I’m not sure if the story here has any merits. But what I do know is: there needs to be more transparency.
This report shows multiple drivers all located in the same area (literally, phones next to each other), getting marginally different quotes for the same ride.
What is accounting for these differences?
Taxi industry may have been shitty, but at least the price was transparent. You pay while the meter is running. With Uber/Lyft, it’s a fucking black box.
For all we know, the algorithms learned which drivers tend to take whatever is given to them so they can opt to shave a couple of dollars.