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I don't think Uber is sustainable. It seems everyone is getting shafted - the drivers, the customers, the Investors. Their only profitable part is the food deli

I don't think Uber is sustainable. It seems everyone is getting shafted - the drivers, the customers, the Investors. Their only profitable part is the food delivery service, which is neither novel nor particularly good in comparison to others. Once the Saudi/UAE-Softbank money dries up or gets cold feet Uber is dead. At this point I guess it is mainly a money laundering service, like the entire city of London property market.

TedDoesntTalk 3y ago
How are customers getting shafted? Uber is still cheaper to the airport than a taxi (for me). I don’t use it for anything else, so genuinely curious.
- ghaff 3y ago
  I assume in this context it means not getting rides for way under what traditional cabs cost. But those prices are just pretty much what a ride costs. If you decided to structure your life around cheap on-demand rides, then you may have to make changes. For all their faults, Uber/Lyft/etc. did make hailing a ride using your phone a much better experience than cabs in many cities. Not for everything; I still use a car service for airport rides.
- nemo44x 3y ago
  > Uber is still cheaper to the airport than a taxi (for me). Sometimes. If you know the price it's obviously easy to compare. I do happen to know taxi prices from a few airports to central areas and Uber used to always be cheaper. Significantly cheaper years ago. Today it's a crap shoot and the taxi's are often faster since you don't have to wait. If the taxi is no more than 5$ more expensive then I take the taxi. I'd say it's about 50-50. Sometimes the Uber is a good deal ($10 or so) cheaper.
reducesuffering 3y ago
You have it backwards. Uber Rides has been profitable and subsidizing the Uber Eats growth.
hereonout2 3y ago
I think the drivers are really getting shafted, not sure about customers. I have not taken a taxi or Uber for years but had to take 3 in the last few months. First a ten minute ride for £6 (UK) felt like what I'd have expected to pay a taxi 20 years ago. Then a 35 minute ride in traffic for £11 feels like it should break some minimum wages laws after overheads are considered. Finally a 70 minute ride for 6 through city traffic costing £45. At which point it's on par with public transport costs (trains).
- weebull 3y ago
  Uber is shit now. More expensive than a regular taxi and you're waiting 15 minutes to get a driver to accept you because your run isn't long enough for them to make money on. I just use my local firm.

TedDoesntTalk 3y ago

How are customers getting shafted? Uber is still cheaper to the airport than a taxi (for me). I don’t use it for anything else, so genuinely curious.

ghaff 3y ago
I assume in this context it means not getting rides for way under what traditional cabs cost. But those prices are just pretty much what a ride costs. If you decided to structure your life around cheap on-demand rides, then you may have to make changes. For all their faults, Uber/Lyft/etc. did make hailing a ride using your phone a much better experience than cabs in many cities. Not for everything; I still use a car service for airport rides.
nemo44x 3y ago
> Uber is still cheaper to the airport than a taxi (for me). Sometimes. If you know the price it's obviously easy to compare. I do happen to know taxi prices from a few airports to central areas and Uber used to always be cheaper. Significantly cheaper years ago. Today it's a crap shoot and the taxi's are often faster since you don't have to wait. If the taxi is no more than 5$ more expensive then I take the taxi. I'd say it's about 50-50. Sometimes the Uber is a good deal ($10 or so) cheaper.

reducesuffering 3y ago

You have it backwards. Uber Rides has been profitable and subsidizing the Uber Eats growth.

hereonout2 3y ago

I think the drivers are really getting shafted, not sure about customers. I have not taken a taxi or Uber for years but had to take 3 in the last few months. First a ten minute ride for £6 (UK) felt like what I'd have expected to pay a taxi 20 years ago. Then a 35 minute ride in traffic for £11 feels like it should break some minimum wages laws after overheads are considered. Finally a 70 minute ride for 6 through city traffic costing £45. At which point it's on par with public transport costs (trains).

weebull 3y ago
Uber is shit now. More expensive than a regular taxi and you're waiting 15 minutes to get a driver to accept you because your run isn't long enough for them to make money on. I just use my local firm.