[danpalmer]

Agree with the part about profitability, but middlemen can definitely add value.

I’d say that Uber’s wide reach is valuable, the fact that they likely exist in the city you’re visiting, the fact that they likely have enough cars to pick you up in under 5 minutes. These are valuable things that don’t come from individual drivers or small taxi companies, but rather from big aggregators.

[joking]

you don't need uber for that, google maps shows you available carpooling ang taxi companies directly when you search for a destination.

For uber is good that wide reach, for the end user not so much.

[novok]

So instead of uber, you have google, another large digital service middleman...

[jacquesm]

Small taxi companies could still have general dispatchers.

[danpalmer]

Sure, but that dispatch is a "middleman" for the service provider. The bigger that middleman becomes the more they may be able to offer. The dispatcher will take a cut of the taxi fares.

[s1artibartfast]

The best ubering I have ever done is in foreign countries. I don't have to speak the language and get significant reduction on tourist prices. Scale provides tremendous value.