That doesn't sound right to me. The only place where you're paying $30 for an Uber where 1. it would have been possible to call a taxi, 2. the taxi only costs $10, 3. it's a 15 minute drive, is in the middle of a big city. In that case, why are you calling an Uber instead of using public transit?
Yes, Ubers are more expensive than taxis in some cases, but in many other cases, they can do things that taxis can't.
You're right it is in a big city. A taxi meter except to/from an airport is almost always much cheaper than a rideshare. A cab that takes 15 minutes might require a 45-60 minute bus journey if you have to transfer.
It was $30 for the slowest uber or lyft before tip. Taxi fare is $2.60 + $1.70/km, so it would have been around $10 to make the 3.5 mile journey. There used to be enough taxi's in the area to just hail one.
I see that as pretty easy, ship pre-paid vouchers to participants or digital ones. Have them scanned and then billed to customer. Nothing complicated with big enough operators if they want to sell such service.
Yes, Ubers are more expensive than taxis in some cases, but in many other cases, they can do things that taxis can't.