Houston Approves Uber and Lyft

[Limey]

I have tried to use Houston's taxi services but, after much perseverance, pretty much have given up.  No-shows for pre-booked rides ended up at about 100%; booking for immediate pick-up was a lottery; drivers rarely knew where they were going (and inexplicably didn't have a Tom Tom or suchlike) and the cars were about 50% nice / 50% someone's home off hours.

Against this backdrop, the City council has approved regulations that open the door to internet-based ride services like Uber and Lyft.

I feel sorry for the few reputable taxi drivers out there, but Houston needs and deserves better than the service it was getting, and maybe this is a step towards getting it.  If it forces all taxi drivers to up their game, it's a good thing.

[BizidyDizidy]

Uber is amazing (and usually cheaper than taxis)

[Limey]

Uber is amazing (and usually cheaper than taxis)

That's what I hear.  As someone who lives in town and goes out a lot, I would love to have a clean and efficient cab service available - especially as Houston continues to run out of parking and charges ever more for enforced valet services.  I will be sure to give it a go.

[Bench]

Since moving to Westbury I've given up hope getting a yellow cab on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday. I tried calling some of the other companies, like United, but they all use the same dispatch.

I'm sure uber will be great for metropoles, but I wonder if it will have any impact on the mildly far flung.  I hope so.

Regardless, the more availability for transit the better. I'm frankly surprised the city adopted inclusive regulation as quickly as it did.

[lc_db]

As someone who lives in town and goes out a lot, I would love to have a clean and efficient cab service available - especially as Houston continues to run out of parking and charges ever more for enforced valet services. 

This!

[Limey]

I'm sure uber will be great for metropoles, but I wonder if it will have any impact on the mildly far flung.  I hope so.

From what I have read about it, Uber is likely to make life easier for those outside the loop (meaning that tissues for nosebleeds are included, I presume).

[Ebby Calvin]

Uber is amazing (and usually cheaper than taxis)

Cannot agree more.  I use it everywhere it's available.

[Bench]

Can someone provide a brief explanation of how it works?

[BizidyDizidy]

Uber? You open the app, it knows your location - you tell it you want a car to pick you up (it tells you how long it will be, usually around 5 minutes in NYC). The car pulls up (in NYC there are different fanciness levels you can request), you tell the guy where you want to go, he takes you there, you get out and you're done (payment happens automatically through the app).

[geezerdonk]

In NYC, how does the charge compare to taxi fare?

[Bench]

Uber? You open the app, it knows your location - you tell it you want a car to pick you up (it tells you how long it will be, usually around 5 minutes in NYC). The car pulls up (in NYC there are different fanciness levels you can request), you tell the guy where you want to go, he takes you there, you get out and you're done (payment happens automatically through the app).

Does one tip?

[Ebby Calvin]

Does one tip?

Nope.  When you arrive, you leave.

It's also nice to be assured of a clean car.  UberX (which I assume will also come to Houston if it hasn't already) is good, too.  It's basically the same thing as Uber but no town cars.  Usually it's a clean Rav-4 or Prius or something.  I had one UberX driver who was shitty and said the X people get treated like shit, but that's just one driver out of dozens I've used.
There's a rating system involved as well.  You rate your drivers when you're done and you can see other people's ratings for the same driver.  Conversely the drivers also rate you as a passenger.

Choosing between Uber, UberX, Uber XL (same as X but SUV) and other flavors is all done in the app.  It's incredibly easy and not much more expensive.  A trip to the airport might run $10 more.

[Limey]

Choosing between Uber, UberX, Uber XL (same as X but SUV) and other flavors is all done in the app.  It's incredibly easy and not much more expensive.  A trip to the airport might run $10 more.

Houston options are (currently) UberX and UberXL.  The app will estimate the fare for you.

[das]

Choosing between Uber, UberX, Uber XL (same as X but SUV) and other flavors is all done in the app.  It's incredibly easy and not much more expensive.  A trip to the airport might run $10 more.

Here in DC, the costs are at or just below the costs of typical taxi's and the vehicles are much, much nicer.  Drivers too...

[roadrunner]

It's pretty incredible.  11 dollars from north Heights to midtown last night

[Navin R Johnson]

I've been using uber for about 3 months now.  It is fantastic.  

If anyone wants to inbox me their cell # or email address, i can send you a promition code for $30 worth of free rides.

I travel a bunch for work and have used it in about every city too.  90% of the time you get a nice 1 or 2 year old car, in Seattle this week I kept getting a Pyrius.

A cab ride from my house, 1-10 and Shepherd to Minute Main park would run me $20 after tip, uber is $12.  Uber is always 20-40% cheaper than a cab.  No tip, no arguing with the driver over using a credit card or getting him to break a 20, etc...

I can't recommend uber enough.  I haven't driven my truck to go out on the weekend in about 2 months.  Uber takes less than 5 minutes to pick me up and have never waited more than 15 minutes.

[Navin R Johnson]

1 more Seattle tidbit.  Cab driver wanted $40 from airport to downtown, pre-tip.  I took uber and it was $25.48.

For business travel it is fantastic, because you immediately are emailed a receipt, so you dont have to worry about losing the paper copy you get from a cab.  I can't imagine ever using yellow cab again.

[BizidyDizidy]

Also, you can put in a business and personal card that you choose between for each ride,  and set up different emails for each (I get my business receipts sent straight to my secretary)

[Navin R Johnson]

Also, you can put in a business and personal card that you choose between for each ride,  and set up different emails for each (I get my business receipts sent straight to my secretary)

Didn't realize that was an option.  thanks for the tip.

You also have the ability to split the fare with someone you are riding with thru the app. 

[HudsonHawk]

Spent this week on the beach in Florida, and they have numerous ride services that are free. The cars aren't particularly nice, but the drivers are and they are quick (longest I waited was about 3 minutes).  I realize such a deal only works in a particular situation, but still nice to have.

[Bench]

I was looking forward to giving Uber a try today but it turns out the app is too fancy for my "ancient" iPhone. 

[NeilT]

I was looking forward to giving Uber a try today but it turns out the app is too fancy for my "ancient" iPhone. 

Are you still using the rotary dial model?