I do expect Uber (or Lyft, or...) will turn a profit eventually. There's a substantial gap between Uber prices and cab prices at the moment, and while prices pr

I do expect Uber (or Lyft, or...) will turn a profit eventually. There's a substantial gap between Uber prices and cab prices at the moment, and while prices probably have to rise I expect demand will be inelastic enough to keep some ride service alive. The unique mechanics of ride-hailing apps, like having a demand-responsive workforce and not relying on dedicated vehicles, seem like basically sustainable cost reductions. The non-unique mechanics like having a good app are also sustainable, but Uber has already provoked most taxi companies to catch up on that. And we'll see how the regulatory bit shakes out - either crackdowns on ride hailing drive prices back up, or cabs lose out because they've got much higher government-imposed costs.