How Uber Helps Transform the Taxi Industry in Chicago – a Case Study

According to an Uber case study, Uber’s arrival in Chicago in 2011 changed how people get around the city.

For decades, people in Chicago experienced poor taxi services. In the past three years, taxi passengers filed nearly 36,000 complaints, major issues are related to
•    reckless driving and rude driver behaviour
•    fare overcharges or refusals to pick up
•    verbal or physical assaults by taxi drivers
•    refusing to accept credit card payments

Chicago’s taxi system has failed not just its riders but also its drivers who beared
•    high cost, low pay
•    high risk - from 2001 through November 2014, there were 5,554 reported incidents of crime in Chicago taxicabs - more than a crime a day

In 2011, Uber arrived in Chicago. Uber provides a smartphone application connecting driver-partners with people who need a ride. Riders enjoy the convenience of paying without cash or the need to tip, with the price of the ride billed directly to the credit card they have linked to their account.

Driver-partners require background check and meet driver safety standards. The rating system allows the riders rate their experience and provide additional written feedback.

Furthermore, there are other advantages Uber provides over traditional taxi. For riders, it provides
•    Affordability - UberX does not compromise on safety and reliability, however costs less than a taxi.
•    Accessibility - Uber provides the visually-impaired and deaf community by using tools and assistive technology such as visible and vibrating alerts.

For drivers, it means
•    Increased income – do more trips and remove the middle man, and
•    flexible working hours

For the Chicago government, it helps
•    reduce the number of unemployed people
•    have more safer rides and safer roads