抵制出租車(chē),優(yōu)步在全球掀起反壟斷浪潮

File picture shows London taxis blocking the Mallleading to Buchingham Palace during a protest bydrivers against mobile phone app Uber (AFPPhoto/Carl Court)

倫敦出租車(chē)堵住購(gòu)物中心通往白金漢宮的通路，此時(shí)出租車(chē)司機(jī)正抗議打車(chē)軟件 - 優(yōu)步。(法新社圖片/卡爾﹒科特)

 

 

Unlike many American startups, Uber was not founded in someone's garage, but wasconceived instead on a cold night in Paris, when two tech entrepreneurs could not find a taxi.

與許多白手起家的美國(guó)公司不同，優(yōu)步不是成立在某人的車(chē)庫(kù)里;而是在巴黎的一個(gè)寒冬，兩個(gè)打不到車(chē)的技術(shù)型企業(yè)家的金點(diǎn)子。

Uber chief Travis Kalanick and co-founder Garrett Camp were attending the technologyconference Le Web in late 2008, where they were brainstorming ideas for a new venture -- inKalanick's terms, "jamming" like jazz musicians.

2008年末，優(yōu)步的首席執(zhí)行官崔維斯﹒卡蘭尼克和合作創(chuàng)始人格瑞特﹒坎普參加了Le Web互聯(lián)網(wǎng)技術(shù)大會(huì)。在那里，他們構(gòu)思出一種全新的產(chǎn)業(yè) – 用卡蘭尼克的話說(shuō)，優(yōu)步是靈光閃現(xiàn)的產(chǎn)物，就像爵士樂(lè)者的‘即興表演'。

"There are two cities in the world that I think are the worst to get a cab -- Paris and SanFrancisco," Kalanick, now 38, said at a 2012 presentation in Chicago.

38歲的卡蘭尼克在2012年芝加哥的優(yōu)步介紹會(huì)上說(shuō)：“全世界最難打車(chē)的兩個(gè)城市，我認(rèn)為是巴黎和舊金山，”

"The idea of pushing a button and getting a ride was a magical one," he said at another event.

他也在其他場(chǎng)合說(shuō)過(guò)：“只要按一下按鈕就能即刻享受接送服務(wù)，這是個(gè)很誘人的點(diǎn)子。”

The plan that began as a "timeshare limousine" service using luxury vehicles has allowed SanFrancisco-based Uber to grow into one of the world's largest startups, valued at some $40billion, with operations in more than 200 cities in 54 countries around the world.

使用豪華轎車(chē)提供‘豪車(chē)租賃'服務(wù)的計(jì)劃使舊金山起家的優(yōu)步成長(zhǎng)為世界上最大的創(chuàng)業(yè)公司之一，市值超過(guò)400億美元，經(jīng)營(yíng)范圍遍布全球200多個(gè)城市、54個(gè)國(guó)家。

But Uber's growth has also generated frictions with existing taxi operations, and posedchallenges for regulators.

但在成長(zhǎng)過(guò)程中，優(yōu)步與現(xiàn)有的出租行業(yè)難免產(chǎn)生摩擦，同時(shí)也向行業(yè)管理者提出了新的挑戰(zhàn)。

While the idea began as a way for Kalanick and his friends to get a high-class ride, Uber and itschief now see their venture as a crusade against an entrenched taxi industry that, accordingto the startup, fails to serve consumers.

一開(kāi)始，卡蘭尼克和他的朋友只是想獲得高質(zhì)量的接送服務(wù);但現(xiàn)在，優(yōu)步公司和領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人將其視為對(duì)抗出租行業(yè)的一次‘圣戰(zhàn)'。根據(jù)優(yōu)步的說(shuō)法，這些勢(shì)力龐大的出租車(chē)公司未能向客戶(hù)提供很好的服務(wù)。

In cities around the world, the regulated taxi industry "feels threatened by our high qualityservice and quick response time," Kalanick said in a 2013 interview with AFP.

在全球各個(gè)城市，出租車(chē)公司“覺(jué)得受到優(yōu)步高質(zhì)量服務(wù)和快速響應(yīng)的威脅”。這是卡蘭尼克在2013年接受法新社采訪時(shí)的原話。

In most areas, "the taxi industry is used to being protected by rules and lobbying efforts thatshield them from competition," he said.

