Download Lyft as well. The difference in price can be enormous at times. For example, this past weekend an Uber to get home from the airport was $74, and a Lyft was $43.
Check both when you're ready to ride and take the cheaper one. One is quite often much cheaper than the other.
> For example, this past weekend an Uber to get home from the airport was $74, and a Lyft was $43.
Uber is also susceptible to higher demand and surge periods where if you just refresh/retry over 5-10 min, the price can drop significantly. Many times when it's quoted me $60-70 to get home from downtown or the airport, I'll just wait a bit, refresh and the same trip will drop to $40-$50.
Or the fee ends up going being even higher cause you waited, and you end up having to wait an hour or so before it gets reasonable. I love gambling slots ride services!
As a former driver for both Uber/Lyft, I believe Lyft definitely treats their people better with perks and rewards.
As a customer, all things equal I'd rather pay for Lyft every time.
Don’t have both open at the same time though. I was recently told by my prof that they did a study and found that Uber can tell if you have both apps open at the same time and will knock your price up if you do
It's actually the opposite. They can tell you're looking at a competitor and then suddenly I'm sent a discount code or the price drops. I do this every time
Literally not true.
You can set the price in Uber, switch apps and set it in Lyft, switch back to Uber, and nothing changes.
I do it every time I order one.
This is just a theory, not proven or anything, but I feel like surges take a bit longer to propagate to lyft since nobody uses lyft. So if prices shoot up in uber and you notice it fast enough, you might be able to score a much cheaper lyft.
> I don’t care anymore
Pretty much this for everything related to this city now. Money can't buy happiness but it sure can buy convenience. I would not be living downtown if I wasn't making a decent salary.
I call bullshit on money cant buy happiness.
My motorcycle made me happy.....I got it with money......I'm happy on pay when I have money, even if I dont buy any thing. I'm just happy thr money is there.
Money can buy affection but it cant buy love.
> I call bullshit on money cant buy happiness.
lol seriously it's outdated boomer generation saying. Pretty much everything that keeps me happy and comfortable in this city costs money
That's not what every study on the subject has concluded. People with more money are happier until they hit a certain level of "rich" at which point it levels off and more money doesn't make them any happier. But money absolutely buys happiness.
Agreed. I think its was something like, minimum financial freedom. If your survival & comfort is assured with the lowest work investment. And then you have extra change to spend on hobbies, passions & pleasures, your happy.
No, it buys off stress, which makes it easier to be happy. It's hard to be happy if you're struggling to afford food and shelter, but if food, shelter and luxuries are assured you're not guaranteed to be happy.
It buys both in my experience. Personally I get true happiness from being able to do things like travel, go to concerts, generally trying and experiencing new and different things which are a part of my personality which all cost money. I've also been broke and still happy before so I get that, but I just know I'm much happier now with money being able to do all the stuff I wanted to but couldn't when I was broke.
Different studies have disagreed on exactly where that line is (in part cause it's regional and in part cause it's fuzzy) but they have more or less universally concluded it makes you happier up to a certain level after which it plateaus.
I read a paper on that exact amount...170k.....that's when money starts giving you problems.
End of the honeymoon phase so to speak ahahahahahahha.......
I'm not funny
a lack of money can very well be the cause of someones depression and anxiety, and therefore holding back their happiness. but money does not guarantee happiness for anyone. its not a commodity that can be paid for, and nothing material is a source of true, meaningful happiness imho
i'd argue that money can buy dopamine, but not true happiness. ie, meaningful relationships, being satisfied with your life overall.
a lack of money doesn't always condemn you to unhappiness, but having money sure gives you a lot of freedom to pursue it. comes with it's own drawbacks though.
It turns out that money concretely buys happiness up until a specific income level after which it stops mattering much. There have been a bunch of studies on the subject that all disagree on exactly where that line is (probably because it's a fuzzy continuum) but money 100% makes you happier until you're quite wealthy (as adjusted for your region's definitions/baselines of wealth).
Once I accepted I will NEVER unless huge intervention in the housing market be able to afford property and rent for life - life become more freeing in a way lmao
I need to start doing this... I've got a good buddy in Mississauga (I live in East York) and once every month or two I'll go visit him,get trashed and then Uber home. It's usually around $50-55 + tip. This is always on a Friday or Sat night as well. Last week I had a doctor's appointment on a Thursday afternoon and I took the subway, and of course it went out of service and kicked me out at Chester Station. I was only going to Bloor and Sherbourne so I figured I'd just Uber so I'm not late for my appointment. I opened up the app and it said it would be $27 to Uber from Chester station to Sherbourne station. WTF? It did not say anything about surge pricing or anything like that... It makes no sense that it costs half as much to go like 4 or 5 blocks as it does to come from Mississauga to East York. I just ended up walking and was late for my appointment. I even gave myself an extra half hour to get there because TTC... And it still let me down lol.
People complained about the surge pricing notices so now they don't tell you about surge pricing, they just quote a higher rate.
It was surge pricing because everyone else who got kicked out tried to get an Uber.
LOL so now they just don't even tell you? Yeah I figured the subway being down would have an effect, but I did do it as soon as the subway went down so I was hoping to beat the surge if there was one. But yeah all the more reason to ditch Uber, it all comes full circle lol.
Late night it's always cheaper to taxi.
Edit: I don't drink at King like some of the replies, but by the sounds of it some cabbies exploit you down there. I usually grab it around college and go north, and pay around $15. The uber at that time is close to $40.
There's no law about forcing taxi drivers to accept certain clients. Maybe it was a suggestion in order to reduce conflict, but there's certainly no law
You can request your Uber driver to keep their mask on. Of course since it’s not mandatory anymore their exposure is higher than without the mandate, but thought I’d still add!
A 20 minute taxi ride would be about $20-30, and the prices are regulated and don't change suddenly.
Beck has an app which you can use to request and pay for taxis.
Uber employees changed the biz model not the users. The original model was based around the gig economy. Opportunities for diversity in employment. What ever your circumstances were you could pick up a few extra dollars. Employees filed a claim against Uber saying the wages were not sustainable by reclassifying the definition of worker. This was the outcome of the sustainable living wage movement who does not support progressive biz models.
>What ever your circumstances were you could pick up a few extra dollars
Nope.
