Sometimes, hailing a cab is not just difficult but it has become a pain in the butt for most of the commuting public. While some drivers end up being rude or reckless when it comes to driving, some don't even pay you any mind when you try to flag them down.
This is despite the fact that they do not carry any passengers and you are simply so exhausted from a long day's work that you just want to go home and sleep or maybe even watch your favorite show on Netflix but you cannot even get a freaking cab.
Well, the heavens have definitely smiled down on mankind when a little application named Uber (then known as UberCab) was introduced in 2009. This app changed - heck, even revolutionized the way commuters caught rides in almost everywhere.
Sometimes though, things are too good to be true. In some places, Uber is not even available as an option for transportation for various reasons. There also seems to be some shady things happening in the background too.
According to Time, "Uber has lost some users this week following stories about executives proposing opposition research on critical journalists' personal lives and tracking a journalist's use of the service without her permission."
This of course, doesn't sit well with most customers and users of the app and are immediately on the hunt for something they can use to replace Uber in their lives.
Here are five alternative apps to install on your smartphone to use instead of Uber for when you need to go somewhere:
1. Lyft (lyft.com)
Independent Traveler commends this service, stating: "Lyft is Uber's best-known competitor, and is a solid option in many areas. Though it has a smaller stable of drivers than Uber in most places, the service is good, reliable and economical."
Lyft has three additional services: first, the Lyft Plus or the SUV edition; second, the Lyft Line which is designated for the carpoolers and third, Lyft for Work which is especially for the commuting public. However, it is only operational in around 60 U.S cities - way lesser than Uber's capability.
2. Sidecar (side.cr)
This ridesharing service aims to pair up their riders with 'everyday people' who drive their personally-owned vehicle.
Sidecar also prides itself as being the one offering the cheapest prices to its patrons. However, its service is available in only 10 major cities but allows its riders to set in their place of destination and choose from pre-set rates as well as ETAs.
3. Curb (gocurb.com)
Previously called Taxi Magic, the service Curb not only provides licensed taxis but also fancy rental cars for its clients.
As compared to other services like it, Curb allows the passenger both to pay in cash or within the app itself or whichever scheme that is applicable in the car.
Curb also offers its customers to arrange rides up to 24 hours in advance and is readily available in more than 60 U.S cities.
4. Hailo (hailoapp.com)
Just like Curb, Hailo also works with licensed taxis and lets its customers pay for their tab by using the application. While others are predominantly targeting the American market, Hailo is more concentrated on another market entirely - the European.
The service was launched in London back in 2011 and is accessible in Dublin, Madrid, Singapore, Barcelona as well as 4 other cities in the U.K. Recently, the company behind Hailo declared that it would be temporarily shutting down its operations in some U.S cities because it is setting its sights on the Asian market.
5. Grab
While almost everything else on this list is mainly focused on serving the needs of American and European passengers for rides, Grab is widely catering to the needs of Southeast Asian customers. Specifically in Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines and in Malaysia (where it goes by MyTeksi instead of Grab.)
Just like Curb and Hailo, Grab also is an e-hail app for licensed taxis. However, it also offers other services like GrabCar and GrabBike, both using the peer-to-peer approach - one for cars and the other which is reserved for motorcycles.
Commuting has certainly come a long way because of technological advancements like this, making things easier for the traveling public. Uber was only the beginning of many ridesharing services that has impacted so many lives all over the globe.
It certainly seems that it is here to stay, what with all these several other services propping up all over the place; leaving the commuting public tons of options to choose from.
from 5 Apps Like: Check out the best apps like Uber or Uber alternatives here on this video. You can download all of these apps on your iOS and Android devices for free.The ride sharing apps will pick you up right at your front door and drop you off anywhere you need to go.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