在大部分的地區(qū)，“出租公司已經(jīng)習(xí)慣了受到行規(guī)和游說(shuō)團(tuán)體的保護(hù)，這使他們不必參與競(jìng)爭(zhēng)。”

- Disruptive force -

- 破壞性的力量 –

Uber does not employ drivers or own its vehicles, but instead uses independent contractorswith their own cars. As such it has become a key player in the "sharing economy", which allowsthe drivers to operate their own business, along with its risks and profits.

優(yōu)步并不雇傭司機(jī)，也沒(méi)有自己的出租車(chē);取而代之的是使用獨(dú)立承包商和他們的汽車(chē)。這樣的話，優(yōu)步將成為‘分享經(jīng)濟(jì)'中的一個(gè)重量級(jí)玩家，使司機(jī)能自行經(jīng)營(yíng)、承擔(dān)風(fēng)險(xiǎn)和利潤(rùn)。

Taxi drivers hold a banner during a protest against the app Uber, in Madrid on October 14, 2014 (AFP Photo/Pedro Armestre)

2014年10月14日，在馬德里的一次示威活動(dòng)中，出租車(chē)司機(jī)舉牌抗議優(yōu)步軟件。(法新社圖片/佩德羅﹒阿姆斯特里)

 

 

A study commissioned by Uber and led by Princeton economist Alan Kreuger found Uber drivers"generally receive higher earnings" than taxi drivers -- about $6 per hour more in the UnitedStates -- but that comparison is difficult because Uber drivers must pay certain expenses.

優(yōu)步和普林斯頓的經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家?jiàn)W蘭﹒克魯格發(fā)起的一項(xiàng)研究顯示，美國(guó)優(yōu)步司機(jī)比普通出租司機(jī)“通常收入更高” – 每小時(shí)時(shí)薪高6美元 – 但這種比較是困難的，因?yàn)閮?yōu)步司機(jī)必須支付某些費(fèi)用。

The study concluded that "most driver-partners do not turn to Uber out of desperation orbecause they face an absence of other opportunities in the job market... but rather because thenature of the work, the flexibility, and the compensation appeals to them."

研究總結(jié)：“大部分司機(jī)選擇優(yōu)步的原因不是因?yàn)榻^望，或無(wú)法在招聘市場(chǎng)上找到其他工作機(jī)會(huì) … 而是優(yōu)步這份工作的性質(zhì) - 更加彈性化的工作時(shí)間和更具吸引力的報(bào)酬。”

Uber allows consumers to use a smartphone app to locate a driver -- in some cities withseveral classes of service -- and instantly book a ride. The company motto vows to be"everyone's private driver".

客戶(hù)可以使用智能手機(jī)上的優(yōu)步軟件來(lái)定位司機(jī) – 在某些城市提供不同檔次的服務(wù) – 和及時(shí)訂車(chē)。優(yōu)步公司的口號(hào)是：“您的專(zhuān)屬司機(jī)”。

Since launching in 2010, Uber has also been the prime example of a "disruptive" economicforce. Taxi drivers in dozens of cities have staged protests against Uber, and regulators inmany cities have sought to shut it down.

成立于2010年，優(yōu)步成為了分享經(jīng)濟(jì) - 這股“破壞性”力量的最佳范例。幾十個(gè)城市的出租車(chē)司機(jī)已經(jīng)發(fā)起了針對(duì)優(yōu)步的抗議，許多城市的出租車(chē)行業(yè)管理者都已經(jīng)試圖終止優(yōu)步的業(yè)務(wù)。

New Delhi banned Uber from operating in the Indian capital after a passenger accused one ofits drivers of rape. South Korea indicted Uber's founder for operating illegally.

在一位乘客指控優(yōu)步司機(jī)強(qiáng)奸后，新德里政府禁止了優(yōu)步在印度首都的業(yè)務(wù)。韓國(guó)政府則指控優(yōu)步的創(chuàng)始人非法營(yíng)業(yè)。

Taxis wait on a road in downtown Seoul on January 22, 2015, as South Kore steps up its legalbattle against Uber (AFP Photo/Jung Yeon-Je)

2015年1月22日，出租車(chē)正在首爾市中心的一條馬路上待運(yùn)。此時(shí)，韓國(guó)政府正發(fā)起一項(xiàng)抵制優(yōu)步的法律訴訟。(法新社圖片/鄭研載)

 

 

The company has also seen its image tarnished by executives'gaffes, and concerns aboutprivacy.

