Taxi Vs. Uber: A study on what travelers prefer

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Which is better, a traditional taxi or a rideshare like Uber?

Recently, the rideshare and taxi comparison website, RideGuru, released results to a comprehensive rideshare survey detailing how our society views rideshares, taxis, and other methods of ground transportation.

The results were fascinating and more specifically the outcome of rider perception on the ever present “taxi vs. Uber” debate was quite surprising. It seems with all the talk and hoopla surrounding rideshares that taxis, sadly, are becoming a thing of the past, however, 53% of travelers claim to have zero preference between a taxi or rideshare company.

According to a follow up survey, participants revealed that the three main reasons they continuously switch between various taxi and rideshare companies is 1. price, 2. availability, and 3. customer support.

While rideshares tend to be cheaper than taxis, they can be problematic during busy times when few cars are available. Riders have to either wait until demand has died down or pay extreme surge prices, many times paying more than they would with a traditional taxi.

It is also no secret, that Uber’s customer support is not all that helpful. For those riders who value good customer support and the security of knowing their ride will be available when they need it, a good old taxi is the much safer option.

Which do you prefer Uber or Taxi? Comment below!

What is Cargo? The new service that puts extra cash in the hands of drivers.

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As Taxi or Rideshare Driver, we know you’re invested in finding the best ways to increase your earnings while on the road. One of our favorite ways to easily boost driver income is through Cargo, a platform that helps you earn more money by providing small products to your passengers.

Think of it as a free store inside your car that allows you to earn around an extra $100 per month!

  • Cargo is 100% free for drivers.
  • Cargo helps you increase ratings and tips.
  • Cargo works with all rideshare companies.
  • Cargo drivers earn an extra $100 on average.
  • Top 10% of Cargo drivers earn $300+

Cargo’s system is easy for drivers, sending new products automatically when you run low. Products range from snacks, small electronic accessories, personal care, energy, and beauty products that keep your riders comfortable throughout their trip.

How does Cargo work?

Riders scan the QR code, or go to cargo.menu on their browser, to start shopping. Once they decide what they would like, the rider checkouts through the app, and then the driver hands over the purchased items when it is safe to do so. Simple as that!


Driver Testimonials

Here are some testimonials from drivers on the RideGuru community forum:

“When passengers see the box, they get super excited. It’s been a great way to engage with riders and start a conversation. Passengers are really surprised and excited when they realize they can get free items.”

“I’m making an extra $20-$50 extra a week that I didn’t have before Cargo. I’ve used this money to treat myself to things I wouldn’t normally buy.”

Drivers receive payouts from Cargo every week and if you receive any tips through Cargo, they are 100% yours. It’s a great way to make some extra cash with very little extra work and no extra time out of your day!

Try Cargo today!

Auto Insurance Options for Rideshare and Taxi Drivers

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Where can I get rideshare insurance? Do I need special auto insurance as a taxi driver? If you are a driver and you find yourself asking these questions, take a moment to read this article from RideGuru and understand what rideshare insurance covers and why it is important.

In most cases, if you drive a personal vehicle for a ridesharing application such as Uber or Lyft, the insurance policies provided by the rideshare companies will not cover you fully in case of an accident.

Luckily, as the ridesharing market has boomed in popularity, auto insurance carriers have developed unique insurance plans that will cover you for both your personal driving and for the periods of time you are picking and dropping off passengers.

Before we get into different policies, it is important to understand the 4 coverage periods that a typical driver will find themselves in.

Rideshare Insurance Coverage Periods

Period 0: App is off; you are not rideshare driving.

Daily routine trips that have nothing to do with ridesharing. Your personal policy covers you.

Period 1: App is on and you’re waiting for a ride request.

Period 1, when a driver has logged into the app and is waiting for a ride request, is when drivers are the most vulnerable for an insurance gap. Your personal policy doesn’t cover this period and Uber and Lyft insurance is limited to a small amount of liability coverage.

