On August 18, four D Magazine staffers booked lunch-hour trips—from our downtown headquarters to Highland Park Village—through different apps at the exact same time (12:56 pm) to see how they compare. (Note: since it was the middle of a weekday, we didn’t get stuck with surge pricing.) Here is what we learned.
Dallas Yellow Cab (via Curb app)
BACK STORY
The OG in on-demand transport now partners with the Curb app. Note that cabs are government-regulated (not that regulation always equals quality).
THE TEST RIDE
Cab number Y227, a minivan
BASE PRICE (NOT INCLUDING TIP)
$13.15
PICK-UP TIME
12:59 pm (3 min.)
DROP-OFF TIME
1:15 pm
PERKS
You can book Yellow Cabs for future travel and cancel at any time without penalty, unlike the other apps.
DOWNSIDE
There’s no way to specify a sedan, SUV, or minivan on the app (that takes a phone call).
FINAL THOUGHTS
Use if you want to book a ride hours or even days
in advance.
Get Me
BACK STORY
The company launched in Dallas in 2015 but moved its headquarters to Austin earlier this year, perhaps putting less focus on the Dallas market.
THE TEST RIDE
Amy B. in a Hyundai Santa Fe
BASE PRICE (NOT INCLUDING TIP)
$14.51
PICK-UP TIME
1:15 pm (19 min.)
DROP-OFF TIME
1:27 pm
PERKS
Three important words: no surge pricing. Other than that, not much.
DOWNSIDE
Fees are generally higher than the competition and go up between the hours of 1 am and 5 am.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Use if you aren’t in a rush and surge pricing is likely to be through the roof with Uber and Lyft.
Uber
BACK STORY
The first of the ride-sharing apps to hit Dallas (in 2012), Uber has a stronghold on the city, with a stable of more than 10,000 drivers.
THE TEST RIDE
Lenox in a Honda Civic
BASE PRICE (NOT INCLUDING TIP)
$9.48
PICK-UP TIME
12:58 pm (2 min.)
DROP-OFF TIME
1:10 pm
PERKS
Uber has a range of service options (choose from an average sedan up to a luxury SUV), and its large fleet means there’s always a ride nearby.
DOWNSIDE
Surge pricing horror stories have fares in the hundreds of dollars because of high demand.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The pricing and services are so similar to Lyft, your best bet may be to keep both apps and use whichever has an eligible promotion.
Lyft
BACK STORY
Lyft has been vying for Uber’s Dallas users since 2013. Lyft cars were once marked with fuzzy pink mustaches, but, thank goodness, not anymore.
THE TEST RIDE
Michael in a Honda Accord
BASE PRICE (NOT INCLUDING TIP)
$9.15
PICK-UP TIME
12:58 pm (2 min.)
DROP-OFF TIME
1:11 pm
PERKS
While Lyft recently ditched a cap on surge pricing, the max fare is set at $200, so you won’t go broke if you hitch a ride during, say, a zombie apocalypse.
DOWNSIDE
Has fewer options than Uber; you can only book sedans and six-seaters. And, again, no longer caps surge pricing.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The pricing and services are so similar to Uber, your best bet may be to keep both apps and use whichever has an eligible promotion.
Two other ways to get from point A to B
Wingz
There’s no reason to find a ride home from the airport on the fly. With Wingz you can book your transportation through the app or online and get a firm quote ahead of time. Price varies based on distance, number of passengers, and luggage (for reference: it’s around $45 for a one-person ride from DFW to downtown Dallas). And thumbs up to the no-surge-pricing policy.
BeMyDD
When you’ve knocked back a few too many, BeMyDD acts as your designated driver. The way it works: a team of two drivers picks you up, one to chauffeur you in your own vehicle and the other to follow and retrieve the driver. At $25, plus $3.45 per mile, it’s sure to cost more than using Uber. Getting your car home the next day, however, won’t add to your hangover headache.