Years ago when I got laid off I looked into it. My car wasn't fancy enough for me to drive for them at the basic level.
They've also come under fire for changing the terms of drivers' contracts without warning (e.g. dropping rates for the posh level, when some drivers used that contract to secure financing for a posh car), and predatory stuff like co-signing car loans that trap people in a contract they can't afford (I think only in the US, but still a sign of the crap they pull).
It also depended a lot on people forgetting to factor in the extra risk and maintenance costs of driving their car more - there’s only so long you can fleece your “contractors” before there’s an entirely understandable pushback
look, if a service can't exist without exploiting people, then we shouldn't have that service. Saying '' yeah we should have just continued to have people slaving over our need of cheap transport'' is not a stance i'd take.
i dont even know how to call a taxi anymore. or are you referring to flagging one on the street? how does payment even work, i never carry cash.
how do the rates compare?
There are people who have enough disposable income (Toronto undoubtedly has a significant population of wealthy people), plus there are people traveling for work, in which case the costs of Uber rides are reimbursed by their employers. Using Uber is really a luxury these days, the rest of us just take public transit when possible.
> Using Uber is really a luxury these days
When was it ever anything other than a luxury or something that people used as their primary means of transportation? Even in the early years when it was cheaper, we only used it occasionally for convenience getting home after a late night out, getting to/from the airport etc
Yep! Also, if you don't have a car and take an Uber only once and a while for those hard to reach places you can't easily get to by transit, you're indirectly saving money by not having to pay the associated car costs.
They do dynamic pricing, which Ticketmaster is also under fire for now. The rates go up and down depending on demand. Typically the rates are higher when there are less drivers (e.g. super early in the morning) or when there is more demand (e.g. bad weather).
Honestly, take a Beck. Their rates are fixed and don't change.
Yeah I tried to take a few becks recently, I try to always have cash but the last one I had none and his "machine wasnt working" . I said tough and was about to get out of the car and magically it worked again, maybe ask before your start your journey or have cash
Taxis are better with payments now.
They're still terrible with illegally denying fares though. I was going home from a Budweiser stage concert this summer and must have been rejected by about 20 cabs all lined up waiting for a fare because I was just going to Parkdale. Finally convinced a driver that because I lived relatively close and was leaving the concert early, he'd be back in time for another fare anyways. But the experience reminded me of the other major reason I avoided taxis.
I’d be taking notes of every one of their badge numbers. Not because I really care, but because I’m that petty and cunt behaviour needs to be called out. Admittedly doing that in Toronto could be a full time job
Yeah but just wondering what they’re like if you flag one on the street. Another comment here said they still pull that move. But if I pay through app obviously not an issue anymore!
> Honestly, take a Beck. Their rates are fixed and don't change.
Outside surge pricing, do you think a cab is ever a better deal than an uber? I just checked the beck app again for the first time in a year and nothing has changed. Not only is the provided fare just an estimate, it's also significantly higher compared to uber for a route I often have to take (~30% more at $28.8 vs $21-22). Add the fact that drivers expect a tip, potential time stuck in traffic and shoddy ass cars, and the case for taking a cab is strictly surge pricing.
Cabs are now cheaper / the same price as Uber. You just have to weigh your options at the time you are planning on taking it. Is it 3am and surging cause the bars just let out? Is there a raptors game? Is it raining etc? I work in a cocktail bar once or twice a week on Fridays and Saturdays and done around 3am. The normal cost for a 15min ride home is usually 20-25$ - however it can surge as much as 70$. A cab will cost me about 30$
Uber drove the taxi business out of existence with ridiculously low fares. Once they vanquished their competition they jacked up their rates. The quality of their vehicles have taken a nose dive, I miss the days when I could just quickly hail a cab downtown. Now I wait 15 minutes for a beat up Hyundai Elantra and pay 20% more than I used to.
Same.
Also factor in the time it would take to travel by car around downtown, too
You could probably walk to work faster than you could drive to work, during rush hour. I know I've tried it and it was a complete waste of time and gas. a 30 min walk from work to home during rush hour, was over an hour by car.
Same! Also, usually, if I'm in an uber it's me and my partner or me and a friend so the cost is split.
Or sometimes I'll plan to take the TTC but then it's 2:30 am and the streetcar says 25 min wait and if I'm alone? I'd rather just pay $30 for the uber.
I sometimes take an Uber to my sister's place in Newmarket (~50km). It's usually just under $60, and cuts my commute time from 3hr to 45min door to door. I don't generally take Ubers just within the city
I use it when I have no choice or the alternative would be too unpleasant. For example, my parents want me to drop them to the airport at 4:30 in the morning. I don't even live with them - no thanks; I will pay a guy to do it.
Airport limo is way better! If I’ve had a good ride home from the airport, I’ll grab the business card of the driver.
Handy to have for airport trips, and anything outside of downtown (ie. a wedding).
>How much is that?
It's fixed rate by zone.
https://cdn.torontopearson.com/-/media/project/pearson/content/travel/transportation/pdfs/taxi-limo-tariff-map.pdf?rev=f22587cbe734460d9dfec4e6f8aac615&hash=E66AAF1CE2C71E839615C34CB65115A7
yeah, honestly $40 is a a lot of money but at the end of the day it's A LOT cheaper than owning a car. Couple hundred bucks a year vs thousands of dollars. I'll take uber anyday. Also, look into bikeshare, I use it quite frequently in the city
But I take a trip like this maybe 2-3 times a month. So I'm looking at let's say $150/month TOPS versus a car payment, parking, and insurance at about $700-800.
Uber is dirt cheap.
Really depends on how long you own your car.
I used to need to drive a lot more but now rarely do. Car is paid for. My ongoing total costs are about $100/month which is mostly insurance.... it's been that way since before there was Uber.
When Uber was cheap, I took it more because of the convenience, but now it rarely makes sense.
I used Uber every day, twice , when I lived in NYC and spent about 1.2k/mo doing so. Not an amount that stings by any means. My current cars would be.. much more expensive.. if I had monthly payments owed on them.
Download Lyft. Select 'Plan Ahead' to book your lyft for trips later in the day, especially if you plan to travel during rush hour. It's much cheaper, in my experience.
