Uber is getting rave reviews from some NYU students, due to its potentially cheaper options and easy-to-use app.
“Down with taxis, up with Uber,” Albany-area business owners told the Albany Business Review. A transportation service that provides car rides for customers through the use of a mobile app, Uber has been operating in NYC since 2011. Unlike most cab services, Uber allows its drivers to use their own cars and determine their work schedules. Moreover, Uber has 14,088 cars running in the five boroughs, 501 more than the medallion cabs, according to the Taxi and Limousine Commission, a government agency that monitors the public riding service.
Tap the “U” on the app’s grey icon and you can book a car within a few minutes. After logging in, a map is shown of your current location with some cars moving around the screen. Users are then prompted to set a pickup location. At the bottom of the display, a horizontal axis can be seen with five spots, each representing different types of services that can be provided. From left to right, it lists UberT, UberPool, UberX, UberBlack, and UberRUSH. Each service sets a different price for a trip based on the car’s type. UberX is a non-luxury car, offering the passengers a cheaper ride. In contrast, UberBlack, offers rides in a luxury car such as the Lincoln MKT or Cadillac CTS. Equipped with at least four seats, the luxury car service demands higher fares.
After requesting an Uber car, the app will tell you how long it will take the driver to reach you. Shilei Ye, an NYU sophomore, takes UberX from Central Park West to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to finish her painting class. She receives a reminder message from Fabian, an Uber driver. “Hi I’m outside,” the message reads. His Toyota Camry arrives within two minutes. A sheet of paper labeled “Uber” is attached to the car’s right window. Inside the car, there is enough space for passengers to straighten their legs. “I like the way the car is clean and big. I can take a rest and enjoy my trip with Uber,” Ye said.
“This online service allows you to see where your car is and how much time it takes to come to you. You can go to the pickup place. There’s no need to wait,” remarked Alap Shah, a first-year graduate student in engineering. He recalled a trip with four friends where each was charged almost one dollar per mile. He mentioned that it was worth it to download the app, as new customers could get $20 off for their first Uber ride.
Students appreciate the convenience of getting car service through the Uber app. “If I’m planning to go out with friends, I’ll call Uber. It’s difficult to get an empty cab along the streets near my apartment in the East Village,” noted Tanner Davies, an NYU first-year Master’s student studying performing arts administration.
In addition to finding a car easily, Uber has a distinct payment method, making the process very convenient for passengers. When registering for the service, users will input their credit card information to associate it with their account. This allows them to exit their cars without having to take out cash or a credit card.. Uber runs like a private car. “When you get to your destination, you can leave, ” Davies noted. He rides with Uber two to three times monthly, more than with yellow cabs. “Generally, Uber is cheaper and cleaner. I have more positive experiences with Uber,” he stated. Davies recalled an instance when he discovered that a yellow cab driver added extra money into his taximeter, asking for more from him. However, Uber cannot engage in such practices.
Uber applies a remote computer server to calculate the fare based on the information of journey distance and time taken. Drivers have no direct access to the taximeter and therefore cannot manipulate it. Uber drivers often install a smart phone at the front of the car, replacing the traditional taximeter used by yellow cabs. The phone serves as a GPS unit and fare calculator. Unlike yellow cabs, customers will not receive the receipt until they exit the car.
Tiffany Martin, an NYU sophomore who is studying neuroscience, shares the same experience with Davies. “Uber is easier. It comes right to your door. I’m not sure if the yellow cab can do it,” Martin says. Customers cannot call a yellow cab in New York; rather, they can reach a livery service or black car company by dialing #8294. Martin takes Uber once every two weeks to socialize with friends. She recalled that Uber likely charges the same price as yellow cabs, but she has experienced surge pricing—higher fares, with Uber.
Surge pricing is imposed to encourage drivers to go to the areas where the demand is high but the supply is short during rain or rush hour to provide reliable service for customers, explained an Uber officer. Uber will not inflate its price over 2.8 times the normal rate, a letter Uber sent out to users indicated. However, there have been cases in which rides have gone over the 2.8 limit. In one noted instance, a two-mile ride surged to six times the normal rate, reaching $94 on a snowy day in December 2013. On another occasion, a $20 ride cost $194 on 2014 New Year’s Eve, nearly ten times the regular fare.“The normal rate is increased in bad weather. It multiplied my bill by two, charged $40,” Martin added. “If I meet surged price service, I try to avoid it. In comparison, a taxi doesn’t charge more for bad weather.”
In contrast to some of the more expensive services provided by Uber, there are also options such as UberPool, which allows passengers to ride with other people who share the same route and split the bill. Recently, UberPool has reduced rides to $2.75 during the weekends of L train closure. The L train stopped running between Eighth Avenue in Manhattan and Lorimer Street in Williamsburg for five weeks starting on April 11th, as reported by the Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Customers can ride with UberPool along the closed L train stops at the same price as a MTA ticket. “It stops along the way to get more people in. It works like the subway, and I need to stay with strangers,” Martin said. Uber is working not only to fill the gaps in commuting services but also to attract consumers through the convenience of what it can offer.
