[ever1337]

Anecdotally, ive personally lived in areas (california central valley, rural new england) where lyft and uber were virtually nonexistent and local taxi companies were the only option. ive had horrible experiences "reserving" rides with uber and lyft only to have nobody show up at the designated time, leading to missed trains. Taxis have always been far more reliable for me in rural areas, provided I call in advance and within their hours of operation. when i'm in cities, I find public transit to be more sensible terms of cost and reliability than any other option. I don't mind paying cash, I prefer it.

I cant help but feel as though a lot of the people defending these 'rideshare' companies on HN are living in coastal city bubbles. It's simply not an option in many places, and the apps will outright lie to you that they're able to get you a ride.

[monetus]

I live in a rural area, where the taxis, Uber, and lyft compete. The taxi companies don't offer calls in advance, or reserved rides, not one or four companies that could cover my area. You would have to hire a limosouine driver. Lyft is by far cheaper on average, but consistently fewer drivers. Hilariously, Uber is the reliable service for reservations.