FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Uber and Lyft have devastated L.A.'s taxi industry
Thread
:
Uber and Lyft have devastated L.A.'s taxi industry
View Single Post
Apr 14, 2016 | 5:37 pm
#
1
TWA884
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date:
Dec 2009
Location:
LAX
Programs:
oneword Emerald
Posts:
24,658
Uber and Lyft have devastated L.A.'s taxi industry
In the
Los Angeles Times:
Uber and Lyft have devastated L.A.'s taxi industry
Excerpts:
Quote:
***
Since the ride-hailing services began operating in Southern California three years ago, the number of L.A. taxi trips arranged in advance has fallen by 42%, according to city data, and the total number of trips has plummeted by nearly a third. The steepest drops were in the city's most popular nightlife and tourist destinations: the Westside, Hollywood and downtown.
***
Paul Ezadjian, 56, a manager for LA Checker Cab, said many of his drivers have seen their trips fall by as much as 40%, and the decline seems to be accelerating. After insurance premiums, gas and payments to lease their cabs, taxi drivers now take home $400 to $500 per week, down from $800 a few years ago, Ezadjian said.
***
“For a consumer, Uber is very good,” Ezadjian said. “But for the driver, it’s very bad.” That's apparent from the number of drivers with permits to work in Los Angeles. After years of slow but steady increases, the city has shed 586 drivers over the past three years — a decline of 14%, the data show.
***
The silver lining in the data is LAX, which has long been the stronghold of the Southern California taxi industry because trips that begin there are typically longer and more lucrative. Since Uber and Lyft arrived, taxis have increased their trips at the airport by 41%. That increase has helped offset the revenue loss from the decline in other types of business.
***
Reply
TWA884
View Public Profile
Find More Posts by TWA884
Post Options