About the Museum > Museum History
Museum History
Since 2008, the Transportation Museum has been a unique, one-day event for toddlers, adults, and everyone in between. Each year, visitors are treated to interactive and educational exhibits related to all kinds of transportation, from the Transcontinental Railroad and projects to solve Bay Area traffic to programming miniature robots and solving an Amtrak-themed escape room.
Museum History
As a young child, museum director Andrew Mancini loved transportation of all kinds, especially trains. In fact, at the age of five, he had memorized all of the stations on the CalTrain line and knew all of the train engine numbers.
As a way to share his love for, and knowledge of, transportation with friends, family, and neighbors, Andrew created The Transportation Museum at the age of five. The museum, like those in subsequent years, occurred on a single day during the summer at Andrew's house. Early exhibits included displays of the schedules of every Bay Area transit route, organized on the family sofa; learning about the R.M.S. Titanic by allowing guests to send their own Morse code messages; and slot car racing at the "Grapefruit 500," a track set up on the cover of the hot tub in Andrew's backyard.
In 2013, Andrew wrote hand-written, personalized letters to transit agencies in the 40 largest cities in the U.S. and each transit agency in California and Nevada. Over 75 percent of these organizations wrote back, sending in not just the schedules and maps that were requested, but also fun items — chapstick, Yo-Yo toys, and rain ponchos — branded with their logo, forming the foundation of what is today the museum collection.
About the Museum > Museum History
About the Museum > Frequently Asked Questions
Museum History
Frequently Asked Questions
We'll admit that The Transportation Museum isn't your typical museum! It's a one-day event held annually featuring interactive and educational exhibits related to all kinds of transportation, from historical displays (like the Pony Express or the Transcontinental Railroad) to those looking toward the future (solving Bay Area traffic and traveling to Mars). If it's your first time visiting the museum or you're interested in a refresher on what to expect, read answers to common guest questions.
What are the exhibits like?
Each of the museum exhibits are different, but each year's museum brings between 10 to 12 brand-new exhibits to the public. Each exhibit combines both educational components and interactive activities, so every display can be enjoyed by both kids and adults. For example, in the Float Your Boat exhibit at the museum in 2016, guests learned the science behind how boats float and discovered what buoyancy and water displacement is. Then, guests worked to build a boat out of LEGOs that could carry cargo containers while remaining afloat. In an exhibit at the museum in 2019, visitors programmed miniature robots through a San Francisco-themed obstacle course to learn, hands-on, how self-driving cars function. These two exhibits are just a couple of examples of the educational and interactive combination present at each of the museum's displays.
Since 2008, the Transportation Museum has been a unique, one-day event for toddlers, adults, and everyone in between. Each year, visitors are treated to interactive and educational exhibits related to all kinds of transportation, from the Transcontinental Railroad and projects to solve Bay Area traffic to programming miniature robots and solving an Amtrak-themed escape room.
Museum History
As a young child, museum director Andrew Mancini loved transportation of all kinds, especially trains. In fact, at the age of five, he had memorized all of the stations on the CalTrain line and knew all of the train engine numbers.
As a way to share his love for, and knowledge of, transportation with friends, family, and neighbors, Andrew created The Transportation Museum at the age of five. The museum, like those in subsequent years, occurred on a single day during the summer at Andrew's house. Early exhibits included displays of the schedules of every Bay Area transit route, organized on the family sofa; learning about the R.M.S. Titanic by allowing guests to send their own Morse code messages; and slot car racing at the "Grapefruit 500," a track set up on the cover of the hot tub in Andrew's backyard.
In 2013, Andrew wrote hand-written, personalized letters to transit agencies in the 40 largest cities in the U.S. and each transit agency in California and Nevada. Over 75 percent of these organizations wrote back, sending in not just the schedules and maps that were requested, but also fun items — chapstick, Yo-Yo toys, and rain ponchos — branded with their logo, forming the foundation of what is today the museum collection.
Exhibits > Featured Exhibit: GET A R1DE
GET A R1DE (Transportation Museum 2017)
How do ride-hailing companies like Uber and Lyft compare to long-standing taxi companies? In this exhibit, we put cost, safety, wait time, ease of requesting, and more side-by-side to give you an in-depth look at how these methods of transportation compare.
The concept of hiring a driver for private transportation has been around since 1605! Hackney carriages and Hansom cabs came along in European cities in the 19th century, and before long there were taxis as we know them today.
Uber began in 2008, and since then, the modern-day form of the ride sharing industry has taken off!
According to a 2019 survey, 36% of Americans have used a ride hailing service.
Watch this short video to learn more about ride sharing, courtesy of Ride Guru.
Ride Hailing vs. Taxis: Which is better?
When you need to catch a ride, you're going to want to know which mode of transit is better. So the Transportation Museum created a comparison chart to see how Uber, Lyft, and taxis line up. Take a look at a side-by-side comparison of the price of these services, the wait time, and passenger safety, in the chart below. Additionally, scroll down for a full comparison and a more in-depth look at the cost and safety of ride-hailing services and taxis.