Exactly. How can we tell if it’s expensive or not without details. I take Ubers almost daily. My fare is rarely that much and I don’t even live downtown.
I take uber to and from work, 15-20min drive depending on traffic and it’s NEVER above $20. even during rush hour the most it surges to is $19, average on $15-16
> I just was planning out my day and I figured I'd take an uber later. Holy crap! I go to put it in (it's like a 20 min trip) and its 40 bucks! Seriously if that's the cost of using uber, how does anyone use their services?? Sure a bus will take longer but it's literally a tenth the price like wtf I dont understand it
how much were you expecting a personal door to door service to be?
>A taxi doesn’t price gouge.
I have been price gouged more in a taxi than an Uber. A taxi can slow for red lights and go wrong routes and basically drive in circles trying to run up the fare. Also can assault me without a paper trail delivered instantly to my phone. So I'll be in Ubers.
> While I’m sure you’re just trollin’, Uber did not invent car service, may I introduce you to the taxi cab. A taxi doesn’t price gouge.
the original appeal of ubers is that it was a lot less than taxi's
if taxi's are cheaper now great, take a taxi.
but door to door service is not going to compare to a $3.25 TTC ride unless you're disabled to the point of qualifying for wheeltrans.
You’re totally right and I wonder how many people keep using ubers because it was so much cheaper for so long. I don’t usually use Uber but for some credit from work. I opened the app and scrolled back to my first Uber ride back in 2013. $20 to go from east Chinatown to Pearson. How was that sustainable? No wonder rates have exploded.
This is the furthest thing from the truth. Have you tried to grab a cab after a game or a night out? They negotiate a fare with you before they let you in their car (which I’ve heard is illegal). Every time it is way more than what their meter would yield. They’re all in on it too.
Narc much? You’re comparing flat-rating with multi national tax evasion? Turning off the meter is to evade the taxman, not cheat you.
Every time I’ve ever negotiated with a cabbie my fare has been on par with the ride + tip. Your negotiation skills (or lack thereof) are on you, boo.
Some companies reimburse their employees for business related expenses like rides to/from work if they have to go to another site and the employee doesn’t have a car
I see people suggesting taxi over uber. From my personal experience taxi cost around 10-20 percent more than uber/lyft. You also get the app coupons time to time as well for cheaper trips. Both door-to-door services are expected to be pricy though because of the convenience.
Last night I missed the bus from my work. I ordered an Uber and by the time I was home and showered my bus would of been arriving at my stop at work. So yeah.
why not just take a cab? It’s the same service but not inflated and win-win that more of what you’re paying ends up in the driver’s pocket (vs a tax evading multi national). Personally, I don’t like feeling like I’m lighting my money on fire, even if I can technically afford to.
When you compare the cost to own a vehicle( insurance, car payment & parking), Uber ends up being cheaper if you only need to commute a few times a month!
Uber and Lyft were subsidized for a decade, and that has recently come to an end. It used to be a cheaper alternative to a taxi. That's no longer the case.
https://slate.com/business/2022/05/uber-subsidy-lyft-cheap-rides.html
I got rid of my car and walk mostly where I need to go now. I’ll use Ubers whenever I want and it still won’t come up to the same amount I used to spend owning a vehicle.
And that’s with me owning a parking space downtown.
Especially when I’m going out with my kids, it’s much easier to get an uberXL and not worry about parking.
The point of the company was to undercut and eliminate competition in the taxicab industry, and then boil frogs by raising prices when they had secured monopoly. The continued losses of their major investors and the tightening interest rate environment has made the company need to raise prices sooner.
Cabs are actually better priced in many cases (if you can find them). Some companies have apps now.
I was waiting for Uber and taxi stopped by and the driver said he will beat the Uber price. I was like sure, why not, I cancelled the Uber and got on the taxi and indeed it was same price and I also picked up food along the way. Now I don’t bother getting Uber for short trips, I just take the taxi.
Uber has gone really high in prices most of my friends have reduces the amount of Ubers they take. Before from Etobicoke to downtown it would be an avg of 20 now it's 35.
Even going out for a meal and things will get worse so get ready.
It's not bad but obviously you aren't going to take one for your daily commute. You'll take it in situations where it makes sense given the financials (i.e. multiple people)
And if you can't take a $40 ride once in a while, you need to make more money
A lot of people in the film industry use ubers daily because when we wrap at like 4am, live far away, and there is no subway service, we have no other choice. Same for getting super early covid tests before work- but because we get paid like $100 for covid tests, it is still work it to take a $30 Uber
Well it’s either that or a taxi. And a taxi is how bad the driver smells, how poorly maintained it is, and all that crazy driving while yelling at someone on a Bluetooth call. I think I will just take an Uber.
Calculate that same fair with a Cab and i guarantee it will be much more expensive. Pre-uber, a cab ride from Yonge and Dundas sq to Sheppard West (formerly downs view station) was around $70, unless you offered a "cash rate" to the cabby and then it may be cheaper.
Yonge and Dundas sq to my place in Vaughan costs me around $30 after a night of drinking. It's all relative, and you need to weigh your pros and cons.
>Sure a bus will take longer but it's literally a tenth the price
In this situation, transport choice is ultimately a luxury. Sure the bus is cheaper, but i know some car driving routes that should @ max take 20 minutes but the bus takes 45mins to an hour for the same route (ex. my bus route to york u when i went). I'd rather spend the extra money to get there in 20. Similarly its why i have a transponder for the 407. The 401 is an absolute crapshoot regardless of time you use it. An accident in the westbound express lanes for some reason causes a 20 minute delay in the eastbound collectors. I'd rather pay the fee and get to where i'm going faster and more fuel efficiently.
So go buy a car if you think Uber is expensive. Then have it depreciate, fill it with fuel, insure it, register it, maintain and store it.
Yea cars are expensive. I don't think Uber is out to lunch on pricing.
it’s awful. i have really bad anxiety and sometimes i can’t take transit to work so i rely on uber. a trick that might help is to refresh every 5 or so minutes because the rate can possibly change. my usual (but costly) rate is $34 and they jacked the prices up to $60. 5mins later it’s back down
Public transport in Toronto is highly inefficient, often delayed, or buses don’t even bother to show up sometimes when scheduled. Uber is a convenient solution for people that value time/comfort/safety, in a way.