Period 2: You’ve accepted a request and are en route to pick up your passenger.

The rideshare company’s policy will cover most expenses during this period.

Period 3: You’ve picked up your passengers.

You are fully covered by the rideshare company’s policy.

Why do drivers need rideshare insurance?

Rideshare insurance has gaps. As highlighted above, rideshare insurance coverage only applies after you have accepted a ride request but will not cover you while you wait for a ride.

Not only is your personal insurance unlikely to cover any incidents while your rideshare drivers app in on, you could even find yourself with a completely cancelled policy if you haven’t disclosed your side hustle to your carrier.

Not all insurance companies offer rideshare insurance policies. If yours doesn’t, it’s time to look elsewhere, who knows you may even find a better rate! RideGuru’s rideshare insurance finder can help you easily find a quote in seconds.

How Much Does Rideshare Insurance Cost?

Like personal auto insurance, rideshare insurance costs depend on multiple factors such as your location, driving record, the amount of coverage you desire, the number of miles you drive your car, etc. Typically we see the add-on of rideshare insurance to be about $5 – $18 extra per month but depending on which insurance carrier you go with, you may be able to reduce your insurance cost altogether.

FAQs

I got in an accident without Rideshare Insurance. What should I do?

Hopefully you never find yourself in this situation as the ramifications for getting into an accident without the proper insurance coverage can be very costly. If you are in this situation and your personal insurance carrier will not cover you, the coverage from your rideshare company should take away some of the burden, however, it may be a relatively small amount depending on when (what period) you had your accident.

Is Rideshare Insurance Available in my State?

There are some states that currently do not offer rideshare insurance. Check to see if your state is one of these and if so, contact your insurance provider to get advice on what you should do.

Do I need Rideshare Insurance to drive for Lyft or Uber?

In short, yes. Many states require rideshare insurance if you are driving customers for money, regardless of the application.

Looking for more information, check out this Rideshare Insurance Thread on RideGuru’s Forum and discuss options with other drivers.

Tipping in Taxis around the World

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Tipping culture can change drastically from one area of the world to the next. To avoid coming across as rude, take a look at this helpful article outlining how much to tip your taxi driver in over 40 countries around the world.

Abu Dhabi

How much to tip for taxis in Abu Dhabi?

Round off taxi fares to the nearest 5 AED ($1.36)

Austria

How much to tip for taxis in Austria?

10% over the meter fare

Australia

How much to tip for taxis in Australia?

Tipping isn’t expected

Bali

How much to tip for taxis in Bali?

Round up the fare for convenience

Belgium

How much to tip for taxis in Belgium?

Tipping isn’t required or expected, but some round up to the nearest euro

Brazil

How much to tip for taxis in Brazil?

Radio taxis charge a set price and don’t require a tip, while it’s customary to round the fare up to the nearest full number for common taxis

Bulgaria

How much to tip for taxis in Bulgaria?

Round up the cab fare

Canada

How much to tip for taxis in Canada?

10% to 20% of the total fare

Cambodia

How much to tip for taxis in Cambodia?

Taxi drivers won’t expect tips

China

How much to tip for taxis in China?

Taxi drivers often don’t accept tips

Croatia

How much to tip for taxis in Croatia?

Taxi drivers aren’t usually tipped

Cuba

How much to tip for taxis in Cuba?

1 to 3 CUC ($1 to $3) per trip

Czech Republic

How much to tip for taxis in Czech Republic?

Tipping isn’t required

Denmark

How much to tip for taxis in Denmark?

Tipping isn’t expected but appreciated; you can round up to the nearest whole number

Egypt

How much to tip for taxis in Egypt?

Taxi drivers don’t expect tips for short journeys, but for multiple stops, add 10% to the total fare

France

How much to tip for taxis in France?

10% of the fare

Finland

How much to tip for taxis in Finland?

