FWIW, I actually agree that the "Gig Economy" is riddled with problems, but at least in the case of Taxi's where Uber started, the existing system was rotten and in need of replacement.
many drivers were first generation immigrants.. owned homes in queens, were putting kids through college, looking at their name come up on the medallion wait-list in a few years as a retirement.
all that stopped with appcars.
but i suppose if the only constituents you really care about are customers, the people getting rich writing dispatch/billing software and the people facilitating the construction of a massive venture capital fueled duopolistic takeover of an entire industry, this works too i guess.
most drivers i spoke to seemed to like the medallions as they offered some long term investment potential and a sort of seniority reward. there was of course big capital at play, but drivers could have complained to the tlc... what can they do now? file a support ticket?
Meanwhile, many of those immigrants were working off of someone else's medallion for peanuts, so the medallion owner could book Nicki Minaj for his kid's bar mitzvah.
i think total rent for a car was something like $260/day and $280/day with medallion. (i think this also includes insurance)
remains to be seen whether this is better than encouraging drivers to go out and buy a late model car on personal credit.
regarding the boroughs, you had to know how to live in the city. any bodega, bar or restaurant would have the number for the nearest black car dispatch and would often call for you... pickup was usually within 5 minutes.
anecdotally: yellow cab drivers often seemed like financially stable professionals who were often raising families and in a good financial position. uber drivers always felt like temps. black car bases throughout the boroughs were often small and family owned. again this is anecdotal, but i like talking to people.