Uber shouldn't have to wait in line with the other taxis, since they're there to pick up a specific individual, and not any random person looking for a taxi. U

Uber shouldn't have to wait in line with the other taxis, since they're there to pick up a specific individual, and not any random person looking for a taxi. Uber is acting more like a friend/relative picking you up than anything else, and as such, the $17 fare represents a $17 fare (or whatever the amount happens to be), and not "a 15 minute wait for a measly $17 fare". Like airplanes, taxis are only making money when they're in transit with a fare. So, because they're losing money waiting in line, it discourages them taking short fares because it doesn't give them the opportunity to make as much money, lowering their overall hourly rate.