The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Tag: Uber

  • Local taxicabs welcome Uber challenge

    Local taxicabs welcome Uber challenge

    Since its recent availability in Humboldt County, Uber has become an increasingly popular alternative to taking taxis. Although the San Francisco based company may provide some serious competition, the local cab companies don’t seem worried about it yet.

    William Startare, 31, is a Eureka resident and the grandson of William Startare, who started City Cab Company. The Eureka based cab company is now owned by his uncles.

    Startare is loyal to the family-owned company, but admits he uses both City Cab and Uber. He believes they both have their advantages. Startare says the Uber app is more user-friendly for younger people.

    “It’s modern,” Startare said. “It’s the way we need information to be presented to us.”

    One disadvantage to Uber, however, is it is not always available. On the other hand, Startare says City Cab might take longer, but they will always show up.

    “Two days ago at 3:30 in the morning, I tried to get an Uber and there was none,” Startare said. “I called City Cab and they said 10 minutes.”

    Jose Zaragoza, 34, was born in Mexico and has lived in Humboldt since he was six. Zaragoza has been driving for Uber for about seven months and is happy the service now exists in Humboldt.

    With a wife, two children and a third on the way, Zaragoza says money from his primary job at Costco is not always enough. Driving for Uber helps him supplement his income without a time commitment.

    “This is a job where you can pick your own hours,” Zaragoza said. “It brings extra income to the table. It helps.”

    Zaragoza says lower rates, cleaner vehicles and the convenience of the app make Uber the better choice for customers.

    “You can see where I am, where I’m going and how far I am from you,” Zaragoza said. “It’s all done with the simple touch of a button.”

    Cedric Pearl, the owner of Plaza Cab, says Uber has not caused his company to take a hit financially so far. He believes the availability and consistency of rates make taxis a preferable choice for some customers.

    “Their rates fluctuate based on demand,” Pearl said. “Our rates never change. You can call a taxi on New Year’s Eve and the price is the same as always.”

    Another advantage of a taxi company is they are required to have commercial insurance, and drivers are required to undergo federal scan background checks and drug tests.

    Despite some disadvantages Pearl sees with Uber, he is not opposed to people using the competition.

    “Anything that keeps drunk drivers off the road is ok with me,” Pearl said.

  • Uber now available in Arcata

    Uber now available in Arcata

    By Onaja Waki

    The friendly ride sharing app Uber is now available in Arcata giving Humboldt State students and locals the opportunity to sign up as drivers or request rides. With Uber being a fairly new transportation system, news is still getting around that it is being offered. For those in need of a ride in Arcata, drivers are on standby.

    “An uber is cheaper than an DUI.” HSU student and Uber driver Joseph Marmolejo Said.

    Marmolejo recently joined the Uber driving team here in Arcata prior to spring break. He signed up with Uber to help him with his car expenses as well as provide rides to other HSU students.

    “Essentially Uber is helping me with my car payments, that’s why I started driving…I started the Monday before spring break. March 6 I believe,” Marmolejo said. “I knew there wasn’t many drivers up here, and mostly students need rides. Plus I didn’t want students to drink and drive.”

    As a student and Uber driver Marmolejo manages to balance school and work. Uber driving is an easy process for him, and he likes the pay.

    “Yes! [Uber driving is] Very flexible, I’m taking 19 units so it works with my schedule,” Marmolejo said. “I just turn on the app, tell it I’m online, the signal goes out to everyone on the app, and within 3 sec you have a request. But it’s not that fast all the time.”

    Although Uber takes a portion of the drivers’ money, Marmolejo still feels that he makes pretty good money.

    “I get 80 percent and Uber takes 2o percent. For example I had a ride from Manila to Eureka then  back to campus, and the rider paid $14. So I got $12 out of that,” Marmolejo said.

    Being that Marmolejo is a relatively new driver he hasn’t had any out of the ordinary experiences with any riders yet. But he still wants to take extra precautions for any accidents that may happen in the car with a rider.

    “I’ve been thinking about putting plastic in my back seat in case of any accidents. Somebody was also telling me to get pepper spray, mace, and a dash cam for safety reasons,” Marmolejo said .

    Students like Reggie McGrue who have taken an Uber more than once recalls his experiences with the drivers to be relatively well.

    “It’s hella convenient and cheap,” McGrue said. “Like $5 and some change from my house to library circle[about 10 minutes]. I had three different drivers…one was older, one was a firefighter and the other one was driving as a second job. All local people from Humboldt- nice cars too.”

    HSU student Leylah Teal, also a user of the Uber app, says her rides are always comfortable. During most of her rides she was able to chose the music or plug up her phone to the drivers AUX cord, and listen to her music.

    “I’ve taken an Uber a few times just to get around town, and maybe sometimes to go to Eureka, and almost like every time I was able to ride to favorite songs. It makes the rides that much more chill,” Teal said. “I wasn’t all weirded out by none of the Uber drivers I’ve had; at least not yet!”

  • Missing Uber in Arcata

    Missing Uber in Arcata

    By|Onaja Waki

    The Uber ride sharing app has been around for six years now, providing rides to cities around the globe. Here in California, an Uber ride is accessible nearly everywhere. However, as we get further up north to Humboldt County, the option for an Uber ride becomes scarce. North of Eureka and going into towns like Arcata, the request for an Uber is no longer available.

    Uber can’t form a base in Arcata without drivers. It’s not a matter of the Uber company not allowing drivers up north or the city of Arcata banning Uber services all together. If more people residing in this area started becoming drivers, then both students and locals would have the opportunity to request a ride as another form of transportation here in Arcata.

    Potential drivers must sign up through the Uber website and meet the initial driver requirements, such as being 21-years-old or over, and having at least three years of driving experience with a clean driving record.

    Humboldt State student Arri Sanders, an adamant Uber rider in her hometown of Los Angeles, said she uses Uber all the time to get around the busy city. Sanders wishes she could request one out here on a day when the Redwood Transit isn’t running, or the very few available taxi cab services are backed up. “I would chose an Uber ride over calling one these taxis or taking the bus any day! It’s just so much faster,” Sanders said.

    Most students agreed with Sanders when asked about there being more accessibility to Uber rides in Arcata. Locals who have been living in Arcata all their life said they want to try the ride-sharing app.

    Donald Vance, who was born and raised in Arcata, has no car and uses the local transportation to get around town. Through a friend, he was informed about the Uber service being provided in Eureka, but has never seen Uber drivers here in Arcata. He mentioned how he would like to have Uber out here as an option to get around, and even considered the possibility of signing up to become a driver. “I wouldn’t mind being a driver especially since Arcata is small, I don’t think I would have to go far distances for my pick ups and drop offs anyway,” Vance said.

    Análisis Montoya is a third-year HSU student and Uber driver in Oakland. She said Uber driving helped her pay for her car. She considered Ubering here in Arcata, but doesn’t think she would make a lot of money. “I feel like if I was to drive out here no one would request a ride, because I don’t think many people up here even know about Uber,” she said.

    Surprisingly, there is a high demand for Uber rides in Arcata, but most people just aren’t informed and aren’t signing up. Those who don’t mind driving or are already drivers in different cities should sign up here in Arcata. They would be providing a service to the many who would like to request a ride.