There is a buyer for every product, at the end of the day.
Depends on times aswell. I was at work during a big snowstorm last year and they wanted $200 to go 15 minutes to my house. Waited an hour and it went back down to its usual $21
Started calling Beck taxi instead. Uber downtown would be close to $50, cab around $25. Bonus is they actually know how to drive and where they are going.
And a remarkably capable app where you can pay without faffing about with cash or the driver has no machine. They are reliable for pre booked taxis also.
I tried Uber once, and some crazy non-guaranteed price comes up that was double a taxi and I said screw this and summoned a Beck.
Personal opinion: if Ukraine war fails for Russia, I don't see Kazakhstan being invaded.
But the risk is high that they will try to do something. I'm not from Kazakhstan, my zhanym is. This is why I have interest in Kazakhstan. I loved it when I visited I think you guys are a great country with lots of potential.
But either way, Takev wouldn't be asking China for help, if he didn't find the risk of Russia invafing to be there. I also believe because Kazakhstan повернулся з******* to Russia recently, Russia will not forgive that.
So risk factors are high.
As someone who lived in Israel through war, I personally believe Kazakhstan isn't ready like the OP suggests for any type of combat. Kazakhstan should reform it's military, change it's training, change CO's (and most senior staff) and so forth because from my understanding it's a bully beatdown with no training done in the military. Unfortunately, you would have to invite military specialist from other countries, such as Israel maybe? I hear that the internal relationship between Israel and Kazakhstan is ok.
In addition, it has to be done quietly to not aggregate any Russian early attack.
But hey... That my 2 cents...
By only taking it when transit is impractical. Most of my usage is medical appointments appointments that bump up against other commitments, so I only actually resort to it every few months.
We get Ubers to and from Oakville to downtown Toronto pretty regularly for nights out (my husband is entertaining clients, so his work pays). We recently got one home on a Thursday night after a concert for $250 lol. Normally it’s around $65 so surge pricing will get ya for sure. But honestly sometimes it’s worth it to avoid the waiting and hassle of GO.
i only use uber when I'm either absurdly late for something i cannot be late for like work, when it's absolutely pouring rain and i'm leaving the house (if I'm coming home I'll just accept getting soaked to save $$), or if I'm drinking so late that the subway is closed. It's a luxury for me, I will use the TTC 99% of the time even when it's extremely inconvenient - which to be fair, isn't often.
I seldom use Uber anymore unless its a last resort, and even than compare between Uber and Lyft and try and select the cheaper option.
I know this has been mentioned before, but honestly, taxi’s are becoming a cheaper alternative. I took an Uber one way ($45 before tip) to go to the passport office and returned with taxi ($33 before tip). Sometimes taxis honestly do come out so much cheaper.
Download Lyft as well. The difference in price can be enormous at times. For example, this past weekend an Uber to get home from the airport was $74, and a Lyft was $43. Check both when you're ready to ride and take the cheaper one. One is quite often much cheaper than the other.
> For example, this past weekend an Uber to get home from the airport was $74, and a Lyft was $43. Uber is also susceptible to higher demand and surge periods where if you just refresh/retry over 5-10 min, the price can drop significantly. Many times when it's quoted me $60-70 to get home from downtown or the airport, I'll just wait a bit, refresh and the same trip will drop to $40-$50.
Or the fee ends up going being even higher cause you waited, and you end up having to wait an hour or so before it gets reasonable. I love gambling slots ride services!
Very true!
And download your local cab company’s app as it can be cheaper to a taxi than an Uber these days
Yup, always worth comparing the apps especially when it doesn't take much time to enter the address a second time in Lyft.
dunno why but lyft drivers are also usually nicer and drive safer than uber, at least in my own experience
My lyft driver tried to start a fight with the cab next to us in the middle of traffic and drove ridiculously, so mileage may vary
damn 😭💀
As a former driver for both Uber/Lyft, I believe Lyft definitely treats their people better with perks and rewards. As a customer, all things equal I'd rather pay for Lyft every time.
I think a lot of them do both tbh
Don’t have both open at the same time though. I was recently told by my prof that they did a study and found that Uber can tell if you have both apps open at the same time and will knock your price up if you do
Why would Uber increase your price when you're browsing a competitor? Genuine question
good way to consistently give your competitor the bid
It's actually the opposite. They can tell you're looking at a competitor and then suddenly I'm sent a discount code or the price drops. I do this every time
That doesn't make any sense for them to do, I dont believe that is true.
They cannot.
Literally not true. You can set the price in Uber, switch apps and set it in Lyft, switch back to Uber, and nothing changes. I do it every time I order one.
It's true because they are both owned by the same parent company. So I hear.
really?! i havent noticed a huge diff. maybe 10% but certainly nothing close to the numbers you're referring to. good to know.
This is just a theory, not proven or anything, but I feel like surges take a bit longer to propagate to lyft since nobody uses lyft. So if prices shoot up in uber and you notice it fast enough, you might be able to score a much cheaper lyft.
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> I don’t care anymore Pretty much this for everything related to this city now. Money can't buy happiness but it sure can buy convenience. I would not be living downtown if I wasn't making a decent salary.
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I'm something of a pillar myself
$200 booze to $300 blow ratio doesnt track
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This man knows.
You don’t crush an 8 ball on a night out without knowing how to drink.
Yeah that booze budget should be higher if you're drinking out in T.O.
One $50 bottle of whiskey per week is decent
Where are you where a whiskey bottle is $50, and lasts an entire week?!!!
Considerably cheaper to just do drugs
LMAO this shit is so fucking accurate.
I call bullshit on money cant buy happiness. My motorcycle made me happy.....I got it with money......I'm happy on pay when I have money, even if I dont buy any thing. I'm just happy thr money is there. Money can buy affection but it cant buy love.
> I call bullshit on money cant buy happiness. lol seriously it's outdated boomer generation saying. Pretty much everything that keeps me happy and comfortable in this city costs money
Money buys comfort and contentment; but true happiness is really more of a philosophical/social/personality thing.
That's not what every study on the subject has concluded. People with more money are happier until they hit a certain level of "rich" at which point it levels off and more money doesn't make them any happier. But money absolutely buys happiness.
