Since bursting onto the transportation scene, Uber has served as a contentious rival for traditional taxis, with the industry arguing that the ride-hailing service has taken away business and depleted driver’s take-home pay. But a new report suggests that simply isn’t the case, at least in New York City, where traditional cabs continue to dominate the streets.
A new report from the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission found that while the number of rides provided by traditional taxis has dropped in the last year, it still outweighs consumers’ use of Uber, Re/code reports.
For example, in April there were 11.1 million taxi trips in New York City, a 9% decline in the number of rides provided one year earlier. However, the figure is more than double the 4.7 million rides provided by Uber in the same time, according to research from Morgan Stanley.
Despite providing fewer trips, Uber’s usage is certainly on the rise. The data found that the 4.7 million rides Uber drivers handled in April represented a 121% increase from April 2015.
Morgan Stanley’s research points out that the number could be an indicator that travelers in New York City continue to appreciate the reliability and availability of traditional taxis.
It’s not just the taxi industry that stands to lose with Uber’s growing usage. Quartz reports that Uber launched a promotion intended to lure commuters away from public transportation.
Uber is offering an UberPool “commute card” to members of flash-sale site Gilt City that provides riders with unlimited carpooling trips during commuting hours at rates lower than the city’s subway.
The pass is good for rides on Pool anywhere in Manhattan below 125th Street during weekday commuting hours — 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday. Uber is selling a two-week pass for $49, a four-week pass for $79, and an eight-week pass for $159.
In comparison, a seven-day unlimited pass for the New York City subway sells for $31 and a 30-day card costs $116.50.
Uber is growing in NYC, but yellow taxis still do double the business [Recode]
Commuting with Uber in New York is cheaper than taking the subway this summer [Quartz]
by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist
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