Pot, meet kettle
I have no desire to defend Uber, but the Boston taxi industry makes them look like saints.
We have, hands down, the worst taxis of anywhere in the world that I've travelled -- from cars where you can see the road through the floor, to extensive scenic detours, to "broken" credit card readers that magically work when you don't have cash, to drivers being required much lower insurance than everyday folks, and shell corporations to prevent payouts to those hit or killed by taxis.
The Boston industry is a shining pinnacle of corruption in a city with a long history of petty corruption. This is largely driven by being one of the few cities that has capped, transferable licenses which became very valuable indeed.
Our local publication did an expose on the situation in 2013; it hasn't gotten much better: http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/specials/taxi
So, Uber may have awful leadership, but I love being able to get a modern car that doesn't smell like a smoke-filled brothel, on a predictable schedule, with consistent payment methods, a driver who won't talk on the phone the entire ride, the opportunity for feedback, and insurance. And there's plenty of other TNCs here if you don't like Uber.
Boston Taxi Medallion owners, rot in hell. Or, preferably, jail.