When Uber started four years ago, it was clear that the company's model of hiring part-time drivers and their vehicles to move people from place to place was going to leave a mark on the cab industry in many cities.
In fact, many taxi unions and government agencies have fought Uber in order to maintain a healthy taxi industry and keep customers safe. But after four years of fighting, it seems that Uber has an advantage in New York City.
Uber officially has more cars in New York City than there are yellow taxis.
The latest Taxi and Limousine Commission report revealed that Uber currently has 14,088 cars registered in New York, compared to 13,587 cabs. This is an exponential amount of growth, since Uber has only been working in New York since May of 2011. However, this increase makes a lot of sense, as The New York Post points out that the company's "competitive rates and higher pay have quickly lured drivers and customers away from traditional taxi service."
That data only tells part of the story though. While there may be more Uber cars in NYC, yellow cabs still make 10 times more trips than Uber drivers. Uber drivers only drive on a part-time basis while most taxi drivers are doing their job full-time.
While this competitive angle is certainly good for drivers and customers, some groups think that Uber is siphoning off tax revenue and hurting the local government. TLC Commissioner Meera Joshi said at a public case that she is worried that Uber drivers aren't paying the surcharges that help make the city handicap-friendly, according to The New York Post. She also believes they are increasing congestion in Manhattan and making it harder for drivers to get around.
