Uber has made a concerted push to expand its reach in New York City, and it’s starting to reap the benefits.
For the first time ever, more people are using Uber in New York than the city’s classic yellow taxi cabs, the New York Timesreported this week. On the average day in July, for example, Uber completed 289,000 rides while New York taxis recorded 277,000 trips, according to the report.
Uber’s new lead is the result of sending thousands of black cars to New York’s outer boroughs, such as Queens and the Bronx, according to The Times. Cabs can be hard to find in those areas, which also lack easy access to public transit.
The total number of New York taxi trips fell 11% to 123.7 million in 2016, and industry revenue dropped 9% to $1.8 billion, according to Crain’s New York Business. Meanwhile, Morgan Stanley estimated that the share of ride-hailing trips accounted for by traditional taxis fell from 84% in April 2015 to 65% in April of last year, as app-based competitors, including Uber, Lyft, and Via, gained market share.
New York is one of Uber’s biggest markets, but its ascendance in the city hasn’t been easy, thanks in part to several run-ins with the Taxi and Limousine Commission.
Taxis likely won’t disappear anytime soon, but it’s clear they’re now operating in Uber’s shadow.