When asked about her attitudes on Uber’s surge pricing, Wendy Ke, an NYU freshman who majors in art history, said it was fair. “The demand produces the price. I can understand why surge pricing exists because yellow cabs and many other Uber cars cannot satisfy all of the demand,” she commented. She explained that consumers have the freedom to choose the service. Riders have to be aware of their potential higher fares based upon such factors as rush hour traffic and bad weather.
A report by the MIT Technology Review shows that Uber is typically cheaper than a cab when the fare is more than $35. This cheaper option is welcomed by students who take long trips, approximately 20-30 minutes of driving.
Hui Yang, a Chinese NYU Chinese who flies to China twice a year, takes cabs from Brooklyn to John F. Kennedy International Airport. It costs her approximately $35 with Uber and $50 with a yellow cab in a 20-30 minute route.
For Uber, customers are not required to tip the driver, but they have the option of giving the driver a cash gratuity if they wish. The app’s website indicates that “being Uber means there is no need to tip drivers with any of our services.” However, tipping in yellow cabs is common. People most often tip 20-25 percent for a cab driver in NYC, data from Bloomberg Business shows.
Students and working people who are rushing in the morning like to use Uber, stated Eric, an Uber driver who has been driving his nine-seat Chevrolet Suburban for nine months in NYC. His UberBlack car ranks as the most luxurious of the cars offered by Uber. Both the interior and exterior of the car are black. “I’m proud of the money I’ve made. I like it to be easy,” he said.
He nets approximately $15,000 in revenue each month and $85,000 in earning a years–more than three times the salary of an average yellow cab driver, and 30% of his earning are given to Uber. For his monthly revenue, he makes $8000-$9000 from his driving. The rest comes from the rental fee that Eric charges for the car he bought and rents out to other drivers. When asked about the differences between an Uber car and a yellow cab, he stated, “We can pick up anywhere, even in New Jersey. But yellow cabs can only make money in certain places, mostly in Manhattan.”
Eric said he was glad to be able to support himself through driving, he drives eight-hours daily four days a week. “Many people choose Uber as their part-time job. It brings them money easily,” he commented.
The number of new Uber drivers signing up has doubled every six months from 2013 to 2014, the New York Times revealed. There are more than 160,000 active Uber drivers in the U.S who ride at least four times per month at the end of 2014. In comparison, Amazon had 149,500 employees in September 2014.
Students appreciate the experience of riding with a cheaper Uber service, challenging the traditional cab industry in NYC. However, Uber cannot replace yellow cabs, according to Ke.
video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkGmdpzxqLE
“Down with taxis, up with Uber,” Albany-area business owners told the Albany Business Review. A transportation service that provides car rides for customers through the use of a mobile app, Uber has been operating in NYC since 2011. Unlike most cab services, Uber allows its drivers to use their own cars and determine their work schedules. Moreover, Uber has 14,088 cars running in the five boroughs, 501 more than the medallion cabs, according to the Taxi and Limousine Commission, a government agency that monitors the public riding service.
Tap the “U” on the app’s grey icon and you can book a car within a few minutes. After logging in, a map is shown of your current location with some cars moving around the screen. Users are then prompted to set a pickup location. At the bottom of the display, a horizontal axis can be seen with five spots, each representing different types of services that can be provided. From left to right, it lists UberT, UberPool, UberX, UberBlack, and UberRUSH. Each service sets a different price for a trip based on the car’s type. UberX is a non-luxury car, offering the passengers a cheaper ride. In contrast, UberBlack, offers rides in a luxury car such as the Lincoln MKT or Cadillac CTS. Equipped with at least four seats, the luxury car service demands higher fares.
After requesting an Uber car, the app will tell you how long it will take the driver to reach you. Shilei Ye, an NYU sophomore, takes UberX from Central Park West to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to finish her painting class. She receives a reminder message from Fabian, an Uber driver. “Hi I’m outside,” the message reads. His Toyota Camry arrives within two minutes. A sheet of paper labeled “Uber” is attached to the car’s right window. Inside the car, there is enough space for passengers to straighten their legs. “I like the way the car is clean and big. I can take a rest and enjoy my trip with Uber,” Ye said.
“This online service allows you to see where your car is and how much time it takes to come to you. You can go to the pickup place. There’s no need to wait,” remarked Alap Shah, a first-year graduate student in engineering. He recalled a trip with four friends where each was charged almost one dollar per mile. He mentioned that it was worth it to download the app, as new customers could get $20 off for their first Uber ride.
Students appreciate the convenience of getting car service through the Uber app. “If I’m planning to go out with friends, I’ll call Uber. It’s difficult to get an empty cab along the streets near my apartment in the East Village,” noted Tanner Davies, an NYU first-year Master’s student studying performing arts administration.
