Slashdot Mirror
Data Research Reveals When Taking a Yellow Cab Is Cheaper Than an Uber
An anonymous reader writes A team of data scientists have come up with a system to identify times when regular yellow taxis are cheaper alternatives to an Uber [in New York]. Researchers from the University of Cambridge and the University of Nanmur in Belgium have compared a broad dataset of both yellow taxi and Uber fares in New York and have discovered that for a trip costing less than $35 Uber is often the most expensive option. The data scientists were able to reach this conclusion by comparing trip and fare data for each yellow taxi ride taken in 2013 and entering it into Uber's fare query system. Prices were taken from Uber's lowest-cost service Uber X and the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission.
They do it because of the smell.
In a yellow cab, you have to deal with often times 25 year old vehicles in poor condition, the dispatcher blaring on the radio the whole ride. You can call a cab, and there is no guarantee one will show up, and not to mention the tip you're expected to bestow. In Uber... you get a new, higher end black car or SUV and you don't have to tip, the cars have always been clean... and unless you were one of the handful of well publicized incidents... the experience is much more classy and high end then an old yellow cab. You get what you pay for.
I don't take Uber (or more often: Lyft) because it's cheaper. I use these services because 1) the car actually shows up, 2) when it's supposed to, and 3) I know ahead of time how much it will cost. Even if it's a couple of bucks more, that's well worth the vastly better customer service.
Dewey, what part of this looks like authorities should be involved?
I was new to the Seattle area and a college student, asked to be taken on a mainstream road in Bellevue (148th Street iirc), the cabby claimed not to be able to find it. Mind you this was 17 years ago and was 10pm, I was desperate to meet my roomate while he was still up and get into my new apartment. What should have been a $35 taxi ride cost $105. Gas was $1.16 in the area and I thought it was high compared to my area.
I already knew he ripped me off bigtime and couldn't happen with smartphones today nearly as much, but there you have it. A lot of subsequent rides later, I see taxis trying to rip off a lot in certain areas. Taking longer routes or their meters just not corresponding with reality somehow, maybe an advertised rate and then setting a higher one (my experience not always in America, mind you).
Never used Uber, but if it's one destination, one final price, I'll take it thank you very much.
It doesn't look like they took into account tipping for cab fares. A 15% addition to the Taxi fares would make Uber the clear winner in all cases, I think.