Are Rideshares really a safer option?

For those of you out there that remember the T.V. Show "Taxi" and can whistle the theme song in your head, you will appreciate this post.  Today's taxi driver, however, does not sit around in a garage sipping coffee and waiting for fares to be dispatched.  They are hustling twice as hard to make a living, many of them trying to support a family or even single parents attempting to make a living to support a child because the ride share industry has cut so far into the transportation industry that it has forced smaller family owned cab services out of business. Some companies that had been in business for 15 and 20 years just crumbled in debt due to the decline of business.  But why? 

Simply put, ride sharing companies do not have to abide by the rules and standards of a legitimate taxi company.  The next time you decide to call a ride share because they are "cheaper", take into consideration "why".  

The overhead that a taxi company has to bare far outweighs the costs of a ride share company. Not only do they have to pay for permits, business licenses, high insurance, extensive maintenance just to put a cab in service, background checking, fingerprinting, etc... but they are also mandated to abide by the regulated rates established by their registered City.  Taxi companies are restricted to the rates they 'have' to charge vs. ride shares that can charge anything they want to.  

The saying "you only get what you pay for" rings true in our industry.  The guarantee that your taxi driver pulling up into your driveway has been thoroughly background checked, fingerprinted, and has an outstanding driving record gives you a feeling of safety and security when you climb into that cab.  The expense of putting a driver into a taxi is worth your safety in the end.

Certainly all taxi companies won't uphold the highest standards that we do at "Your Taxi", but our number one goal is passenger safety.  We have strict guidelines that are enforced and even with that, our drivers are a team. They are like a well oiled machine working together with each other and watching out for each other.  The passenger is treated with the utmost respect as they would want to be treated themselves.  

So the next time you decide to save a buck or two because its a cheaper deal, weigh out the safety options and understand the reasons why the difference between ride shares and taxi cab companies are so different.  America used to care about pushing small business, taking care of mom & pops and that is what made America strong.  Today its all about big business swallowing up the mom & pops and demolishing the smaller business that worked so hard to make a presence.

Why don't the same rules apply to all transportation providers?  Why does one transportation providing company have a ton of mandates and expenses while another one has very little, and both provide the same service?  I couldn't begin to give you a good answer because there isn't one.  It's just one of those unfair imbalances in life but you, as the consumer should be aware.

Stay tuned for new blog posts to come and thanks for visiting!