Taxis vs. ride-hailing: CBC Vancouver reporters put them to the test
Commuters in the Lower Mainland had a brand new option for getting around on Friday morning when, after years of promises and delays, two major ride-hailing services suddenly became available.
Passengers can now use their smartphones to summon an Uber or Lyft driver to take them almost anywhere. But how does ride-hailing compare to taxis when it comes to time and cost?
Two CBC reporters put them to the test.
Taxi vs. Uber
After a coin toss, it's decided Tina Lovgreen will take an Uber and Benoit Ferradini will call a taxi. Both are heading from Science World at Quebec Street and Terminal Avenue to Queen Elizabeth Park.
Both request their rides at 12:39 p.m.
As Ferradini connects with a taxi company, Lovgreen's Uber app shows a 17-minute wait to connect with a driver.
Minutes later, Ferradini's taxi shows up and he's on his way, leaving Lovgreen in the parking lot.
"It's not raining and it's not nighttime," she said. "And to be fair, it is the first day of ride-hailing coming to Vancouver."
At 12:47 p.m., Lovgreen is still not able to connect to an Uber, so she bends the rules and requests a Lyft instead.
The app shows a Lyft driver in a white Toyota Corolla is on their way in three minutes. As she waits for her ride, her request for an Uber expires.
Saving money, not time
When Lovgreen eventually arrives at Queen Elizabeth Park, Ferradini has already been waiting for 10 minutes.
The final cost?
Lovgreen's trip came to $14.69, while Ferradini's trip came to $17.88. Both reporters tipped 15 per cent.
Pricing for ride-hailing can change depending on demand, Lovgreen noted, and both Uber and Lyft have made it clear they're looking for more drivers to join their fleet.
Lyft will limit operations to the core of Vancouver until it has more drivers, using Dunbar Street to the west, Victoria Drive to the east and 41st Avenue to the south as boundaries. It will also service the Pacific National Exhibition and Vancouver International Airport.
Uber's operating area covers a much bigger swath of Metro Vancouver, including Coquitlam, Surrey, Delta, West and North Vancouver.
Both reporters acknowledge that factors like wait times and price could change as ride-hailing becomes more established in the city.
"Let's try this again in a month," Lovgreen said.
"On a rainy day, on a Saturday night."