Tipping isn’t customary, but rounding up the fare for convenience is appreciated

Germany

How much to tip for taxis in Germany?

5% to 10%

Greece

How much to tip for taxis in Greece?

Tipping isn’t necessary, but taxi drivers generally expect it from tourists

Hong Kong

How much to tip for taxis in Hong Kong?

Taxi drivers usually round up to the nearest dollar amount as a tip to themselves

Hungary

How much to tip for taxis in Hungary?

10% of the fare

Iceland

How much to tip for taxis in Iceland?

Tipping isn’t customary

India

How much to tip for taxis in India?

Tipping isn’t customary, but rounding up is appreciated

Ireland

How much to tip for taxis in Ireland?

Round up to the nearest euro or tip 5% to 10% if the driver was particularly helpful

Italy

How much to tip for taxis in Italy?

Tipping is unusual, but appreciated — round up to the nearest euro

Japan

How much to tip for taxis Japan?

Tipping isn’t necessary

Macau

How much to tip for taxis Macau?

Round up to the nearest MOP/HKD

Malaysia

How much to tip for taxis in Malaysia?

Tips aren’t expected

Mexico

How much to tip for taxis in Mexico?

Tipping taxi drivers isn’t customary, but if they help you with your bags, tip 6 to 13 MXN ($0.29 to $0.63)

Morocco

How much to tip for taxis in Morocco?

Round up to the nearest 5 MAD ($0.52)

Netherlands

How much to tip for taxis in Netherlands?

Round fare to the nearest €1 ($1.16)

New Zealand

How much to tip for taxis in New Zealand?

Round up for convenience

Norway

How much to tip for taxis in Norway?

Round up to the nearest NOK

Peru

How much to tip for taxis in Peru?

Tipping isn’t expected because fares are negotiated beforehand

Poland

How much to tip for taxis in Poland?

Tipping is uncommon, but you can tip around 10% to 15%

Portugal

How much to tip for taxis in Portugal?

Round up to the nearest €5 ($5.80) of your total fare

Russia

How much to tip for taxis in Russia?

Tipping isn’t needed

Singapore

How much to tip for taxis in Singapore?

Tipping isn’t customary, but rounding up the fare for convenience is appreciated

South Korea

How much to tip for taxis in South Korea?

Taxi drivers appreciate it if you tell them to “keep the change,” but it’s not required or expected

Spain

How much to tip for taxis in Spain?

10% of the total fare, or extra if the driver helps with bags, but rides from airports automatically carry a surcharge and small handling fee for each piece of luggage

Sri Lanka

How much to tip for taxis in Sri Lanka?

10% of your fare

Sweden

How much to tip for taxis in Sweden?

Round up to the nearest SEK

Switzerland

How much to tip for taxis in Switzerland?

Round up or add 5%

Thailand

How much to tip for taxis in Thailand?

Round up the fare to the nearest 5 TBH ($0.15)

Tunisia

How much to tip for taxis in Tunisia?

Add 5% to the fare for good service

Turkey

How much to tip for taxis in Turkey?

Tips aren’t expected, but rounding up the fare is appreciated

UK

How much to tip for taxis in the United Kingdom?

Tipping isn’t required, but it’s customary to round up to the nearest pound as a convenience

United States

How much to tip for taxis in the United States

10% to 15% of the fare, based on service

Vietnam

How much to tip for taxis in Vietnam?

Tipping isn’t expected, but taxi drivers appreciate it if you tell them to “keep the change”

Source: GoCompare

RideGuru iPhone App, a Travelers Best Companion

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Want to compare the cost of taxis, limos, Uber, Lyft and others while on the go? Wish there was one app that could hail any taxi or rideshare for you? Check out the new RideGuru iPhone app, the search engine for all rideshares.

The RideGuru iPhone and iPad application compares rideshare and taxi rates across hundreds of services (Uber, Lyft, Ola, Didi Kauidi, Fasten, traditional taxis, limo networks, etc) in thousands of cities worldwide to bring you the best deals no matter where you are traveling.