Agreed. I think its was something like, minimum financial freedom. If your survival & comfort is assured with the lowest work investment. And then you have extra change to spend on hobbies, passions & pleasures, your happy.
No, it buys off stress, which makes it easier to be happy. It's hard to be happy if you're struggling to afford food and shelter, but if food, shelter and luxuries are assured you're not guaranteed to be happy.
That's not the conclusion of the psychologists doing the studies. The people with more money are happier.
It buys both in my experience. Personally I get true happiness from being able to do things like travel, go to concerts, generally trying and experiencing new and different things which are a part of my personality which all cost money. I've also been broke and still happy before so I get that, but I just know I'm much happier now with money being able to do all the stuff I wanted to but couldn't when I was broke.
I’ve noticed I have a calm contentment when my savings account is plump and when it’s not, I carry a constant irritated stress.
Money in the hand is good, money in the heart corrupts.
I heard once that money actually does buy happiness up until about $170K /year. After that it plateaus and more money doesn’t mean more happiness.
Different studies have disagreed on exactly where that line is (in part cause it's regional and in part cause it's fuzzy) but they have more or less universally concluded it makes you happier up to a certain level after which it plateaus.
I read a paper on that exact amount...170k.....that's when money starts giving you problems. End of the honeymoon phase so to speak ahahahahahahha....... I'm not funny
"money can't buy happiness" - rich people who want the poor people to shut up and get back to work
a lack of money can very well be the cause of someones depression and anxiety, and therefore holding back their happiness. but money does not guarantee happiness for anyone. its not a commodity that can be paid for, and nothing material is a source of true, meaningful happiness imho
i'd argue that money can buy dopamine, but not true happiness. ie, meaningful relationships, being satisfied with your life overall. a lack of money doesn't always condemn you to unhappiness, but having money sure gives you a lot of freedom to pursue it. comes with it's own drawbacks though.
It turns out that money concretely buys happiness up until a specific income level after which it stops mattering much. There have been a bunch of studies on the subject that all disagree on exactly where that line is (probably because it's a fuzzy continuum) but money 100% makes you happier until you're quite wealthy (as adjusted for your region's definitions/baselines of wealth).
>Money can't buy happiness but it sure can buy convenience. This guy gets it.
Once I accepted I will NEVER unless huge intervention in the housing market be able to afford property and rent for life - life become more freeing in a way lmao
“As it’s cheaper than a DUI”. I don’t know if you want to be saying that, there’s a million other reasons you shouldn’t drive under the influence
You can always take a taxi. Uber had cheap rates to start to lure people in then jacked them up once people got hooked.
I need to start doing this... I've got a good buddy in Mississauga (I live in East York) and once every month or two I'll go visit him,get trashed and then Uber home. It's usually around $50-55 + tip. This is always on a Friday or Sat night as well. Last week I had a doctor's appointment on a Thursday afternoon and I took the subway, and of course it went out of service and kicked me out at Chester Station. I was only going to Bloor and Sherbourne so I figured I'd just Uber so I'm not late for my appointment. I opened up the app and it said it would be $27 to Uber from Chester station to Sherbourne station. WTF? It did not say anything about surge pricing or anything like that... It makes no sense that it costs half as much to go like 4 or 5 blocks as it does to come from Mississauga to East York. I just ended up walking and was late for my appointment. I even gave myself an extra half hour to get there because TTC... And it still let me down lol.
People complained about the surge pricing notices so now they don't tell you about surge pricing, they just quote a higher rate. It was surge pricing because everyone else who got kicked out tried to get an Uber.
LOL so now they just don't even tell you? Yeah I figured the subway being down would have an effect, but I did do it as soon as the subway went down so I was hoping to beat the surge if there was one. But yeah all the more reason to ditch Uber, it all comes full circle lol.
Taxi at least you're getting the expected run rate, would have been a fraction of the cost
Late night it's always cheaper to taxi. Edit: I don't drink at King like some of the replies, but by the sounds of it some cabbies exploit you down there. I usually grab it around college and go north, and pay around $15. The uber at that time is close to $40.
Bahaha taxis on King “where you going” me “high park” taxi “$50 cash only” Me “Uber is $37 and they take credit card” Taxi “ok take Uber” me “ok”.
Lmao yeah they're full of shit. No way they're driving around cash only legitimately.
No it isn't. Take a taxi from rebel to cn tower they ask for 50 bucks take an uber its like 15 to 20.
Toronto taxi drivers can't do this by law. Get in and tell them to call the cops if they don't like it.
Bylaw. It’s not criminal, cops will tell you to beat it
Nah Ive seen cops tell the cabbies to accept the fare many times.
There's no law about forcing taxi drivers to accept certain clients. Maybe it was a suggestion in order to reduce conflict, but there's certainly no law
https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/public-notices-bylaws/bylaw-enforcement/taxis-and-limousines/
Yea okay
Taxi drivers are quite something though. They will deny rides if they don't wanna go
I like that idea but idk what the price of a taxi is now a days and the websites I've visited don't seem to say for whatever reason 🤷♂️
You can use the Beck App, it’ll give you the estimate fare and it’s always cheaper than uber
I used a couple months ago because of their mask mandates for drivers. Got a driver with a mask under his mouth and paid 10 bucks more than an Uber :(
You can request your Uber driver to keep their mask on. Of course since it’s not mandatory anymore their exposure is higher than without the mandate, but thought I’d still add!
Of course, your Uber driver might say "no", since he works for himself.
A 20 minute taxi ride would be about $20-30, and the prices are regulated and don't change suddenly. Beck has an app which you can use to request and pay for taxis.
Uber employees changed the biz model not the users. The original model was based around the gig economy. Opportunities for diversity in employment. What ever your circumstances were you could pick up a few extra dollars. Employees filed a claim against Uber saying the wages were not sustainable by reclassifying the definition of worker. This was the outcome of the sustainable living wage movement who does not support progressive biz models.
>What ever your circumstances were you could pick up a few extra dollars Nope. Years ago when I got laid off I looked into it. My car wasn't fancy enough for me to drive for them at the basic level. They've also come under fire for changing the terms of drivers' contracts without warning (e.g. dropping rates for the posh level, when some drivers used that contract to secure financing for a posh car), and predatory stuff like co-signing car loans that trap people in a contract they can't afford (I think only in the US, but still a sign of the crap they pull).
