To Drive, to Uber or to Taxi: ParkNews.biz week of June 8th – 14th, 2021

June 14, 2021

 

 

To Drive, to Uber or to Taxi: ParkNews.biz week of June 8th – 14th, 2021

 

 

 

 

Next time you will travel to the airport to hop on a flight, will you drive and park, get a ride share or have a friend or family drop you off?  It seems that the days of lower price uber and lyft rides are over at least for now.  The uber ride that might had cost you $30 these days might be a double or a triple.

In the recent article from the New York Times, June 14, 2021 – Prepare to Pay More for Uber and Lyft Rides, it is said: “As the coronavirus pandemic appears to recede in the United States and more people return to traveling, socializing and using ride-hailing apps, they are discovering that those cheap and quick rides have become more costly and not so readily available. Customers around the country say they have been startled by the price jumps. In some cases, they say, their Uber rides from airports cost as much as their plane tickets.”

 

The ride share companies say that the reason for the price jump is shortage of drivers.  When there is not enough drivers, the companies have to pay them more, thus they surge prices to lure them to work.  However, those rides so inexpensive and thus convenient before pandemic, these days are too pricy.  “Cristine Sanchez, a hospitality worker in New York, used to pay around $20 for Uber rides to Brooklyn from Queens. Now the fare is around $38, she said, and a trip to the Bronx costs almost $45. Ms. Sanchez recently realized that airfares were nearly the same price as her Uber rides. When she recently found a $60 round-trip flight to Miami, she booked an impromptu trip with friends.

“If the choice is go to the Bronx or go to Miami, I’m going to Miami,” Ms. Sanchez said. “It’s like come on, Uber, come on, Lyft, let’s get it together.”’

 

In the meantime, due to TNC’s high prices, there is a taxi revival happening.  In the ParkNews.biz headline article, June 14, 2021 – Taxis are back in vogue as Uber and Lyft shortage continues, it is said “The number of daily taxi rides surged 800% year-over-year in April.” “For taxi drivers, this has been a boon. Drivers see “15-22 rides a shift,” a TLC commissioner told the New York Times, compared to 11 rides a shift before the pandemic due to oversaturation.”

 

In the article from last Friday, June 11, 2021 – Uber, Lyft driver shortage boosts business for taxis, “ Tainur Rahman, a cabdriver from the Bronx said: ““Business has been great. I’ve never seen it like this before.”  And Mr. Rahman has been driving for over a decade.

 

Nevertheless, since lots of taxis went out of business during the ubiquitous, cheaper Uber and Lyft rides, taxis are hard to find.  There is about 1/3 of them on the NYC roads compared to pre pandemic.

 

In LA, my ride to LAX has become way too pricey via Uber.  My last ride was about $90 vs $35.  Subsequently, perhaps parking at Wally’s Parking or Parking Spot, may make more sense.  Or asking a friend for a ride and then showing my gratitude with some nice wine or single malt scotch.  After all, my friend most likely won’t be going out for drinking with friends anytime soon, since she will have to drive back home.  The option to get a ride share after a happy hour has become too much of a splurge.

 

Have a blessed week.

 

Sincerely,

 

Astrid Ambroziak

Editor, ParkNews.biz

Creative Director

Parking Today

310 390 5277 ext 9

astrid@parkingtoday.com

www.parkingtoday.com