Hailing cabs by phone (and later on, using the non-Uber hailing services that interact directly with cabs) never worked as well for me as Uber. Takes too long for them to get there, and the incentive for them to abandon your request and pick up a fare they find on the way is too strong.
Taxis only make sense in the very small perecent of the US where you can walk outside and hail one coming down the street.
Reminds me of a story I saw (I think on reddit) where someone had booked a cab for a 5am trip to the airport, and after it didn't show up after 30 minutes they just called an uber. They hadn't taken a cab since.
I know it can be an issue on the driver side in terms of job security, but poor customer service and behaviour is weeded out much better on ridesharing apps due to how their rating and tracking systems work.
In Germany, we have two types: Funkmietwagen (kinda "callable cabs") which can't pick up someone without being called and proper taxis which both get dispatched but can also wait at taxi ranks to pick people up (or pick someone up on their way somewhere when empty).
Neither of those would abandon someone they've been dispatched to and dispatcher estimations are usually pretty accurate.
> Takes too long for them to get there, and the incentive for them to abandon your request and pick up a fare they find on the way is too strong.
The few times I've reserved a taxi for someone the estimation was accurate and the driver very friendly. Same for the company I work for, no real issues with taxis. Company wise it's often easier to just take public transport though (quickest to/from airport).
When it comes to airports, I prefer taxis. I once got a Lyft driver at the airport who did not have enough room for all our luggage. Taxis generally will, and even if they don't, there is no charge for "canceling".
I recently arrived at an airport intending to take a Lyft/Uber out of the vicinity. Tried for 10 to 15 minutes to get a ride on either platform and it would just time out. Eventually opted for a taxi, which were immediately and readily available. Surprisingly it was also 30% cheaper in the end including tip than the quoted price on Uber at the time with surge pricing without tip.
The same thing happened on my most recent arrival back home. I am probably going to simply return to taxis at my home airport for now on.
>Most people I know hate taxis. Uber can nearly raise prices to parity with cabs.
If they are willing to let their ridership fall to just above cab ridership numbers? sure.
That's the biggest problem with the market; demand is elastic. Uber's major competitor for my transportation dollars isn't lyft; it's me going out and buying a honda and driving myself. If they charged taxi prices, I'd buy a honda, and I'd use the rideshare less than 5% of the time I use it now.
In the US, correct.
In most of Western Europe a taxi is normally a very different experience from Uber X - a nice car, nice driver, great navigation and safe trip. Yes, you're paying extra, but the comfort is also very different, especially when going from airports.
I live in the UK. Can't say I agree with you. Especially because I have a mobility impairment. The Uber drivers are always more willing to help, (I'd imagine thanks to the rating system), stop exactly where needed etc.
In London - I'd say cabs are better. In Liverpool and Manchester, I'd say on par with Uber.
Didn't have experience with Assist and Access Uber cars, so you have a better view on that.
And as much as people used to hate taxis, the tide is turning to people hating Uber/Lyft more...mainly due to trying to kill passengers, pedestrians, bicyclists at a greater rate since the drivers aren't professionals and rarely know the city they're driving in.
