Investment dollars aside, there's hard data to show that Uber and Lyft reduce drunk driving in any area where they operate, for one thing. It's a tangible addit

Investment dollars aside, there's hard data to show that Uber and Lyft reduce drunk driving in any area where they operate, for one thing. It's a tangible addition to the general consensus that the apps are much better from a user experience perspective. Additionally, plenty of expanding companies are subsidized by investor money. You could say the same of Netflix and, until recently, Amazon. The point is that investors see potential for them to become more profitable down the road - the same is true of Uber and Lyft. Of course, you're right that Uber and Lyft are not run by saints and they will have their own problems. But so far I see it as a net gain over the old taxi system.