equipment. But Uber doesn’t even operate with their equipment or the government’s. It’s the driver’s. I would assume Uber would provide the busses here, which goes against their business model. So I can’t see them investing in busses, and then operating nice and cheap so everyone can afford to ride.

        Two studies showing ride sharing companies contribute to the struggling of public transportation systems in a given city.

        • Aux@lemmy.world
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          6 months ago

          What are you talking about? Have you ever been to Europe? Do you understand that your studies and wall texts are irrelevant?

          • TheFriar@lemm.ee
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            6 months ago

            You’re really trying to divert this conversation away from the actual topic. Reread what I said, I edited it trying to strike a more conciliatory tone and explain that I see where our difference in opinion is coming from. I really don’t feel like arguing further about this.

            • Aux@lemmy.world
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              6 months ago

              No, you’re trying to divert. My point was that private public transport works and it works well and there’s proof for that. Everything you say is irrelevant to the topic.