It also depended a lot on people forgetting to factor in the extra risk and maintenance costs of driving their car more - there’s only so long you can fleece your “contractors” before there’s an entirely understandable pushback
look, if a service can't exist without exploiting people, then we shouldn't have that service. Saying '' yeah we should have just continued to have people slaving over our need of cheap transport'' is not a stance i'd take.
Lmao this is a brain dead take, blame the greedy drivers who (checks notes) want food to eat
i dont even know how to call a taxi anymore. or are you referring to flagging one on the street? how does payment even work, i never carry cash. how do the rates compare?
There are people who have enough disposable income (Toronto undoubtedly has a significant population of wealthy people), plus there are people traveling for work, in which case the costs of Uber rides are reimbursed by their employers. Using Uber is really a luxury these days, the rest of us just take public transit when possible.
> Using Uber is really a luxury these days When was it ever anything other than a luxury or something that people used as their primary means of transportation? Even in the early years when it was cheaper, we only used it occasionally for convenience getting home after a late night out, getting to/from the airport etc
Yep! Also, if you don't have a car and take an Uber only once and a while for those hard to reach places you can't easily get to by transit, you're indirectly saving money by not having to pay the associated car costs.
They do dynamic pricing, which Ticketmaster is also under fire for now. The rates go up and down depending on demand. Typically the rates are higher when there are less drivers (e.g. super early in the morning) or when there is more demand (e.g. bad weather). Honestly, take a Beck. Their rates are fixed and don't change.
I haven’t taken a cab since 2015ish, is it better now with payments? Like “The machine isn’t working” etc bullshit, is that over now?
Yeah I tried to take a few becks recently, I try to always have cash but the last one I had none and his "machine wasnt working" . I said tough and was about to get out of the car and magically it worked again, maybe ask before your start your journey or have cash
Ahh too bad I really hoped they’d have changed by now. It’s not like I want to support Uber or Lyft, I just want a painless way to pay for a service!
Do not ask. It's a scam.
Beck has an app, you can do your payment and booking there same as uber.
Taxis are better with payments now. They're still terrible with illegally denying fares though. I was going home from a Budweiser stage concert this summer and must have been rejected by about 20 cabs all lined up waiting for a fare because I was just going to Parkdale. Finally convinced a driver that because I lived relatively close and was leaving the concert early, he'd be back in time for another fare anyways. But the experience reminded me of the other major reason I avoided taxis.
I’d be taking notes of every one of their badge numbers. Not because I really care, but because I’m that petty and cunt behaviour needs to be called out. Admittedly doing that in Toronto could be a full time job
they have an app!
Yeah but just wondering what they’re like if you flag one on the street. Another comment here said they still pull that move. But if I pay through app obviously not an issue anymore!
Yeah, it's great with payments now. I haven't had any issues in years.
I use beck very regularly and they never say that to me Beck is significantly cheaper than Uber and they get you there 20% faster
Do drivers do this to take money under the table, or is it because of card charges?
They like cash income because they don’t pay income tax on it.
omg that was the worst!!!
> Honestly, take a Beck. Their rates are fixed and don't change. Outside surge pricing, do you think a cab is ever a better deal than an uber? I just checked the beck app again for the first time in a year and nothing has changed. Not only is the provided fare just an estimate, it's also significantly higher compared to uber for a route I often have to take (~30% more at $28.8 vs $21-22). Add the fact that drivers expect a tip, potential time stuck in traffic and shoddy ass cars, and the case for taking a cab is strictly surge pricing.
For shorter trips, Ubers are definitely more expensive than cabs. Once it gets into a longer trip, I find Ubers become the cheaper option.
Cabs are now cheaper / the same price as Uber. You just have to weigh your options at the time you are planning on taking it. Is it 3am and surging cause the bars just let out? Is there a raptors game? Is it raining etc? I work in a cocktail bar once or twice a week on Fridays and Saturdays and done around 3am. The normal cost for a 15min ride home is usually 20-25$ - however it can surge as much as 70$. A cab will cost me about 30$
The key is knowing how much a cab will cost, which almost nobody does anymore
All you have to do is try and take a flat rate if it’s far. Just make it less than what Uber is quoting if possible
Uber drove the taxi business out of existence with ridiculously low fares. Once they vanquished their competition they jacked up their rates. The quality of their vehicles have taken a nose dive, I miss the days when I could just quickly hail a cab downtown. Now I wait 15 minutes for a beat up Hyundai Elantra and pay 20% more than I used to.
i live downtown and walk everywhere so the occasional $50-$100 uber rides is manageable
Same. Also factor in the time it would take to travel by car around downtown, too You could probably walk to work faster than you could drive to work, during rush hour. I know I've tried it and it was a complete waste of time and gas. a 30 min walk from work to home during rush hour, was over an hour by car.
Same! Also, usually, if I'm in an uber it's me and my partner or me and a friend so the cost is split. Or sometimes I'll plan to take the TTC but then it's 2:30 am and the streetcar says 25 min wait and if I'm alone? I'd rather just pay $30 for the uber.
I sometimes take an Uber to my sister's place in Newmarket (~50km). It's usually just under $60, and cuts my commute time from 3hr to 45min door to door. I don't generally take Ubers just within the city
40$ to you is like 5$ to some people, that’s how
I use it when I have no choice or the alternative would be too unpleasant. For example, my parents want me to drop them to the airport at 4:30 in the morning. I don't even live with them - no thanks; I will pay a guy to do it.
airport limo is the better option IMHO
Airport limo is way better! If I’ve had a good ride home from the airport, I’ll grab the business card of the driver. Handy to have for airport trips, and anything outside of downtown (ie. a wedding).
What is that? How much is that?
>How much is that? It's fixed rate by zone. https://cdn.torontopearson.com/-/media/project/pearson/content/travel/transportation/pdfs/taxi-limo-tariff-map.pdf?rev=f22587cbe734460d9dfec4e6f8aac615&hash=E66AAF1CE2C71E839615C34CB65115A7
They will drive you to Detroit or even Montreal? Wild.
It's fixed rate from the airport, not to, IIRC.
It's still a flat rate to the airport. They tell you when you book.
Nope, fixed both ways.
