The Covid-19 pandemic has brought on a lot of societal challenges, including price increases on everything from toilet paper to Uber or Lyft rides. Research reports that the once cheaper alternative to taxis faced skyrocketing prices at a 92 percent cost increase between January of 2018 to last July.
The increase in cost was partially due to the fact that rideshare drivers were at risk of contracting Covid-19 when working, so they stopped. CNBC reports that last July, rideshare drivers were 40 percent below capacity.
To combat the decrease in driver participation, Uber announced a partnership this week with taxi provider Creative Mobile Technologies (CMT), which also operates a taxi app called Arro. By spring, Uber riders will now have the option to hail thousands of taxi cabs alongside the standard Uber rideshare offerings.
“This is a real win for drivers — no longer do they have to worry about finding a fare during off-peak times or getting a street hail back to Manhattan when in the outer boroughs,” Guy Peterson, director of business development for Uber, said in a statement.
Taxi drivers who use the Arro app will be able to see Uber fares on their monitors and choose to participate in rides from that platform.
“As businesses bring their employees back, as tourists flock to New York City again and as New Yorkers start going out and replenishing our local economy after a devastating pandemic, yellow taxis and Uber are bringing the best our industries have to offer to help this city get back on its feet,” Ron Sherman, CEO and chairman of CMT, said in a statement. “We look forward to a new and more prosperous chapter where passengers and drivers are empowered with choice and which will lead to a sustainable future for all our industries.”