Cost
(Short Distance: San Carlos to San Francisco Airport)
Uber
Lyft
Taxis
Cost
(Long Distance: Livermore to San Carlos)
Surge Pricing
(Raising the price of service during times of peak demand, like rush hour or rainy weather) (See below for more information)
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Surge Pricing can be as high as 7X - 8X normal price
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Area of Surge Pricing is usually larger than Lyft
Wait Time
(At places where there aren't taxis lined up, the time between requesting a ride and getting in the car)
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90% of passengers are picked up within 10 minutes
Passenger Safety
(See below for more information)
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Less training than taxi drivers
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Less thorough background check
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Number of assaults done by ride hailing drivers is higher than those done by taxi drivers
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3 years of driving experience required
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Prime Time (Lyft's version of Surge Pricing) is usually only as high as 3X - 4X normal price
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Area of Prime Time is usually smaller than Uber
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No Surge Pricing
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90% of passengers are picked up within 10 minutes
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Less training than taxi drivers
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Less thorough background check
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Number of assaults done by ride hailing drivers is higher than those done by taxi drivers
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1 year of driving experience required, and less than 3 auto violations
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"Significantly slower and less reliable" than Uber or Lyft, according to an SF-based study
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Because taxi drivers must pass more requirements than Uber or Lyft drivers before becoming licensed (see below), a ride in a taxi is safer
For a full comparison that includes ease of requesting, reservation process, availability, and more, click here.
Have an idea for another aspect of ride hailing that we should compare to taxis? Let the museum know!
The majority of ride hailing users are between the ages of 18 and 29.
In short, ride hailing companies classify their drivers as "independent contractors," not employees. Among other effects, this means that drivers undergo less training, have less insurance, and do not complete as thorough a background check. Additionally, many companies state that the driver is responsible for an accident, not themselves. Because many drivers use their existing personal auto insurance policy, not a commercial one, the insurance company may not help in the event of an accident. For better safety and a greater chance of legal recourse in the event of an accident, one should choose taxis. Click here for a more in-depth description and analysis.
Ride Hailing and Taxi Price Comparison
Surge Pricing (which Lyft calls Prime Time) occurs when ride hailing services raise their rates, usually at least double or triple the normal amount, during times of peak demand, like rainy days, rush-hour, or Saturday nights. Learn more about the differences between Uber and Lyft's Surge Pricing systems.
RideGuru, an online search engine that compares prices of taxis, ride hailing, and limousines at the same time, analyzed data and compared the prices of taxis, Uber, and Lyft in 20 cities across the country, to see which service is cheaper where.
Be sure to view this page next time you're taking a vacation!
When are taxis cheaper?
When you need to get somewhere and care about the price, remember that in general, ride hailing services are cheaper, except:
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During times of high demand, like rush hour, Friday and Saturday nights, and during storms. Uber and Lyft regularly charge up to 4X the normal price.
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For quick trips, like trips where the cost is less than $35.
Other Ride Hailing Information
What is the future of ride hailing?
Could there ever be such a thing as "autonomous" taxis? Yes...in fact, Uber and Lyft are already considering self-driving cars to be used in the future. Learn more here >
How is ride hailing affecting public transit?
Public transit ridership is down in nearly every major U.S. city, and this is partially the result of ride hailing. A study conducted by the University of California Transportation Center found that nearly half of respondents said that if a ride hailing service (like Uber of Lyft) hadn't been available, they would have taken a bus, train, bike, or simply walked. The problem with this is that public transit is significantly better for the environment, it produces less carbon, and it results in less traffic congestion. Uber subsidizes its fares, giving it an unfair advantage over public transportation that may ultimately end public transit service. Read more in The American Prospect >
What happens if you want to bring your pet?
Uber and Lyft allow their drivers to make case-by-case decisions on whether they bring a pet or not. Here are RideGuru's 5 suggestions on what to do if you would like to bring your pet along on a ride. View the tips >
Do I tip my driver?
While the standard expectation for tipping American taxi drivers is between 10 and 20 percent, what's the deal with ride hailing drivers? Scroll through RideGuru's list of each company's policy on tipping, but know that in general, while you are not expected to tip, if you are, in general it is similarly between 10 and 20 percent of the ride's cost. Read more >
How can I improve my chances of safety?
Safety is an important concern for ride hailing passengers, and while Uber and Lyft are working to make their services safer for everyone, it's still something you should be aware of. RideGuru put together a Safety Checklist to ensure you get as safe a journey as possible. View the checklist >
Could you go carless?
More and more people are considering switching to relying solely on public transit and ride hailing services, instead of personal cars. There are advantages and disadvantages to this, so RideGuru put together a comparison chart and a checklist so you can consider if going carless would work for you. Read more here >
What are the different Uber and Lyft services?
Uber and Lyft have gradually added a variety of different service options, in addition to their normal driving service. For example, Lyft recently instituted Lyft Line, a carpooling service that pairs you with other passengers traveling along the same route. Because you're splitting the cost with several other people, prices are up to 60% cheaper than normal! Learn more about Uber's services and Lyft's services
Ride hailing is quickly becoming a popular mode of transportation, and there are many related news articles posted on the Transportation Museum's Transit News page. Click here to view what's new in the world of transit >