Blog Post for blog.manikrathee.com

uber-vs-taxis-manik-rathee-blog

The San Francisco Taxi Labor Union is on strike. They are unhappy with Ubers, RideShare and Lyfts taking away their business. But it begs the question - if customers are leaving, are these new innovators to blame?

From my perspective, there is a really simple reason customers are not using regular cabs anymore. Allow me to take my experience and paint you a word picture.

The Process of Finding a Cab
Taxi
Try hailing a cab for 5-10 minutes while several empty ones ignore me and drive past.
Uber
Wait 3 minutes for a driver to arrive and call my phone, while I enjoy a beer at home. Follow their location via GPS.
Then, The Driver Arrives
Taxi
I get in and tell the driver a location. The driver doesn't respond and peels out, cutting off another car in the process. (Best case scenario: they start driving safely. Unfortunately, this has not been my experience.)
Uber
I get a text saying my Uber has arrived. I get downstairs and the driver is waiting outside of the car. He/She greets me, opens the door and offers cold water, snacks and gum. Once inside, driver asks how my day is going and then requests a destination.
Then, The Driver Arrives 2
Taxi
I get in and tell driver a location. Driver says 'I dont know where that is'. There is an awkward silence while waiting for the driver to do his job: ask question to get a better idea of my destination. I end up loading Google Maps on my phone for turn-by-turn directions, for fear that we will sit in this awkward situation for the rest of my life.
Uber
See above. After giving the driver an address, he/she says 'Sorry, I'm not familiar with the address. Do you mind if I put it in my GPS so I can make sure to get you to there on time?'
En Route
Taxi
The commute continues while the driver is talking on the phone, driving like a maniac and cutting off other drivers, bicyclists, etc.
Uber
The driver is obeying traffic laws, not talking on the phone and is paying attention to the road. Some even maintain a nice conversation with you, if that's something you enjoy.
Arrival
Taxi
Seeing the cost of the ride on the meter, I pull out my debit card to start the payment process. 'Sorry, no cards.', another awkward silence since they must accept cards. ' Ok, fine, hold on.' The driver then rumages through his/her glove compartment before claiming that the credit card machine is broken. Show continues as he/she makes more of a fuss about accepting a debit card, and then a Square Card Reader appears. After transaction is complete, there is silence and I exit the vehicle. With just enough time to shut the door, the driver peels away again.
Uber
'Alright sir, here we are. Please allow me to get your door.' - Driver exits, opens the door for me, and says 'Thank you very much Manik, have a great day.' Note: He/she often will address me by name throughout the ride. Very simple action with a big impact. I exit the vehicle at my destination, in one piece, without being frustrated by my commute. I say thanks and goodbye, knowing that my fare & the driver's tip is paid and I can review the entire trip later when my e-mail receipt arrives. Effortless.
This comparison is not an exaggeration or a biased view - this is based on using several cabs and several Ubers since last year in the cities of New York City, Chicago and San Francisco.

Another fun fact - UberX in San Francisco (referral link) is now cheaper than most cabs & is better for the environment. So, there's that.

Comments are welcome. I'd love to hear other experiences with both transportation methods.