Topline:
Under a new partnership, your next Uber ride may be a Los Angeles Yellow Cab. The ride-hailing platform will now add L.A. Yellow Cab and its five partner fleets as ride options.
Why it matters: The new partnership will help cab drivers during slower periods in their days and increase their earnings. In the second quarter of 2023, taxi drivers who used Uber earned an average of $1,676 more per month. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average cab driver earns about $36,000 a year.
How it'll work: "Taxi drivers will gain access to Uber trip referrals, providing them with more earning opportunities, cities will get less empty miles driven, and riders will have faster pickups," Uber said. The partnership will add 1,200 cabs to the platform in Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties.
The backstory: New York City, San Francisco and some cities in Europe and Latin America have similar Uber/taxi partnerships.
Your next ride: Taxi cab drivers in Southern California will begin onboarding this week, the first step in becoming eligible to receive Uber trip referrals. Soon riders using the Uber app will see cabs as a ride option and can choose to opt out.