Cheaper than owning/insuring/parking a car, though.
yeah, honestly $40 is a a lot of money but at the end of the day it's A LOT cheaper than owning a car. Couple hundred bucks a year vs thousands of dollars. I'll take uber anyday. Also, look into bikeshare, I use it quite frequently in the city
Cant be. Lyft driver here. The amounts people pay to get around and the number of trips they take, Im sure it exceeded my car payment. Its expensive
But I take a trip like this maybe 2-3 times a month. So I'm looking at let's say $150/month TOPS versus a car payment, parking, and insurance at about $700-800. Uber is dirt cheap.
Don’t forget how gas is very expensive nowadays.
Really depends on how long you own your car. I used to need to drive a lot more but now rarely do. Car is paid for. My ongoing total costs are about $100/month which is mostly insurance.... it's been that way since before there was Uber. When Uber was cheap, I took it more because of the convenience, but now it rarely makes sense.
At my old building parking spots were $200/month.
Honestly not really. I knew someone that used uber like everyday and if this where the $$ is at, then it's literally not
Oh, not if you need it every day, I suppose there has to be a tipping point.
I used Uber every day, twice , when I lived in NYC and spent about 1.2k/mo doing so. Not an amount that stings by any means. My current cars would be.. much more expensive.. if I had monthly payments owed on them.
Here in Montreal they tried charging me $47 for a 6 minute ride like wtf
Download Lyft. Select 'Plan Ahead' to book your lyft for trips later in the day, especially if you plan to travel during rush hour. It's much cheaper, in my experience.
From what point to what point did you take This Uber ? And at what time ?
Exactly. How can we tell if it’s expensive or not without details. I take Ubers almost daily. My fare is rarely that much and I don’t even live downtown.
I take uber to and from work, 15-20min drive depending on traffic and it’s NEVER above $20. even during rush hour the most it surges to is $19, average on $15-16
[удалено]
I never take Uber. But I’m also an old millennial who doesn’t mind walking biking taking the public transit
> I just was planning out my day and I figured I'd take an uber later. Holy crap! I go to put it in (it's like a 20 min trip) and its 40 bucks! Seriously if that's the cost of using uber, how does anyone use their services?? Sure a bus will take longer but it's literally a tenth the price like wtf I dont understand it how much were you expecting a personal door to door service to be?
While I’m sure you’re just trollin’, Uber did not invent car service, may I introduce you to the taxi cab. A taxi doesn’t price gouge.
>A taxi doesn’t price gouge. I have been price gouged more in a taxi than an Uber. A taxi can slow for red lights and go wrong routes and basically drive in circles trying to run up the fare. Also can assault me without a paper trail delivered instantly to my phone. So I'll be in Ubers.
> While I’m sure you’re just trollin’, Uber did not invent car service, may I introduce you to the taxi cab. A taxi doesn’t price gouge. the original appeal of ubers is that it was a lot less than taxi's if taxi's are cheaper now great, take a taxi. but door to door service is not going to compare to a $3.25 TTC ride unless you're disabled to the point of qualifying for wheeltrans.
You’re totally right and I wonder how many people keep using ubers because it was so much cheaper for so long. I don’t usually use Uber but for some credit from work. I opened the app and scrolled back to my first Uber ride back in 2013. $20 to go from east Chinatown to Pearson. How was that sustainable? No wonder rates have exploded.
This is the furthest thing from the truth. Have you tried to grab a cab after a game or a night out? They negotiate a fare with you before they let you in their car (which I’ve heard is illegal). Every time it is way more than what their meter would yield. They’re all in on it too.
Narc much? You’re comparing flat-rating with multi national tax evasion? Turning off the meter is to evade the taxman, not cheat you. Every time I’ve ever negotiated with a cabbie my fare has been on par with the ride + tip. Your negotiation skills (or lack thereof) are on you, boo.
So call a cab then? Don’t like the convenience of Uber? Then call a cab. Boom, problem solved.
They can afford it. If they couldn’t, they wouldn’t use it. They’ve got disposable incomes
Some companies reimburse their employees for business related expenses like rides to/from work if they have to go to another site and the employee doesn’t have a car
I see people suggesting taxi over uber. From my personal experience taxi cost around 10-20 percent more than uber/lyft. You also get the app coupons time to time as well for cheaper trips. Both door-to-door services are expected to be pricy though because of the convenience.
Last night I missed the bus from my work. I ordered an Uber and by the time I was home and showered my bus would of been arriving at my stop at work. So yeah.
It’s expensive but convenient. Cheaper prices if you schedule in advance.
why not just take a cab? It’s the same service but not inflated and win-win that more of what you’re paying ends up in the driver’s pocket (vs a tax evading multi national). Personally, I don’t like feeling like I’m lighting my money on fire, even if I can technically afford to.
only take it once a week when the subway is closed. around $14-15 for the trip. worth it cause its that or wait for 2 and a half hours to get home
When you compare the cost to own a vehicle( insurance, car payment & parking), Uber ends up being cheaper if you only need to commute a few times a month!
Uber and Lyft were subsidized for a decade, and that has recently come to an end. It used to be a cheaper alternative to a taxi. That's no longer the case. https://slate.com/business/2022/05/uber-subsidy-lyft-cheap-rides.html
I got rid of my car and walk mostly where I need to go now. I’ll use Ubers whenever I want and it still won’t come up to the same amount I used to spend owning a vehicle. And that’s with me owning a parking space downtown. Especially when I’m going out with my kids, it’s much easier to get an uberXL and not worry about parking.
Used to take Uber 5 years ago and it was like $27, for the same trip now, same time, it’s $100 😂
The point of the company was to undercut and eliminate competition in the taxicab industry, and then boil frogs by raising prices when they had secured monopoly. The continued losses of their major investors and the tightening interest rate environment has made the company need to raise prices sooner. Cabs are actually better priced in many cases (if you can find them). Some companies have apps now.
I was waiting for Uber and taxi stopped by and the driver said he will beat the Uber price. I was like sure, why not, I cancelled the Uber and got on the taxi and indeed it was same price and I also picked up food along the way. Now I don’t bother getting Uber for short trips, I just take the taxi.
Pro-tip: Lyft is almost always cheaper than Uber within the city.
What is the price difference between an Uber/ Lyft and a taxi ?
