Your New "Station Wagon" - Uber

[Gilbert B Norman]

Gray Lady reports on who is now becoming a mass transit "partner":

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/07/tech ... ansit.html

Fair Use:

DENVER — When Julia Ellis arrives at a train station in a Denver suburb to go to work, she opens her Uber app. Next to the ride-hailing options, she taps a train icon marked “Transit.”

The click buys her a ticket for Denver’s public transit system, the Regional Transportation District. Ms. Ellis said she had used Uber to get her train tickets since the company rolled out the feature this spring. She also often takes an Uber ride to the station because a medical condition limits her driving.

“You make two clicks and you’re there,” Ms. Ellis, 54, said of how Uber and Denver’s train system had changed her commute.

It's all new to me; never once used them. I guess when I go overseas next week, I'll use a "for hire" vehicle somewhere-once.

[eolesen]

It's a lot more convenient and less costly than a taxi. But, it's also unpredictable i.e. you never know if there will be someone looking to pick up a fare. Then again, of the last four times I've booked a cab, twice I've been ghosted, so even that's not a guarantee.

[andrewjw]

I've found ride hailing a lot more predictable and reliable than cabs. Sure, there's always a chance nobody is around, but that chance is a lot smaller than the chance the cab company decides to no-show, and it just adds a few minutes wait as someone comes from further away.
Also, in some European cities there are not good protections against "scam" cab drivers. Uber policing the fares and allowing me to pay card provides a big advantage. Paris is pretty bad, for instance. I am glad Uber managed to get a good foothold there - for all their issues they are definitely the lesser of two evils compared to the Paris taxis.

[Gilbert B Norman]

Now, back on this side of "The Ditch", I did not use any "for hire" vehicle "over there" in Salzburg, or on my "day trip" to both St. Anton/Arlberg and Innsbruck. Leaving for home this past Wednesday on "The Longest Day" (a WW flight), it was "raining cats and dogs". The hotel offered to call me a taxicab, but I declined because I had "played gin rummy with my €". No mention of Uber, so I have no idea if they, or any other, are active in Salzburg.

Nevertheless, the 800m hotel to Hbf trek was largely under cover with overhangs, so I really wasn't that soaked.

Finally, allow me to note there is a new hotel in Salzburg, the Arte, that offers unobstructed "rooms with a view", and not more than 100m from the Hbf.

[andrewjw]

This link: https://www.uber.com/us/en/price-estimate/ shows Uber's price estimates in areas they are available. They appear to serve Salzburg and would be around 10€ from the Arte to the airport. They (and competing apps like Lyft, Mytaxi, etc...) are usually shown in the advertising space at the bottom of the navigation options if you go on Google Maps and look at the public transit sections if you ever need to compare.

[mtuandrew]

Moderator Note: in relation to railroading please, not ride-hailing at large.

[NRGeep]

The GPS navigation mode for Lyft/Uber can occasionally be problematic. De-training recently from Porter Red Line/commuter rail MBTA station (former B&M connections to Montreal etc) in Cambridge Ma, my driver stated he was "at my address" (he wasn't), to be fair, the station is on the Somerville - Cambridge border. I eventually called a non GPS-centric cab who promptly arrived at the train station.

[John_Perkowski]

Admin Note:

Andrew, reach out to me on the admin mod backchannel.