FWIW, this is not my experience at all. As just one example, I was late to a wedding event in Phoenix shortly before the pandemic, was about to call an Uber ($35), and decided to take the taxi that had just pulled up to the hotel to save a minute. My total metered cost was something like $80.

The only place I've been where this is true is NYC, which have piled regulations onto Uber (specifically and professionally licensed drivers, registered vehicles, etc) to the point that it seems to have closed the cost gap with taxis (who of course are also subject to these regulations). That is to say, Uber the company operates in New York, but it doesn't operate "Uber the ridesharing service", from an economic perspective.

OTOH, I don't have a ton of data points, since even at price parity taxis offer worse service, less accountability, less traceability (eg for lost items), worse incentives, less price transparency, etc etc

I live in an area where the cab service was especially expensive, so it probably helps Uber. In the old days it was $25 to travel the 4 miles between my house and the airport. Lyft is closer to half of that last time I used it.

We used to suffer (and yes I mean suffer) with Super Shuttle to the airport and back. Rideshare was cheaper, direct, and faster. I used the savings to tip the driver an extra $10 I was so pleased about not being driven all over the county before coming home.