TBH, Uber wouldn't be so much of a problem with decent competition. But the critical mass required for a transit app is quite difficult to establish, and Lyft offers essentially the same deal with a slightly better margin for drivers. It's a de-facto duopoly here in the US where the two companies are incentivized to drive prices as high as the market will sustain, and the local apps (for instance we have one here in DC that is a co-op) are often legislated out of existence.

> Taxis in Shanghai have been largely replaced by app-related taxis.

The APP itself isn't the issue, it's the pricing. But it sounds like China has a much healthier market than we have.

> 1. It's now possible to get a taxi when it's raining.

Why would this make so much of a difference? I'm very curious.