NY Visit - Taxi app?- Page 2

[JPeterman]

Posted: 12/20/16 at 10:23pm

Another great thing about Curb ... even if you just hail a cab the old fashioned way, once you are in any cab, you can open the app and your phone syncs with the cab.  You can pay and tip with your phone app, it is so convenient.  And again, this is for any cab, not just one you called to come pick you up with the app.

 

I know this may sound weird, but I also like the idea that there is a cyber trail of your movements.  In other words, if something was to happen to you, they could trace your most recent destination via the Curb app.

 

And of course the reverse is true, if you are in the process of committing a crime, I would not recommend using the app.

Updated On: 12/20/16 at 10:23 PM

[MichelleCraig]

Posted: 12/20/16 at 10:55pm

OP, what were your problems with Uber? I've never had an issue with them and I've used them in NYC, Los Angeles and Boston...

[MarkBearSF]

Posted: 12/20/16 at 11:26pm

MichelleCraig said: "OP, what were your problems with Uber? I've never had an issue with them and I've used them in NYC, Los Angeles and Boston..."

My issues are with their business model and management. They perpetuate a type of cyber-piecework that promises good money, but which is very hard to sustain, while providing no security or benefits to the so-called independent contractors. Meanwhile they do everything they can to decrease the cut to the not-employees. (Like self-driving cars). As this is happening, taxi drivers who have been working for a decade or more and who have paid good money for their medallion find their livelihood endangered.  

Additionally, the streets are clogged by (frequently out-of-town) drivers endlessly circling looking for fares. Their home town, SF, has estimated that they account for over 20% of the extra traffic on our already clogged streets. Meanwhile these clogged streets are also slowing down the revenue-losing city busses which many millennials wouldn't dream of taking instead of Uber.

Added to this is the aggressively obnoxious corporate bro-culture specific to Uber. As I mentioned, within the past week or so, they've unleashed self-driving cars to SF streets, without registering for a program for them. On the first day, the cars ran two red lights. The state stepped in and forbad them from doing it. They're still on the streets. Travis Kalanick, the founder and CEO is particularly arrogantly insufferable and personifies the corporate culture (trust me). 

I don't want this to turn into a political argument, this isn't the forum for it. I will not respond to any further discussion of the political or social impacts of Uber and the rest. (These are MY issues with the company, you may feel differently and that's OK. But you specifically asked)

Updated On: 12/20/16 at 11:26 PM

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 12/20/16 at 11:30pm

I use both Uber, Lyft, but I always prefer just to hail a taxi, and I also use Carmel Car Service a lot, I usually call their phone # which is hard to forget since it's 212-666-6666. They also have an app but I don't use it much.

[MarkBearSF]

Posted: 12/20/16 at 11:33pm

We always use Dial7 to/from airports or the Red Hook Cruise Terminal but hear great things about Carmel as well. On cruise forums (and here) I recommend them both. (And Arecibo for Brooklyn/Queens) 

Updated On: 12/20/16 at 11:33 PM

[superyan]

Posted: 12/20/16 at 11:39pm

muscle23ftl said: "I use both Uber, Lyft, but I always prefer just to hail a taxi, and I also use Carmel Car Service a lot, I usually call their phone # which is hard to forget since it's 212-666-6666. They also have an app but I don't use it much.

 

"

I use Carmel for all airport trips because its a flat fare and cheaper than a yellow cab.  They also have coupons you can apply.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 12/21/16 at 12:01am

Me too, I use Carmel to go to the airport mostly...Lyft was too expensive when I needed to go to EWR.