Taxi medallion to "The Washington Post", medallions were "the best investment in America", but—due to increased competition from app-based car services and transportation network company growth from companies like Uber and Lyft—taxi medallions are now decreasing in price. In 2013, the price of a medallion was $625,000. In 2014, that price had risen to around $700,000. In 2014, a medallion was worth nearly $700,000. The total value of all medallions and assets related to them had a value of $2.5 billion in Chicago in 2013. In 2012, medallion prices ranged from $87,000 to $385,000. In 2015, Chicago's average medallion price was under
Grab (company) app assigns taxis to nearby commuters through a location-sharing system. Each time the company enters a new market, they buy smartphones for drivers in countries that they expand to, allowing those drivers to pay daily instalments for the phone. The company makes money by taking a cut of the booking fees. Although some taxi companies have tried to stop their own drivers from using the app, Grab reached out directly to taxi drivers by signing them up at airports, hawker centres, taxi queues, and depots. The company also educates taxi drivers on using the smartphone and their mobile app. In