Not only does RideGuru save you money, it also saves travelers time by allowing users to quickly filter their results to find a car that fits their specifications. Once the perfect ride has been found, simply hail or dispatch your desired ride straight from the RideGuru app.

According to the Press Release released today, “RideGuru is known to be the most robust rideshare comparison tool in the world. Through its vast support of all rideshare, taxi, and limo companies worldwide, users will feel secure in finding a local ride even if their destination is off the beaten track.”

If you plan on using rideshares or taxis during your upcoming travels, download RideGuru and travel with confidence!

To learn more about the RideGuru mobile app click here.

To view the Press Release please click here.

 

To view a Text Only Press Release please see below.

———————————————————————————————————————

Rideshare Aggregator, RideGuru, Now Available on App Store

Boston, MA, August 22, 2017

Calling all travelers!  This innovative rideshare search engine saves you time, money, and energy.

RideGuru, the rideshare comparison app, is now available for iPhone and iPad users. Powered by the popular travel website, RideGuru, the RideGuru mobile app is a search engine for rideshares and other on-demand ground transportation services. Users can compare costs of various rideshares and taxi services worldwide, then hail their desired car straight from the app.

Since RideGuru’s release in September 2016, the site has stood out as the aggregator of taxis, limos, and rideshares. Not only does RideGuru compare large on-demand car services such as Uber and Lyft, it also scours rates from hundreds of smaller services to bring the user an array of travel options. Through its vast support of all rideshare, taxi, and limo companies worldwide, users will feel secure in finding a local ride even if their destination is off the beaten track.

Ippei Takahashi, the CEO/President of Unleashed, LLC, states, “Thanks to the adoption of on-demand economy, there has never been so many ride options available. There are great offerings out there, but unfortunately, the consumers are either not aware of them or lack the visibility into the services they have access to.  That’s what we are trying to fix with RideGuru: provide visibility to the users and encourage competition between the providers.”

Lillien Kenyon, the business and operations lead at RideGuru, adds “Most travelers compare the costs of airfares, hotels, and car rentals. We want to bring the same philosophy to rideshares, saving travelers both time and money.”

The RideGuru app supports more than 100 rideshare services from companies such as Uber, Lyft, Juno, Grab, Curb, Fasten, Wingz, and Zum.  Users can filter the choices, by entering number of passengers, car type, accommodations, and other specialty features, such as rideshares for women and children or “shared rides” like UberPool and Lyft Line.

Once users have made their selection, they can dispatch the ride from Uber or Lyft directly, with similar dispatch support coming soon for other rideshare companies.

RideGuru is known to be the most robust rideshare comparison tool in the world.  To learn more about RideGuru’s groundbreaking fare comparison technology visit RideGuru.

About RideGuru
RideGuru, a product of Unleashed, LLC, is an all-inclusive rideshare and taxi information source. RideGuru is not another transportation service, instead, it is a search engine to help you find the best ride from point A to point B. It scours rates from hundreds of services worldwide to bring you the best deals.

About Unleashed, LLC
Unleashed, LLC is a Boston-based technology company that specializes in creating websites and smartphone applications to provide users with the information they need for daily decisions. The company is best known for creating the popular travel site TaxiFareFinder.com. TaxiFareFinder, released in 2007, is an online resource for all things related to taxis and rideshares. TaxiFareFinder is best recognized for its groundbreaking, location based, taxi and rideshare fare calculators.

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Calculate your UberPool or Lyft Line Ride with RideGuru

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RideGuru, a fare comparison calculator, just announced that they are now supporting UberPool, Lyft Line, and Ola Share rides! With many of these shared rides costing between 20-40% less than traditional services like Uber X or Lyft, it will be interesting to see how many people choose savings over comfort.

