Taxi services have taken people around for as long as I can imagine, but recent enhancements to technology have given people other options, such as ridesharing services. This has, of course, given cabbies quite a headache given how stiffer the competition has become. Let’s see how traditional taxi services compare to the new ridesharing services, and decide where passengers are getting better value for their money.
Ridesharing Services
Rideshare gives both drivers and passengers the convenience of linking one to the other through just a few taps on their smartphones. Passengers do not even need to shell out any cash or take out their credit cards; the app itself takes care of the payment. Cab sharing services like Lyft and Uber also offer promos every so often, sometimes allowing drivers to have a higher percentage of the earnings at specific hours. For drivers, this is very, very good news considering how little investment they shell out (as they use their own car), how flexible their hours are, and how bigger they take home in earnings after expenses. For passengers however, there could also be problems outside of the convenience. Rideshare drivers do not have to get a special license to qualify as one, nor are they required to pay for insurance. Rideshare companies also claim to conduct background investigation on each of the drivers before accepting them, but there have been numerous reports of rideshare drivers having criminal records or displaying bad or offensive attitude. Yes, the app allows you to rate the driver so that they can block the driver’s account if anyone reports anything bad. But what good is a bad rating if something bad has already happened?
Taxi Services
Taxi drivers and companies in Chicago seem to have the worse part of the bargain here especially in terms of investment. To be able to operate a cab in the city, you would need to have a medallion, which could cost roughly around $300,000. Taxis also have to be replaced every four years, which means that you would have to use those years to save up for a new car after that period. You also pay roughly $600 a month for insurance, taxes, gas, and other expenses. As far as the quality of services is concerned, taxi drivers go through so much just to be given a license to become a taxi driver. You need a clean driving record, pay for insurance, and pass an exam, a physical, and a number of other qualifiers. Taxi services have also been upgrading their services to make it more convenient for passengers to book them. Aside from allowing you to call them or book online, Universal Taxi now offers a downloadable app that allows you to call for a taxi wherever you are.
So now, you decide. Should you leave your safety to a common person with a driving license and an old car, or to a cabbie driver licensed to chauffeur passengers?
