Now that Uber & Lyft destroyed taxis, they’re coming for their profits, and lowering their service…
- Thread starter JHZR2
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That's always the case but not NYC alone. Government sell all sorts of public assets like airwaves and licenses to support things they do to the population. I'm not saying it is right or wrong but you will never find a city in developed nations with none of these stuff. Somalia might but then the power vacuum will be filled by criminal orgs as well. It is a fact of life.
It is the minivan Lady's fault. She could have rejected the ride instead of complaining to you and give you a negative review. Many Uber drivers decline rides they don't like and there are ways they can (at least today, not sure about back then) to limit the ride range.
As to the Uber economy. I think they were initially funded by startup money to subsidize rides to a point of economy of scale, at the expense of rental car companies and taxi medallion owners. In a way you can say whenever a medallion is worth too much it is going to be a big risk to mortgage one as a mom and pop, but if it is like many medallion cartels out there to buy up, prop up, finance, and repeat, it is their own investment risk management fault. Now that the free money era is over the they have to exit (IPO) the startup funding scene, they have to show profitability so they are starting to not subsidize the ride and charge the driver and passengers their overhead.
Why would someone drive Uber? It is flexible, it is lower cost than renting a taxi for a shift, it is lower cost to entry, and since it is a self employment people who were rejected by minimum wage job can at least work a few hours here and there to make some money. I think that's how a lot of gig economy work when the local minimum wage job is too high. There was a time when I think NYC mandate minimum pay to doordashers the customers and restaurants ended up not doing it, and the doordashers ended up going across the city boundary to work.
I talked to a few drivers when I rode before and many of them are not depending on the gig for a living, and they only drive when the dynamic pricing give them a good pay, and when they are not busy with families. It is hard to find a part time job that only work a specific 1-3 hours per week.
Take Lyft regularly (don’t usually use Uber because the old CEO was a creep).
Many of the drivers in the Boston area (not all) seem to be recent immigrants with limited language skills. Several picked me up in newish RAV4 hybrids so I suspect they must have a lease deal.
Got picked up by a guy in a near suburb who owns a restaurant. He drives a Siena as he can get extra $ for trips to and from the airport, sports, etc. He watches the rates one only takes rides when they pay well.
A Boston neighbor has to bring his daughter to school early AM 6 miles west of where we live. He works in the Boston Seaport area. So he drives an hour or so each morning and tries to end up near work.
At 4:25pm pulled up Lyft and picked Logan Airport, which is 7 miles away. I’ve heard of you pull it up again rates go up, but here’s the two. Most of the drivers in the area seem to have both.
And Uber.
Many of the drivers in the Boston area (not all) seem to be recent immigrants with limited language skills. Several picked me up in newish RAV4 hybrids so I suspect they must have a lease deal.
Got picked up by a guy in a near suburb who owns a restaurant. He drives a Siena as he can get extra $ for trips to and from the airport, sports, etc. He watches the rates one only takes rides when they pay well.
A Boston neighbor has to bring his daughter to school early AM 6 miles west of where we live. He works in the Boston Seaport area. So he drives an hour or so each morning and tries to end up near work.
At 4:25pm pulled up Lyft and picked Logan Airport, which is 7 miles away. I’ve heard of you pull it up again rates go up, but here’s the two. Most of the drivers in the area seem to have both.
And Uber.
Do any of you guys use Waymo?
https://www.wired.com/story/waymo-is-picking-up-at-phoenix-airport/
https://waymo.com/
https://www.wired.com/story/waymo-is-picking-up-at-phoenix-airport/
https://waymo.com/
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50kNice.
How many miles do you drive per year ?
Today's rideshare drivers are a very different demographic than rideshare drivers 5 years ago.
The only folks doing rideshare today, at least out here, are folks who are otherwise unemployable in "traditional" occupations.
The only folks doing rideshare today, at least out here, are folks who are otherwise unemployable in "traditional" occupations.
I am not talking about normal business licenses, or a mineral lease to drill for oil. This was over 1M to just have a taxi. Chicago charges $500 a year for a comparison.
The city promoted it. They helped arrange financing. Many of the buyers were new immigrants. A few committed suicide when the Uber came to NYC and the market for medallion imploded. NYC grift.
I am fully aware that a medallion was 1M in NYC.
It was not the only city with ridiculous medallion spot price back than, and crashing today, due to speculation and leverage.
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Down here ride-share drivers are ‘normal’ people looking to make some quick cash.
I tip $10 for a short ride…… $20 cash for longer ride.
Just pinged the two apps again for a ride to the Airport.
9am Tuesday.
Lyft: Standard $29.66
Uber: Wait and Save $40.50. UberX: $44.90.
9am Tuesday.
Lyft: Standard $29.66
Uber: Wait and Save $40.50. UberX: $44.90.
48 miles and 1hr to the airport for me. It was $104 on UberX.
I only use taxis or Car valet services.
But I have the luxury of usually getting rembursed.
The price differences are not large though.
I guess we are getting a smoking deal. My older son and I were meeting my wife and younger son at a restaurant last week. Both my wife and the younger boy had vehicles so the older one and I took an uber. At that time the ride was $10.xx and ended up $14.80 with tip with a 2 minute wait time and about 15 minute trip. Right now it's #13.99 for the same trip with a 2 minute wait time, but still much cheaper than the rates everyone is quoting here. Why so much cheaper in Calgary?
Usually rides during peak times and rides at hotspots like airports cost a lot more by default.
JHZR2
Staff member
It’s not that you’re getting a smoking deal. You just happened to be getting rides at a time when there are more drivers than riders.
Taxis generally had a metered fare. They may be stinky and old and dirty, it their fare was consistent for routine use. Now taxis are often nonexistent, and if you’re getting a ride at the wrong time, you’re paying many, many times what the price is at other times.
It’s the dynamic pricing, not a matter of a point case.
