Taxi Driver Online

Global taxi company Uber rule out Dundee launch

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/lo ... ee-launch/

Controversial taxi firm Uber have ruled out any move to Dundee in the near future.

A spokesperson for the company said that there are no current plans to expand to the City of Discovery, despite having just been granted a licence to operate in neighbouring city Aberdeen.

The company’s latest move means the residents of Scotland’s three largest cities will now have the option of calling on a lift using the app-based service, which has spread across the globe since launching in San Francisco in 2009.

Taxi booking through the company is done via a smartphone app with passengers given detailed information on their driver such as the car’s make and model as well as GPS tracking.

The fare is then automatically deducted from the user’s bank account.

There are currently over 600 licensed taxis operating in Dundee and Graeme Stephen, chairman of Dundee Taxi Association, said the 1000 plus taxi drivers working in the city would be glad to hear the news.

He said: “It can only be a good thing for taxi drivers here that the company doesn’t have any plans to begin operations.

“I wouldn’t worry about them too much though because I don’t think their system would work in the city anyway.

“They have a surge system which means that if it is busy then their prices rise.

“Taxis have to abide by the rates set by meters and there are enough taxis here that you rarely have to wait for one.

“The ranks are normally full with taxis and you can get one very quickly if you call.

“There’s simply no demand for them in Dundee.

"Who in their right mind would pay a surge fare of, say, £20, instead of a standard meter fare of £15?

“I don’t think it would be allowed here anyway because the council doesn’t allow over-charging of fares.”

Uber, which operates in over 600 cities worldwide, spread into Scotland in 2015 with operations beginning in Glasgow, quickly followed by Edinburgh.

On Friday, Uber was granted a taxi licence by Aberdeen City Council and plan to begin operations “as soon as possible.”

Mr Stephen added: “With the oil slump, I would think that there is less demand in Aberdeen now.

“I am surprised they have made that move to be honest.”

A spokesperson for Uber said: “We have no current plans at this stage to launch in Dundee.”

Have a peek at TAXI LEAKS and you will see why they should not be licensed and why people should refrain from using them,fraudsters springs to mind.

No wonder the trade in Dundee is knackered with a melt in charge who doesn't know about Private Hire.

We will just send some Wolverhampton cars up instead.

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IDFIMH

Yes, the article is a bit confusing. However, to be fair to the representative, as far as I'm aware private hire in Dundee are fitted with meters, and in Scotland if a meter is fitted to a PH then it must be set to the taxi tariffs.

But there's nothing in the legislation to say a PH must have a meter fitted, and I'm not sure if Dundee Council insist on one, but if so then legally it's probably a bit of a grey area.

So not sure how Dundee would fit in with Uber's business model even if they did set up there, but seems unlikely to happen, in the near future at least.

Not sure if Uber does surge-pricing in Edinburgh, or whether they have meters fitted.

I think it's commonplace for PH to have meters in Edinburgh, though - remember the hoohah a few years ago when they wanted to set their meters to *below* the council tariff? Think they were allowed to do so in the end, but of course Uber's surge pricing wouldn't be allowed in a PH car fitted with a meter.