優(yōu)步公司已經(jīng)預(yù)見(jiàn)到管理者的失誤對(duì)于公司形象的損害，并就隱私問(wèn)題表示關(guān)切。

Critics argue that Uber has fallen short on issues such as liability insurance and criminalbackground checks. In December, Uber said it would step up its safety measures.

有評(píng)論指出，優(yōu)步在租車(chē)保險(xiǎn)和司機(jī)的犯罪背景調(diào)查方面還有許多不足。2014年12月，優(yōu)步表示將設(shè)立安全措施。

John Breyault of the National Consumers League said firms like Uber "don't fall neatly into theregulatory buckets we've seen in the past century. So it's difficult to see how to deal withevents like in what happened in New Delhi, and to know where liability lies."

美國(guó)消費(fèi)者聯(lián)盟的約翰﹒布雷亞特認(rèn)為優(yōu)步這樣的公司“與我們?cè)谏蟼€(gè)世紀(jì)見(jiàn)到的公司不同,優(yōu)步公司的責(zé)任范圍很難界定。所以，像德里發(fā)生的事(優(yōu)步司機(jī)強(qiáng)奸乘客)如何處理，而公司又必須承擔(dān)什么樣的責(zé)任很難分清。”

Despite that uncertainty, Uber raised a fresh $1.2 billion in venture funding in December topush its market value to $40 billion, and it now looks to continue expansion around the world.

盡管有著種種不確定性因素，優(yōu)步公司還是在12月時(shí)獲得了12億美元的創(chuàng)業(yè)基金，進(jìn)一步推升其市場(chǎng)價(jià)值達(dá)到400億美元。現(xiàn)在，優(yōu)步仍沒(méi)有停下全球擴(kuò)張的腳步。

- Math and logistics -

- 數(shù)學(xué)和邏輯 -

While a number of taxi and ride-share apps are also competing in the market, Kalanick said Uberhas succeeded because of its investment in technology.

隨著一大票出租車(chē)和接送服務(wù)的軟件參與到市場(chǎng)競(jìng)爭(zhēng)中來(lái)，卡蘭尼克認(rèn)為優(yōu)步獲得成功的關(guān)鍵在于技術(shù)創(chuàng)新。

"People see they can push a button and a Town Car magically appears, but they don't realize allthe math and logistics in making that occur," he told AFP.

他告訴法新社的記者：“人們發(fā)現(xiàn)，他們只要按下一個(gè)按鍵就會(huì)有一輛林肯出現(xiàn)在眼前。但他們沒(méi)有意識(shí)到其中涉及的數(shù)學(xué)和邏輯原理”。

Kalanick says Uber has been a positive force, and in 2015 "will generate over one million jobs incities around the world." He brushes aside criticism of its business model

卡蘭尼克認(rèn)為優(yōu)步是一股正能量，在2015年“將在全世界創(chuàng)造近100萬(wàn)個(gè)崗位。”他對(duì)那些優(yōu)步商業(yè)模式的批評(píng)不削一顧。

In Europe, where Uber faces numerous regulatory issues, Kalanick claims the company cantake 400,000 cars off the road and create 50,000 jobs in the next year.

在歐洲，優(yōu)步面臨許多規(guī)范問(wèn)題?？ㄌm尼克宣稱(chēng)優(yōu)步公司明年將增加40萬(wàn)輛汽車(chē)并創(chuàng)造5萬(wàn)個(gè)工作崗位。

"When you do something successful, not everybody is happy, and the older the industry youare tackling, the more protected it is by corruption or by government or by both," he said at a2012 event at Stanford University.

他在2012年斯坦福大學(xué)的一次活動(dòng)中聲稱(chēng)：“當(dāng)你獲得成功時(shí)，不是所有人都會(huì)高興的。你面對(duì)的行業(yè)越悠久，腐敗和(或)政府保護(hù)就越嚴(yán)密”。

"I'm not sure who gets hurt from this other than a particular incumbent industry."

“除了特定的現(xiàn)有產(chǎn)業(yè)(出租行業(yè))之外，我不知道還有誰(shuí)會(huì)受到傷害。”