this post was submitted on 09 Feb 2024
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They did that on the backs of poor working people who had, often expensive, taxi licenses. Those people are now out of business for the most part and Uber can charge what ever they want. If this was international trade they would be accused of dumping, and it's fucking gross. Disgusting you would excuse such behaviour.
I say this from the bottom of my heart, FUCK TAXIS
Taxis have left me waiting for hours and ripped me off 1 too many times on top of every cab I've been in has been quite dirty. They tried using their near-monopolistic position in most places to ignore basic innovations, like having an app to request a taxi (and having that app not look like it's a time capsule from 2008) or even taking card.
Uber drivers don't regularly leave me waiting for hours with the promise of being "Just 10 minutes away"
Uber drivers can't go "This guy isn't local, so I'm going to go the longest way possible to rack up charges"
Uber doesn't leave me guessing where the car is with my only way to find out is to call dispatch (Who will constantly tell you a car is on the way "just a couple minutes")
Uber drivers don't just stop 2 or 3 blocks away and expect me to walk
Uber cars have been far cleaner and better maintained than the best taxi I've been in
I've felt far more unsafe and uncomfortable in a taxi than any Uber ride I've been in
I have no sympathy for taxis, they're dead to me. Do you honestly think taxis wouldn't be doing the exact same things as Uber? They're playing the victim now because they lost their monopoly and can't. The only places that had even half decent taxis are places where they actually had competition like NYC or near major airports, everywhere else? Yea they would rip you off every chance they could and customer service? Pfffft
Anti competitive behavior does suck. Stuff like million dollar taxi medallions being required before you can drive people around, or using your VC funding to drive taxi businesses out of business. But that's not where the price increases are coming from. Taxi companies are still here, and so is Lyft. Some cities have their own local rideshare apps.
The price increases are from Uber deciding to stop losing money on their rideshare services anymore.
Over-regulation led to taxi medallions in places like NYC costing upwards of $1.3 million dollars. It isn't surprising someone else was able to blow that system away by simply....not having to pay such exorbitant costs.
Over-regulation and corruption. The corruption was a solid chunk of it too.