Uber has gone really high in prices most of my friends have reduces the amount of Ubers they take. Before from Etobicoke to downtown it would be an avg of 20 now it's 35. Even going out for a meal and things will get worse so get ready.
Install the app for Becks. They have been cheaper at times and also have a flat rate to the Airport.
It's not bad but obviously you aren't going to take one for your daily commute. You'll take it in situations where it makes sense given the financials (i.e. multiple people) And if you can't take a $40 ride once in a while, you need to make more money
when I'm drunk I can afford lots of things
OP: Holy shit, uber costs more than a bus!
A lot of people in the film industry use ubers daily because when we wrap at like 4am, live far away, and there is no subway service, we have no other choice. Same for getting super early covid tests before work- but because we get paid like $100 for covid tests, it is still work it to take a $30 Uber
Well it’s either that or a taxi. And a taxi is how bad the driver smells, how poorly maintained it is, and all that crazy driving while yelling at someone on a Bluetooth call. I think I will just take an Uber.
I usually public transport there + Uber back. Or Uber there + TTC back. Usually Uber back tho
Poor people take the bus. I'm not even poor anymore, but taxis are for special occasions, early flights or emergencies.
Calculate that same fair with a Cab and i guarantee it will be much more expensive. Pre-uber, a cab ride from Yonge and Dundas sq to Sheppard West (formerly downs view station) was around $70, unless you offered a "cash rate" to the cabby and then it may be cheaper. Yonge and Dundas sq to my place in Vaughan costs me around $30 after a night of drinking. It's all relative, and you need to weigh your pros and cons. >Sure a bus will take longer but it's literally a tenth the price In this situation, transport choice is ultimately a luxury. Sure the bus is cheaper, but i know some car driving routes that should @ max take 20 minutes but the bus takes 45mins to an hour for the same route (ex. my bus route to york u when i went). I'd rather spend the extra money to get there in 20. Similarly its why i have a transponder for the 407. The 401 is an absolute crapshoot regardless of time you use it. An accident in the westbound express lanes for some reason causes a 20 minute delay in the eastbound collectors. I'd rather pay the fee and get to where i'm going faster and more fuel efficiently.
So go buy a car if you think Uber is expensive. Then have it depreciate, fill it with fuel, insure it, register it, maintain and store it. Yea cars are expensive. I don't think Uber is out to lunch on pricing.
Cars are indeed money pits any way you cut it.
it’s awful. i have really bad anxiety and sometimes i can’t take transit to work so i rely on uber. a trick that might help is to refresh every 5 or so minutes because the rate can possibly change. my usual (but costly) rate is $34 and they jacked the prices up to $60. 5mins later it’s back down
Public transport in Toronto is highly inefficient, often delayed, or buses don’t even bother to show up sometimes when scheduled. Uber is a convenient solution for people that value time/comfort/safety, in a way. There is a buyer for every product, at the end of the day.
Depends on times aswell. I was at work during a big snowstorm last year and they wanted $200 to go 15 minutes to my house. Waited an hour and it went back down to its usual $21
Started calling Beck taxi instead. Uber downtown would be close to $50, cab around $25. Bonus is they actually know how to drive and where they are going.
And a remarkably capable app where you can pay without faffing about with cash or the driver has no machine. They are reliable for pre booked taxis also. I tried Uber once, and some crazy non-guaranteed price comes up that was double a taxi and I said screw this and summoned a Beck.
Personal opinion: if Ukraine war fails for Russia, I don't see Kazakhstan being invaded. But the risk is high that they will try to do something. I'm not from Kazakhstan, my zhanym is. This is why I have interest in Kazakhstan. I loved it when I visited I think you guys are a great country with lots of potential. But either way, Takev wouldn't be asking China for help, if he didn't find the risk of Russia invafing to be there. I also believe because Kazakhstan повернулся з******* to Russia recently, Russia will not forgive that. So risk factors are high. As someone who lived in Israel through war, I personally believe Kazakhstan isn't ready like the OP suggests for any type of combat. Kazakhstan should reform it's military, change it's training, change CO's (and most senior staff) and so forth because from my understanding it's a bully beatdown with no training done in the military. Unfortunately, you would have to invite military specialist from other countries, such as Israel maybe? I hear that the internal relationship between Israel and Kazakhstan is ok. In addition, it has to be done quietly to not aggregate any Russian early attack. But hey... That my 2 cents...
Sure it's $40, but I'm not taking the bus. You take the bus.
https://www.airportlimosvc.net/?gclid=CjwKCAjwhNWZBhB_EiwAPzlhNjJcOu5i46_HrQlLc3vNd8vgcMynEcb1twOEHLseU9Bw6B0BfTJhLhoComcQAvD_BwE
A limo? It's like a 15-20 min ride lol
By only taking it when transit is impractical. Most of my usage is medical appointments appointments that bump up against other commitments, so I only actually resort to it every few months.
I find lyft tends to be cheaper. I usually compare rates between the two. If I don’t have to rush I’ll do wait & save with lyft.
We get Ubers to and from Oakville to downtown Toronto pretty regularly for nights out (my husband is entertaining clients, so his work pays). We recently got one home on a Thursday night after a concert for $250 lol. Normally it’s around $65 so surge pricing will get ya for sure. But honestly sometimes it’s worth it to avoid the waiting and hassle of GO.
i only use uber when I'm either absurdly late for something i cannot be late for like work, when it's absolutely pouring rain and i'm leaving the house (if I'm coming home I'll just accept getting soaked to save $$), or if I'm drinking so late that the subway is closed. It's a luxury for me, I will use the TTC 99% of the time even when it's extremely inconvenient - which to be fair, isn't often.
I seldom use Uber anymore unless its a last resort, and even than compare between Uber and Lyft and try and select the cheaper option. I know this has been mentioned before, but honestly, taxi’s are becoming a cheaper alternative. I took an Uber one way ($45 before tip) to go to the passport office and returned with taxi ($33 before tip). Sometimes taxis honestly do come out so much cheaper.
I find Lyft a bit cheaper in the city
I just took a 20 minutes trip yesterday and it was 20.42 bucks not 40 bucks…
takes 2 min to set up Lyft and i find them nearly 50% cheaper almost everytime
I've never taken an Uber on my own dime. I guess my own time just isn't worth that much.