According to this blog post by Uber, in the first two years after releasing UberPool, riders requested more than 250 million UberPool rides and globally 20% of all Uber rides completed are through UberPool. Now that travelers have an easy way to compare the cost of various shared rides with other standard services, we wonder if that number will increase further.

Apart from adding shared rides, RideGuru also added a number of smaller rideshare companies to their site to give users more options when selecting a ride. Many of these smaller rideshare companies also help to fill certain niches like women only, airport rides, or rides specially designed for kids.

To learn more view the full Press Release here.

To view a Text Only Press Release please see below.

———————————————————————————————————————

BOSTON, MA, June 25, 2017

RideGuru took on a major expansion, adding more than 50 rideshare companies to their site. RideGuru’s mission has always been to bring transparency to the rideshare market by providing reliable fare estimates for rideshare and taxi companies around the globe.

With the recent boom of smaller, more niche rideshare companies, this transparency is more important than ever. Consumers now have multiple choices for ground transportation travel in almost every city around the world. RideGuru helps to cut through the chaos by bringing a fair and equal voice to the smaller companies.

Lillien Kenyon, the business and operations lead at RideGuru, expands on RideGuru’s mission saying, “We have always wanted to create a fair platform for all rideshare companies, big and small. With a few big players dominating the rideshare scene, it can be difficult for some of the smaller companies to be seen, even if they have competitive pricing or fill a unique niche. Through our addition of many of these smaller rideshare services, customers can get an unbiased look at the current marketplace and choose the transportation company that best suits their needs”

Not only is the rideshare market booming with new companies, it is also seeing a shift toward shared rides. Consumers are willing to share rides with strangers if it means a cheaper fare. RideGuru, to accommodate this trend, has added UberPool, Lyft Line, and Ola Share estimates in their Fare Comparison Calculator. With this new addition, users are able to see how much they can save by taking a shared ride over an Uber X or traditional Lyft.

Ippei Takahashi, the CEO/President of Unleashed, LLC, states, “This feature has been one of the biggest asks from our users, as the pricing rules for shared rides are very cryptic and difficult to estimate. While these offerings by Uber and Lyft are still unproven, this can be a very promising option for users to save money.  Are users willing to take longer trips and sacrifice comfort for cheaper fares?  We are thinking yes, but it may be limited to certain demographics.”

Takahashi also adds, “At RideGuru, we strive to be the most reliable and comprehensive resource for people who utilize on-demand ground transportation. Supporting UberPool, Lyft Line, and many of the smaller ‘challengers’ shows our commitment to this mission.”

For a full list of the companies that are currently supported on RideGuru click here.

About RideGuru

RideGuru, a product of Unleashed, LLC, is an all-inclusive rideshare and taxi information source.

RideGuru is not another transportation service, instead, it is a free search engine to help you find the best ride from point A to point B. It scours rates from hundreds of services worldwide to bring you the best deals.

About Unleashed, LLC

Unleashed, LLC is a Boston-based technology company that specializes in creating websites and smartphone applications to provide users with the information they need for daily decisions. The company is best known for creating the popular travel site TaxiFareFinder.com. TaxiFareFinder, released in 2007, is an online resource for all things related to taxis and rideshares. TaxiFareFinder is best recognized for its groundbreaking, location based, taxi and rideshare fare calculators.

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Advertise on RideGuru!

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Do you have a travel, transportation, or rideshare related business? Want to work with one of the top influencers in the travel realm to increase your brands exposure?

RideGuru, the authority in rideshare related transportation, just announced that they are now working to promote brands who add value to their reader base. Over the past year, RideGuru has grown to become one of the top resources for travel and trip planning with their popular fare comparison calculator launching them as the authority in the rideshare and taxi industry.

RideGuru reaches hundreds of thousands of travelers each month and has connections with over 50 rideshare companies. If you are looking to gain the credibility and respect of the travel community, check out RideGuru’s many new advertising opportunities!

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Who’s winning the self-driving car race?

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Article first published on RideGuru.

