If you live in New York City, then you have almost surely heard of Uber, an increasingly popular alternative to the classic yellow taxi. If you are from outside NYC, you have probably heard of Uber since Uber cars have been gaining popularity all over the world. Everyone has a different opinion regarding Uber. Some long-time New Yorkers may be sad that there are now more Uber cars on the NYC streets than there are yellow taxis. According to Matthew McDermott, Uber had 14,088 cars in 2015, which is slightly more than the 13,587 taxi cabs. Others may be grateful to have this easy and quick alternative car service that provides a more customizable experience.
When you open the Uber app, you can choose from a regular car, an extra large car, a fancier black car, or even a carpool vehicle. All of the rates are displayed on the screen, and since they are live, they change depending on your destination and the current demand. Since the Uber app stores your credit card and automatically calculates your tip, as the passenger there is literally nothing you need to do after ordering your car besides getting in and sitting back to enjoy the ride. Compared to this, having to calculate a tip and scramble for cash in a taxi cab seems like quite the hassle. Although there are apps that you can use now to pay for cabs electronically, your payment info is not automatically given to the cab when you order one using an app. Additionally, even if you order a cab with an app, you still need to tell the driver your destination. With Uber, the driver is automatically given the destination when you enter it into the Uber app and request a car. These features have proven to be very appealing to customers everywhere, including in NYC.
Many taxi cab drivers have complained about Uber taking business away from them, which is understandable given Uber’s competitive rates and higher earnings for the drivers. Someone who drivers a luxury SUV for Uber can make as much as $85,000 a year, which is more than the $35,000 that a typical taxi driver makes. The rise of Uber has also cost the owners of the taxi cab cars money by depreciating the medallions. Others complain that with both Uber cars and taxi cabs, there are simply too many cars on the NYC roads, which creates traffic congestion, something that was already an issue prior to the rise of Uber.
While Uber has posed threats to New York’s classic yellow taxis, I believe that it has also enhanced the riding experience for thousands of passengers and has set a higher standard for transportation services. Uber has also benefited the 35,000+ drivers who drive for the company in NYC alone by providing them with good-paying jobs. I, for one, feel that the advantages of Uber outweigh its drawbacks, and I think that it has improved the community and quality of life in New York.
