Yesterday I had to take a taxi, and called an Uber. All in all, I did about 90 km, for a total price of just about 150 Reais. They were small and economic cars, I guess they would use about 7 liters per 100km, which comes to almost 50 Reais in fuel alone. Then there's Uber's cut, apparently 25%. So: 150R$ minus 25% = 112.50
112.50 - 45R$ for fuel = 67.50 Reais, for both ways, i.e. both drivers made about 30-35 Reais, for about an hour of driving. For this, they have to pay for the car (everything but fuel, i.e. insurance, tires, maintenance and repairs, and depreciation or leasing fees), so how much, if anything, would be their profit? I have a hard time understanding how anyone could make money at these rates, but maybe they don't? Meaning that maybe they have to constantly recruit new drivers, because nobody does it longer than a few months, until they realize the problem?
The dilemma is that, by using Uber, i help destroying the taxi business, since regular taxis , with fares that allow a driver to make a living, have a much harder time finding customers, than before Uber. But in the past I have been cheated a couple of times (classical taxi scam, with what must have been a rigged taximeter), and Uber completely eliminates this risk. The app sets the price, and you're going to pay exactly that much.
How about you ? Do you also use Uber, in spite of everything we know?