3 minute read
So, yesterday my daily commute was pretty much the same. Got to my destination on the Brightline and requested an Uber ride. All good. I noticed the driver’s car showed a picture of a yellow taxi. I figured, “Wow, that’s cool that they would use a pic like that.” Lo-and-behold, my driver shows up and it’s REALLY a yellow painted cab car. I immediately double-take and wonder what is going on. My driver literally asks me if I’m wondering why he’s driving a cab and the story is very interesting, and we chat about it the entire ride.
Turns out this story, or some version of it is repeating in New York, Chicago, LA, and a bunch of other cities, and it’s all thanks to a partnership between Uber and a company called Curb Mobility. FYI, some people are saying Uber “acquired” Curb. What actually happened after I did more research is that the two companies are still completely separate. What happened is they teamed up, and now I’m seeing the results firsthand.
So how did this really happen?
March 2022 – Uber announces a partnership with Curb Mobility. Curb is actually the biggest taxi-hailing app in the US. And just like that, two worlds combined or collided? Uber riders can get access to taxis and cab drivers get access to lots and lots of Uber riders. So a match made in somewhere. Uber gets drivers to get you around. Cab drivers get back some business they lost to, imagine that, Uber. So are they frenemies now?
In the real world, it works like this
Us riders request an UberX and the app looks for curb-connected taxis in the area. If a cab is closer than a regular Uber driver they match you to them. You get a driver with a taxi. Good thing is if you don’t want the cab you can still cancel the ride.
Taxi drivers also have a transparent experience. Your request shows up on the screen they already use today. They see the fare before they accept, and unlike regular Uber drivers, they don’t get penalized for turning it down. The ride costs you UberX prices, not the meter, so it fluctuates with demand.
Started in NYC but then it GREW
NYC was the first to see this partnership, but now its spreading! I saw it in West Palm Beach just yesterday. Chicago got it in 2024. Now San Francisco, LA, and Washington DC have versions of it too. Uber has also been running similar taxi integrations in cities across Europe, Latin America, and Asia for years.
Not everyone is a happy camper
Taxi driver unions aren’t thrilled about it. Pay doesn’t compare to rates from the meter. Also, the taxi cab drivers have more expenses versus Uber drivers, like medallion payments. In 2025, there’s mention of a federal lawsuit saying that pricing integration led to higher fares for riders. Of course, there’s denial of this happening, but we’ll let the courts decide that one.
So in conclusion what do we know
Taxis showing up for your Uber requests will continue, so don’t be surprised, but it’s not part of a buy or merger of Uber with anyone. Will there be more drama about this is the future? Sure, it’s possible, as Uber and taxis have been frenemies at best in the past. To stay relevant and solvent, it looks like two former adversaries need each other, and hopefully the Uber rider gets the benefit of this partnership.
UPDATE 3/18: Iām writing this from, you guessed it another taxi uber ride. Going well š