If you are involved in the rideshare world, or in technology at all, you have likely heard of the self-driving car race currently taking place. We are here to tell you everything you need to know about the self-driving car race: what companies are involved, what their prototypes look like, and who is winning the race.

Self-driving cars are the technology of the future, driven by innovation and a desire to change the way we use transportation in our everyday lives. Currently there are almost 30 companies testing self-driving vehicles in the state of California alone. The California DMV released a list of these companies that obtained permits to test their cars in the state, with the most recent added company being Apple, added just yesterday. Other companies like Google, Uber, Ford, Tesla and GM have also all been working on autonomous vehicle technology.

There are many obstacles that need to be overcome before self-driving cars become a reality for the masses, some of these being technological, and others political and regulatory. However, analysts believe that the self-driving car market will be worth billions of dollars in the coming years.

G.M.

General Motors has been involved in the self-driving car race since its inception. They have recently planned to expand their operations in Silicon Valley and hire 1,1000 people and invest $14 million in their self-driving car operation. G.M. has been testing 50 Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicles with self-driving technology.

In the next year, G.M. plans to introduce a system called SuperCruise as an option in certain Cadillac models. The system will be capable of piloting a self-driving car on limited-access highways, but it will require drivers to still keep their eyes on the road.

Google (Waymo)

Google’s automated car company, Waymo, has tested more than 200 million miles of driving various test vehicles. Waymo has been working on self-driving technology since 2009, long before there was much conversation on the topic at all. Since then they have developed and improved their technology to bring fully functional self-driving cars to public roads in Texas and California.

Currently Waymo filed a lawsuit against Uber, alleging Uber stole Waymo’s intellectual property to create their own self-driving vehicles. Uber responded to the allegations by stating they could not have stolen Waymo’s technology, since Uber’s technology is different (and perhaps better?).

Tesla

Automaker Tesla is at a different stage in the self-driving race than most. All Tesla cars being produced come with full self-driving hardware already installed. Tesla’s electric vehicles have been equipped with this technology since November of 2016, but sources are saying they will need improvements in order to stay ahead of the race, especially going against G.M.’s SuperCruise.

Uber

Uber currently has dozens of driverless vehicles, Volvo XC90 SUVs, picking up passengers in Tempe, Arizona. Accompanying the trips are two Uber engineers in the front seats as safety precautions in case human intervention is needed. Uber hopes to expand their self-driving car fleet to other cities in Arizona.

The group in charge of Uber’s self-driving car fleet, the Advanced Technology Group (ATG), is currently deciding where their priorities should be. The group has gained attention in the past month regarding the crash of one of their self-driving cars in Arizona, and is in the process of improving their technology to make it safer for the roads.

Self-driving cars for the masses may not be available yet, but hopefully we will soon see which one of these companies will come out on top. From our predictions, we see Google’s Waymo ahead of the race. They have been in the race before anyone else and have been continuously updating and adapting their technology to stay on top.

Why does Uber want to track your location?

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uber locationWe love it when Uber tracks our rides, but our every move? Not so much! With Uber’s recent update, the app now has permissions to track your whereabouts even when you are not using the Uber app. This has upset many users who feel it is not Uber’s business to know where they are traveling to and from at all times.

RideGuru wrote an interesting article on the subject, bringing light to why Uber would want your location information. According to RideGuru, one reason that this update helps to improve the app is by better identifying ETA estimates and the best pick up locations in certain areas. RideGuru also states that another reason Uber wants to track your movements is “that they hope to eliminate how often riders have to cross the street after being dropped off to get to their destination. Uber believes this is a safety hazard and that new location data from their users could help to solve this issue.”

Is Uber crossing the line though? Head over to RideGuru to read the full article and give your opinion on if Uber should be allowed to track their users locations.

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Animal Taxi Monday

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Playtime! #AnimalTaxiMonday

animal taxi monday

Click here to view all of our Animal Taxi Monday pictures.