this post was submitted on 14 Nov 2023
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I have never been able to understand Uber. They never invented anything new. Maybe there weren't e-hailing apps everywhere, but that's not so much better phoning for a taxi. The main thing they did was to spend an insane amount of money only to brush aside taxi regulations in the US and maybe some other countries. I have no idea how anyone expects to see a return on that "investment".
Phoning a taxi was hell. You’d get an operator and he would throw a dart on the board as a time estimate for pickup. Then after going to the pickup area and waiting 20 minutes you’d get a call saying walk 6 blocks to another pickup area because another taxi is closer.
Uber was cheaper because they were burning VC, like every other startup. Uber service declined A LOT soon after that. At least in my country Uber drivers vehicles are complete trash, almost falling apart because Uber cannot afford to limit themselves to drivers with mint vehicles anymore.
The parent commenter didn't even mention the price being an issue with taxis....
That may explain something about why Uber succeeded in the US. I have no idea what a pickup area is. Isn't the point of calling a taxi that they pick you up where you are? Ring the doorbell? And if one dispatcher service is no good, why not use another?
Have you used the e hailing apps and ordered a taxi? Its way better. Just sucks the corporate greed monster is ruining it. Although taxi medallion system was extremely predatory and terrible too
Tell me you've never phoned for a taxi without telling me you've never phoned for a taxi
Lmao, every single traditional taxi service I've ever used has had absolutely horrendous service. From rude to long waits (Hours...HOURS LONG) to intentionally driving longer routes if you weren't local (Since you wouldn't know otherwise). For awhile Uber was even cheaper than regular taxis.
Maybe they did toss aside taxi regulations, but it needed to be done, the taxi industry really needed some real competition.
Frankly, Uber could be twice as expensive than a regular taxi and I'll still choose it, I'm never going back to taxis
They did all that, but they've also stirred the taxi ecosystem, which used to be full of rude dipshits who'd go the long way if they noticed you were not a local. Suddenly, they got competition in price and quality (the latter has been decaying).
I'm not defending Uber in any way.
true, taxi business everywhere has been a shitshow of sketchiness for such a "simple" concept