I’m torn after moving out of NYC (where I very rarely used cabs, preferring to walk or use the subway). I now live in a more rural area where the local taxis are barely functional bottom feeders. We’ve tried to use them four times in the past few months:
- First time I arrived at the Amtrak station needing a ride for the 5 miles home. There was a sign on the station with taxi companies’ numbers (I had vainly assumed there would be cabs to meet the train). 3 of the 4 were out of service or didn’t answer. The one who did answer told me it would be 40 minutes wait, and when the dirty, 20 year old ex-cop car arrived the driver spent the whole trip complaining about rich people (i.e. me) who had moved to the area and made things shitty for the locals.
- A friend was visiting and needed a ride to the station - none of the companies would come to the house, said they only operated “in town” (a town of <40,000 people, were too busy, or just didn’t answer. She used Uber which can in 5 mins and was friendly and efficient.
- I needed to go to the airport - a one way trip since I was going to be gone for 3 weeks and didn’t want to pay $400 for parking. None of the taxi companies were interested and a limo company quoted me $300 plus tip for the 40 minute journey. I rented a car one way to make the trip - cost me $70.
- Last time was when we were out at a local restaurant / bar and a lady there had had to much to drink. They called a cab to come and take her home (5 miles or so). The company said it would be there in ten minutes. After 30 minutes we called again, they said it had been there and there was nobody there - a lie since we were sitting outside. Said another driver would be there in 10. 40 mins later no show and we decided to have one of the kitchen staff take here home in his own car. Second taxi never showed up either.
So I have resisted giving any money to Uber (Lyft don’t operate here) but in the absence of a functioning taxi system and no public transport I may have to get their app for emergencies. I still won’t use it anywhere where there is a functioning taxi system, but the taxi companies are not doing themselves any favors while they watch their market erode. At least in this area they seem to be sticking to their core constituency of people too poor or sick to have a car, who only use cash, and literally have no other method of getting around.
