I've never understood the appeal of Uber or Lyft, and now in the era of surge pricing I really don't understand it.
1. Pick a cab company, look up phone number. 2. Phone, usually get a dispatcher but sometimes busy signal. 3. Tell them where you are. 4. Get very loose estimate on pickup time. 5. Wait with no updates. 6. Most of the time cab comes, if it doesn’t, GOTO step 1 by phoning back or trying another company.
Compared to 1. Open app. 2. Hit button. 3. “Real time” updates on car location and estimated time
I don’t like the gig economy model and I don’t use Uber and still use cabs, but I can see the appeal.
It was similar to that in London 10 years ago - the most 'fun' thing used to be booking a cab for an airport drop - would they turn up at 3am as planned? If not, what will you do - as their office may now be closed... I ended up nearly stuck at the airport one night after my booked cab (pre paid!) didn't turn up, so had to get a black cab at twice the cost, and only after I convinced him I had the cash at home, as I didn't have any on my and my card had been cancelled while I was on holiday (for using the card abroad). Fun
I'm honestly surprised they still exist. I have no idea whose money is keeping them in business.
1. Go outside
2. Put your hand up
3. Never get a taxi
> Most of the time cab come
This got really bad in many cities because of a cycle: If the rate of dispatched cabs get low enough, people make multiple requests to the dispatchers, so more than one cab would go to the spot, and you take whichever cab gets there first and the rest are "dropped". So the other cabs can't service dispatch requests, the servicing rate drops, so that further incentivises multiple request...
It does? That's not how I remember it.
Hasn't surge pricing been a part of Uber from day 1? I remember that being one of their original pitches, dynamic pricing being touted as a feature that will help get more drivers on the road when there are shortages.