As opposed to which cab companies that are unionized or pay wages?
Almost every cab company is organized as a group of independent contractors. The difference with Uber is the leveraging of technology, the open platform, and the disconnection from the unbelievably corrupt systems of regulations of ‘regular’ taxis that plague most cities.
Good luck calling a cab and having it show up in Washington, DC. Uber here has been a godsend.
Terrible thing this driver did, obviously, but hardly the fault of Uber or its business model. The driver is simply a bad person, and I’d bet you anything that he no longer is allowed to participate in Uber’s system after this. Their platform actually helps drive accountability. It’s not like traditional cabs are known for consistently treating people well (especially women, whom they regularly prey on, at least in DC).
