Functionally for passenger? It isn't much different since taxi hailing apps now exist.
For driver, very different. Taxi vehicles are typically exclusive business use, often times used by different drivers in shifts. Different municipalities may set fare rates or minimums for service. May set caps on number of cars. Or might not, maybe they just require commercial insurance and an application to be filled out. It's different everywhere. Some cities lyft/uber drivers are even employees of a subsidiary since not recognized as contractors.
Generally lyft/uber went into markets going 'nananana, we are not a taxi because this is a cellphone! Look at the app! Rideshare!' So regulators ended up having to make a new legal class of service. The companies could just throw straps at the problem until enough users jumped on and 'transit proposals' could be made to towns.
For driver, very different. Taxi vehicles are typically exclusive business use, often times used by different drivers in shifts. Different municipalities may set fare rates or minimums for service. May set caps on number of cars. Or might not, maybe they just require commercial insurance and an application to be filled out. It's different everywhere. Some cities lyft/uber drivers are even employees of a subsidiary since not recognized as contractors.
Generally lyft/uber went into markets going 'nananana, we are not a taxi because this is a cellphone! Look at the app! Rideshare!' So regulators ended up having to make a new legal class of service. The companies could just throw straps at the problem until enough users jumped on and 'transit proposals' could be made to towns.