The thing that perplexes me is that existing taxi companies, who are licensed and otherwise compliant with the law, don't adopt the best parts of Uber and Lyft?
Why can't I call a black cab in London the way I call a ride from Uber?
If, by that, you mean the ride-hailing app -- the main part that isn't challenged as an evasion of either taxi laws or labor laws -- they are (e.g., the Flywheel app.)
Not as much visibility, because it doesn't have the dedicated capital and media attention flowing into it from being "disruptive".
It isn't terribly surprising that they can offer cheaper service than incumbents by avoiding the costs of the incumbent. The technology problem they solved is very convenient, but I'm not sure that contributes significantly to the lower costs.
Taxi companies could then get rid of their own dispatchers (gotta be a significant savings right there), their own radio network, and the per car radio transmitters. Plus the rating system would help cab companies identify crappy drivers.
Customer would still get the convenience of hailing and paying for a cab via a smart phone. Plus the rating system could be used to ensure that if a customer gave a driver/car a bad rating that customer would never see that driver/car again.
Uber per transaction gross would be smaller... but they could enter many more markets much faster, have a significant legal services savings (i.e. they wouldn't be sued anywhere near as often), and possibly a savings on marketing (no longer need to market to drivers and customers... only need a sales team that targets taxi companies). And insurance savings... Uber wouldn't need to provide car insurance during trips. And HR savings... the hiring and vetting of drivers remains with the taxi companies.
It's more expensive because the cost is not subsidized by VC capital, and the rates are regulated in order to provide wage floors for the drivers (amongst other things). Not everybody values minimum wages, but it's worth knowing why the cost is higher.
Well, the same applies to child-labour sweatshops that make shoes...
ps - are you aware that in American English, your username is a rather offensive racial epithet?
And many taxi companies do have apps similar to Uber. At least in the populous areas of the States.