Originally Posted by
cestmoi123
The TLC website lists below. Basically, a $0.50 "unit" is for either 1/5 of a mile (if the taxi is going above 12mph), or 1 minute (if the taxi is going below 12mph). I had thought that, when a new "unit" starts, the meter simultaneously starts a clock and an odometer. When the clock hits 1 minute, or the odometer hits 0.2 miles (whichever comes first), it rolls over to a new unit, and restarts both the clock and the odometer. So, a fare of distance X would cost exactly the same amount if the average speed were 20mph, 15mph, or 12mph, and would start costing more if the average speed dropped below 12mph. Maybe I'm getting this wrong?
If I'm not, then Uber's structure is very different, since they're charging for time AND distance, not time OR distance.
Your understanding is correct. Uber's NYC fare structure used to be similar to NYC taxis, where it was calculated based on time OR distance. But now it's time AND distance. Lyft in NYC is calculated exactly the same way as UberX.
While the calculation methodology is different, however, the fares for non-surge UberX/Lyft still end up being a little lower in most realistic scenarios than equivalent NYC taxi fares with a 20% tip. There are exceptions (most notably trips that in a taxi would be less than the $8 UberX/Lyft minimum), but I find my UberX and Lyft rides to pretty consistently come in around 5% cheaper than what I'd pay for a taxi.
UberX and Lyft are ($3) + ($2.15/mile) + ($0.40/minute).
NYC Taxi is ($3) + ($2.50/mile at or over 12mph OR $.50/minute under 12mph) + ($0 after 6am before 4pm OR $1 after 4pm before 8pm OR $.50 after 8pm before 6am) + (20% on the whole thing)