Uber versus the yellow cab style taxi

[titaniumsalute]

I worked in major cities for years including NYC, Chicago, DC, Atlanta, Miami, etc. I've used a million cabs. When this Uber thing started I was pretty against it...mainly because I have always loved the rather old fashioned Yellow Cab style service. Then came all of the reports last year of the scary side of Uber. The taking advantage of their driver contractors, digging up dirt on journalists who wrote negative articles about them, very unfair practices for competitors, etc. Pretty much everything I hate in a corporation who sticks it to the small people. The problem is Uber's service is spectacular.

Some cases in point...my first Uber experience was in NYC in December. My friend (a local in the East Village) and I were trying to grab a cab at 4:45 on a Friday. Every New Yorker knows that getting a cab at that time is futile. My buddy did his little Uber app and 4 minutes later we were moving. The next night it was late and I needed a cab back to midtown from the East Village. It was probably 1:30 am or so. I waited for ten minutes for a yellow. Nothing. My friend did an Uber and literally 30 seconds later a car was there.

Tonight I'm in downtown Atlanta. It is 31 degrees and raining. I have a rental car but decided to take a cab about 10 blocks to a fav bar/restaurant. Parking would be tough, the rains at 32 degrees are miserable, and after drinking it's better not to drive. I have my hotel call a cab which took 16 minutes to get here. The guy complained to me that I was only going 10 blocks and he could have a bigger fare to the airport. He dropped me off and after I got out I realized I was two blocks from my destination. He didn't want to go around the block. So I'm running in a freezing downpour to get to my destination.

After dinner I said Fuck It and hailed an Uber. 60 seconds later I'm in a car and headed back to the hotel. $5 versus $9. No cash, no tip, no bullshit.

I still cannot stand many practices of Uber. But if the Yellow Cab services do not start getting their shit together they will not be here a few years from now.

[Mojorabbit]

1. I have had wonderful experiences with them also

I have also had cab drivers pissed at me because my destination was not a long distance from my home. I hope they end up raising the rates for the drivers and that the company thrives.

[PoliticAverse]

2. NYC specifically limits the number of Yellow Cabs there are, Uber is able to avoid

this regulatory limit.

(There are about 13,600 taxicab medallion licenses in existence in NYC).

[sir pball]

6. As near as I can tell, Uber in NYC is basically another limo service

Every Uber car I've seen here has Taxi & Limousine Commission plates, which means they're regulated same as any other car service (basically, you can call, but can't hail them - that's only for yellow and green cabs); I haven't tried them yet since I already had a card on file with Carmel ("Six six six, six six sixty-six!) and they've always gotten me a car within 5 minutes. I have yet to see a personal Uber car in NYC, or try one elsewhere...not that I wouldn't, but in the Big Apple they're just another option.

[RedCappedBandit]

12. And at a million dollars a pop.. only the wealthy stand to gain..

[NRaleighLiberal]

3. We used Uber four times during our Seattle visit. Just superb...

Great cars, polite friendly drivers, superb service, amazing prices. Can't say enough good things about Uber after that experience!

ALL four pickups were within 4 minutes of using the App. Amazing.

[appalachiablue]

4. Glad to hear postive experiences with Uber. There've been issues with assault though- ie a young

woman in an affluent DC area last year. After she got out of the taxi and was at her parent's front door, the driver followed and raped her back in the car. There have been recent articles about the need for security alerts; Uber wants a system on passenger phones rather than on devices inside the vehicles.

[titaniumsalute]

7. Yeah that's scary

But I guess that could happen with any driver. If they are nuts enough to rape someone it doesn't matter who they work for. Obviously Uber would have details of that particular driver if that happens and the person would be caught just as someone with a medallion.

[Nye Bevan]

5. Saying goodbye to the driver without having to fumble for my wallet or calculate a tip is wonderful.

I will still take a legacy cab if I am somewhere where they are lined up and ready to go (hotel, airport etc.) But most other times I will use Uber. In general their cars are cleaner than legacy cabs and their drivers more courteous.

[AngryAmish]

8. 1. Always tip your uberx

Don't be a cheapo.

2. I have taken 2 uberx's. The second was yesterday. My car was in the shop and my fare card ran out transfering busses. Smallest bill was a 20. No cabs in sight. Pulled out my phone and got an uber x in 3 minutes.

Deregulate cabs, inspect the cars, background check the drivers, figure out a way to tax.

Cabs as we know them are dead.

[titaniumsalute]

9. The app doesn't allow tipping but cash is fine

I always tip some with cash when I use them or any other car service for that matter.

[alarimer]

10. I hate Uber on general principles.

Company run by a libertarian asshole who, by calling their employees contractors, avoids all responsibilities for their actions.

If we despise Walmart for the way it does business, we need to also condemn companies of the "sharing" economy, for their business practices as well. As far as I am concerned, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Start with taxi drivers (who are, let's face it, not a very sympathetic lot, by and large). Soon we will all be "independent contractors," with all the negative connotations that brings. Sure, it's convenient, but by using it, you are just encouraging unethical, shady business practices.

https://www.tnwinc.com/9334/uber-needs-business-ethics-training/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/11/uber-better-business-bureau-f-rating_n_5969894.html

[titaniumsalute]

11. The problem is if I stood up to every business that I thought was shady

I'd be completely immobilized. Yes Wal-Mart is evil. I don't shop there...but wait I do. There are a few specific items they have that I need each year or when I'm traveling to a small town sometimes they are the only option. So yes I have gone there.

My point in the post isn't that I go out of my way to use Uber, but the rest of the car service industry had really better get better in order to compete. I got dropped off three blocks from my destination in the fucking freezing rain last night because I know my cab driver wasn't happy about the $8 fare. He told me he wasn't happy. That's of course horseshit.

[RedCappedBandit]

13. Agreed.

Uber is way too shady for me.

Yellow cabs are garbage as well and way too expensive.

I'll walk or take the bus or train.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

18. If anyone thinks the regular taxi drivers aren't getting fucked by the medallion owners....

.... they are wrong.

I don't know the statistics but I bet most medallions are held by leasing companies that lease the cabs on a daily basis. At least that's the way all my customers (I was mortgage guy to the taxi community for some time) were set up.

I doubt uber is any worse than the taxi medallion bosses.

I hear where you are coming from but it's getting harder and harder to not patronize businesses that fuck their employees. I refuse to step foot in the City Walmart we have here on chicago's north side. And I laugh when I drive by empty papa john's ( I predict he will be out of business before long).

[leftynyc]

14. Uber is great in NYC if

you're going from one part of Manhattan to another. The problems occur when you need to get to the out boroughs or the airports. They double the price because they aren't guaranteed a round trip whereas yellow cabs and all the private car companies usually keep cars out at the airports for trips into Manhattan so one way fares are much lower than uber.

[titaniumsalute]

17. Yeah I've never done the airport with them...great point. Thanks!

[stevenleser]

15. Uber clearly met an unmet need and it is an amazing service. Have used in NY and Atlanta

and its always awesome.

[FLPanhandle]

16. I travel quite a lot and I love Uber

The cars are better, the attitude of the drivers is better, the service is faster in smaller cities.

[DanielLee5]

19. alternative services

I guess Uber is the most contradictory transport service ever.. As for me it is nothing but monopoly - rather convenient but the quality is not the best, I would compare it to fast food. I use alternative taxi service (for ex. http://kiwitaxi.com ) and I noticed the drivers are more attentive and polite, one can chose a car the way he prefers and, finally, the client's needs are satisfied 100%, the client is always right.