In addition to finding a car easily, Uber has a distinct payment method, making the process very convenient for passengers. When registering for the service, users will input their credit card information to associate it with their account. This allows them to exit their cars without having to take out cash or a credit card.. Uber runs like a private car. “When you get to your destination, you can leave, ” Davies noted. He rides with Uber two to three times monthly, more than with yellow cabs. “Generally, Uber is cheaper and cleaner. I have more positive experiences with Uber,” he stated. Davies recalled an instance when he discovered that a yellow cab driver added extra money into his taximeter, asking for more from him. However, Uber cannot engage in such practices.
Uber applies a remote computer server to calculate the fare based on the information of journey distance and time taken. Drivers have no direct access to the taximeter and therefore cannot manipulate it. Uber drivers often install a smart phone at the front of the car, replacing the traditional taximeter used by yellow cabs. The phone serves as a GPS unit and fare calculator. Unlike yellow cabs, customers will not receive the receipt until they exit the car.
Tiffany Martin, an NYU sophomore who is studying neuroscience, shares the same experience with Davies. “Uber is easier. It comes right to your door. I’m not sure if the yellow cab can do it,” Martin says. Customers cannot call a yellow cab in New York; rather, they can reach a livery service or black car company by dialing #8294. Martin takes Uber once every two weeks to socialize with friends. She recalled that Uber likely charges the same price as yellow cabs, but she has experienced surge pricing—higher fares, with Uber.
Surge pricing is imposed to encourage drivers to go to the areas where the demand is high but the supply is short during rain or rush hour to provide reliable service for customers, explained an Uber officer. Uber will not inflate its price over 2.8 times the normal rate, a letter Uber sent out to users indicated. However, there have been cases in which rides have gone over the 2.8 limit. In one noted instance, a two-mile ride surged to six times the normal rate, reaching $94 on a snowy day in December 2013. On another occasion, a $20 ride cost $194 on 2014 New Year’s Eve, nearly ten times the regular fare.“The normal rate is increased in bad weather. It multiplied my bill by two, charged $40,” Martin added. “If I meet surged price service, I try to avoid it. In comparison, a taxi doesn’t charge more for bad weather.”
In contrast to some of the more expensive services provided by Uber, there are also options such as UberPool, which allows passengers to ride with other people who share the same route and split the bill. Recently, UberPool has reduced rides to $2.75 during the weekends of L train closure. The L train stopped running between Eighth Avenue in Manhattan and Lorimer Street in Williamsburg for five weeks starting on April 11th, as reported by the Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Customers can ride with UberPool along the closed L train stops at the same price as a MTA ticket. “It stops along the way to get more people in. It works like the subway, and I need to stay with strangers,” Martin said. Uber is working not only to fill the gaps in commuting services but also to attract consumers through the convenience of what it can offer.
When asked about her attitudes on Uber’s surge pricing, Wendy Ke, an NYU freshman who majors in art history, said it was fair. “The demand produces the price. I can understand why surge pricing exists because yellow cabs and many other Uber cars cannot satisfy all of the demand,” she commented. She explained that consumers have the freedom to choose the service. Riders have to be aware of their potential higher fares based upon such factors as rush hour traffic and bad weather.
A report by the MIT Technology Review shows that Uber is typically cheaper than a cab when the fare is more than $35. This cheaper option is welcomed by students who take long trips, approximately 20-30 minutes of driving.
Hui Yang, a Chinese NYU Chinese who flies to China twice a year, takes cabs from Brooklyn to John F. Kennedy International Airport. It costs her approximately $35 with Uber and $50 with a yellow cab in a 20-30 minute route.
For Uber, customers are not required to tip the driver, but they have the option of giving the driver a cash gratuity if they wish. The app’s website indicates that “being Uber means there is no need to tip drivers with any of our services.” However, tipping in yellow cabs is common. People most often tip 20-25 percent for a cab driver in NYC, data from Bloomberg Business shows.
Students and working people who are rushing in the morning like to use Uber, stated Eric, an Uber driver who has been driving his nine-seat Chevrolet Suburban for nine months in NYC. His UberBlack car ranks as the most luxurious of the cars offered by Uber. Both the interior and exterior of the car are black. “I’m proud of the money I’ve made. I like it to be easy,” he said.
He nets approximately $15,000 in revenue each month and $85,000 in earning a years–more than three times the salary of an average yellow cab driver, and 30% of his earning are given to Uber. For his monthly revenue, he makes $8000-$9000 from his driving. The rest comes from the rental fee that Eric charges for the car he bought and rents out to other drivers. When asked about the differences between an Uber car and a yellow cab, he stated, “We can pick up anywhere, even in New Jersey. But yellow cabs can only make money in certain places, mostly in Manhattan.”
Eric said he was glad to be able to support himself through driving, he drives eight-hours daily four days a week. “Many people choose Uber as their part-time job. It brings them money easily,” he commented.
The number of new Uber drivers signing up has doubled every six months from 2013 to 2014, the New York Times revealed. There are more than 160,000 active Uber drivers in the U.S who ride at least four times per month at the end of 2014. In comparison, Amazon had 149,500 employees in September 2014.
Students appreciate the experience of riding with a cheaper Uber service, challenging the traditional cab industry in NYC. However, Uber cannot replace yellow cabs, according to Ke.
video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkGmdpzxqLE