[ghaff]

I won't say it's vanishingly small but, relatively speaking, there aren't a huge number of people who have a problem with needing taxi services in a bunch of different cities. I travel about 100 days a year and I don't use these services very much and I don't think I've used Uber in a year or two. Worldwide availability of a brand just doesn't seem like a huge deal.

[Consultant32452]

For me, it's more that I'd have no idea which app is the go-to taxi hailing app in a given city, or if one even exists. Like if you were going to visit Miami or Phoenix, would you know what to install besides Uber/Lyft? I wouldn't. Would the difference in quality/price be enough for you to spend time trying to figure it out?

[phil21]

You're correct that there are not a huge number of people who travel for a living and need this, but for those that do they have very likely been early Uber adopters and I'd guess are over-represented in their current customer base. They also likely spend far more per year on car services than average.

I know I only use Uber simply due to the whole "I really don't want to install 2 dozen apps" problem. My girlfriend who is in sales travels 70% of the time to about 3-4 dozen cities per year - if there is no Uber available she simply rents a car for the day. "Installing random app #34" is not even on either of our radar, and I don't think we're the exception to the rule.

As Uber/Lyft/etc. get larger of course this segment of the riding population becomes less and less important. I of course find this sad for selfish reasons!

[seanmcdirmid]

There are some places where brands like Uber is extremely valuable, like Manila, where taxis are very apt to rip off free-off-the plane foreigners. Heck, most of SE Asia (there are local services also, but I’d rather not track them down before each trip).

[ghaff]

That may be the case but my point was that hopping off-the-plane in SE Asia and grabbing a cab is not such a routine occurrence for most Westerners as to be a viable business model for VC-backed companies.

[isostatic]

Outside of america, how many people routinely travel by taxi/rideshare/etc. In my experience, most locals take public transport. The international businessperson (on expenses) is a large market -- look at the size of the market for hotels, airlines, etc.

The one place I see taxis in use as mass transit by normal people is Singapore, where they are mostly ubiquitous (in the centre) and cheap. Even then getting a taxi if you're a couple of miles out (say in Hougang, where I spent a month) is hard work - Uber wasn't perfect but it worked well enough.

[seanmcdirmid]

China: taxis and ride sharing is extremely popular with the middle class. "Most locals" do take public transit, but given 10 million people in Beijing alone, some is still a large number.

Most developing Asian economies have thriving taxi industries where taking a taxi isn't considered a niche service/extreme luxury. Heck, taxis were never that popular in America, nowhere near how they were popular in China in even 1999.

[isostatic]

I took a taxi in beijing a few years ago. Was in it about 40 mintues, traveled about a mile. Paid the driver a 20 Yuan note (about $3) and went into the hotel. Driver came running after me with 8yuan in change.

I assume taxis are still insanely cheap, and traffic is still insanely bad. Last time I was there I took the train and metro. I do the same in Moscow - why sit in traffic?

[seanmcdirmid]

Have you seen Beijing's subway? I travelled to and from work off hours, so I would go to work around 6:30 and come home around 3:30-4, taking the taxi to and from each day was totally feasible and affordable. Even in peak traffic, you still might win in a taxi vs. a subway depending on where you are going. When the whole system melts down, sure, take the subway as a last resort.

[seanmcdirmid]

There are many western cultures who travel more than Americans. Much of Norway migrates to Thailand during the winter, for example. As for viability, you might be right, but global ride sharing services have been a game changing feature for me. Even at a premium, it would still be a useful service.