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Unfortunately the "official" taxis at SFO have been reduced to using the prime pick up real estate they've been given to scam people who don't know any better.

Unfortunately the "official" taxis at SFO have been reduced to using the prime pick up real estate they've been given to scam people who don't know any better. I tried taking a taxi home from there and they quoted me a price more than double the cost of an Uber. I showed the driver the Uber price and told him I'd be willing to pay a little more than that, but his price was ridiculous. He didn't care and wouldn't budge on the price. I'd guess this consumer-hostile arrangement is maintained via some kind of kickback up the ladder. It's pretty funny to see a long line of empty, desolate taxis sitting right outside the arrival doors, while if you walk 15 minutes to the far side of the terminal where rideshare has been relegated, it's bustling to the point that it's difficult for drivers and passengers to find each other. So yeah, my view is you can say what you want about rideshare; taxis are far worse.

skeeter2020 3y ago
>> I'd guess this consumer-hostile arrangement is maintained via some kind of kickback up the ladder. or VC-subsidized rides, or shifting private costs onto the public, or not paying their drivers a sustainable wage, or this is not typical and you rarely find (I've never seen it) the taxi rate double the Uber rate. So yeah, must be shadowy cabal between high ranking city administrators and fat-cat taxi drivers.
- shuckles 3y ago
  Uber has been free cash flow positive in markets like San Francisco for years. "Shadowy cabal" to describe the taxi industry isn't speculation or fear mongering. It's more or less an accurate description of how that market worked prior to disruption.
Scoundreller 3y ago
Airport taxis in general (and probably at SFO) usually have a long FIFO queue just to get to that prime real estate. Not worth cutting a deal when they've had to waste an hour of their time. And in a lot of places, an airport taxi doesn't have a taxi license in the city, so they're largely stuck in that system.

skeeter2020 3y ago

>> I'd guess this consumer-hostile arrangement is maintained via some kind of kickback up the ladder. or VC-subsidized rides, or shifting private costs onto the public, or not paying their drivers a sustainable wage, or this is not typical and you rarely find (I've never seen it) the taxi rate double the Uber rate. So yeah, must be shadowy cabal between high ranking city administrators and fat-cat taxi drivers.

shuckles 3y ago
Uber has been free cash flow positive in markets like San Francisco for years. "Shadowy cabal" to describe the taxi industry isn't speculation or fear mongering. It's more or less an accurate description of how that market worked prior to disruption.

Scoundreller 3y ago

Airport taxis in general (and probably at SFO) usually have a long FIFO queue just to get to that prime real estate. Not worth cutting a deal when they've had to waste an hour of their time. And in a lot of places, an airport taxi doesn't have a taxi license in the city, so they're largely stuck in that system.