Taxi Driver Online

Taxi app Uber close to launching in Leicester


Taxi-ordering app Uber is expected to launch in Leicester in the near future, the Mercury has learned.

The city council has confirmed it has granted Uber permission to operate here but says the company has yet to attach any drivers to its licence.

Uber itself has told the Mercury it plans to set up in Leicester but not said exactly when.

The California-based company is already operating in other UK cities, including London, Nottingham and Newcastle, but its cheap prices have made it unpopular with the traditional taxi trade.

Uber customers hail cabs using their smartphones and pay automatically on arriving at their destination with a credit or debit card.

No cash changes hands.

The app uses GPS technology to locate available Uber drivers near the customers and send them to pick them up.

Drivers sign up as independent contractors and Uber takes a share of their fares.

It is understood Uber is currently recruiting cabbies in the city and looking to open an office near the railway station.

It is understood a number of city-based private hire car firms unsuccessfully opposed Uber's application to set up here.

The Leicester RMT branch represents hackney cab drivers in the city.

Branch secretary Umar Khan said: "This will affect all drivers in the city but we think the public will always want to use the hackney carriages so it will have a bigger impact on the private hire trade.

"Uber will be cheaper but you might end up getting drivers from Birmingham being sent here driving people around without any local knowledge.

"It is a concern."

Private hire firm ADT Taxis operates in Leicester, Loughborough and Coalville and spokesman David Hunter said: "We have, over the last two years, been preparing for the day when Uber reaches Leicester, and have spent hundreds of thousands of pounds developing our own GPS App.

"We believe it is better than Uber's.

"We also offer fixed prices, and customers are able to hail taxis, pre book, track the taxis, and also pay by card or cash.

"We also have some one at the end of the telephone with knowledge of the local area, whom is there to help."

An Uber spokesperson said: "We look forward to offering a safe, reliable and affordable choice for people in Leicester.

"Uber has been licensed as an operator by more than 30 city councils across the UK and we are excited about being able to connect riders with licensed, private-hire drivers at the touch of a button.

Earlier this year The High Court in London was asked to decide whether the Uber drivers' smartphones were considered to be taximeters, which are outlawed for private hire vehicles.

It followed concerns raised by the traditional taxi trade and Transport for London.

A judge however ruled the phones did not work like meters in a decision hailed as victory by Uber.


Read more: http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Taxi- ... z3rm9Leaf0

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

when launching in Nottingham uber said


"The company says it can offer cheaper prices than rival taxi firms because it is more efficient by providing the nearest drivers and using a centralised meter."

But

A judge however ruled the phones did not work like meters in a decision hailed as victory by Uber.

did uber pull the wool over the judges eyes ?

They seem to be determined to open up in every Uk city but in other countries are just targeting the really big ones or so it appears I think they will eventually get themselves a bad name after all the cheapest fares means the lowest wages which means the worst drivers will work for them and when they are expanding this fast they can't pick and choose who they take on as "partners"

_________________
lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Elements of the private hire trade welcomed and campaigned for the proposed changes – greedily eyeing potential new markets across district borders as well as additional drivers to hire radio equipment.

To quote some representative group;

“In a modern Britain there should be no "invisible borders" or "barriers to free trade", as protectionism and outdated thinking belongs to yesterday.”

_________________
Justice for the 96. It has only taken 27 years...........repeat the same lies for 27 years and the truth sounds strange to people!

I think Uber's close relationship with tories had more to do with the clauses in the deregulation bill than certain major PH operators who might want to claim credit but I'm sure all contributions were gratefully accepted

_________________
lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Yet more free advertising for Uber.

_________________
IDFIMH

With the RMT calling the Mayor of Leicester a dictator I think they've signed away all their rights to bus lanes and a deregulation of numbers

What would you call him then?

_________________
Grandad,

A bit of a c*nt

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

An ill-informed knob head.

_________________
IDFIMH

well the locals generally like him thats why they vote for him !

_________________
lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

they might take a dislike to him if they cant get a taxi over xmas and new year

_________________
Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

We are talking Leicester drivers here they will almost all be looking to cash in on busy/higher tariff days and nights unless they've all got guide dogs

_________________
lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

Someone who's got bollox. Why are they against a points system, have they got something to hide?

You've only got to look at the standard of drivers who were on the local news yesterday, there wasn't one Englishman there, plenty of Nigerians but no Englishmen.

Nigerians in Leicester???
You think the Mayor is right to stop taxis from using bus lanes etc. Just because they use their democratic right to demonstrate against the points system.

_________________
Grandad,

If they piss enough people off you watch it get railroaded through.