Taxi Driver Online

Fare wait for Uber taxis coming to Aberdeen

https://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/fp/new ... uber-taxi/


Image: Evening Express

A council convener today said he is “surprised” a controversial taxi firm Uber has yet to arrive in Aberdeen.

The Evening Express revealed in September 2017 the company was looking to launch as soon as possible.

The service, which allows customers to book a taxi using an app, is currently available in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Aberdeen City Council granted Uber a licence in January 2018.

Since the booking office licence approval – which is valid until December 2020 – Uber has yet to start recruitment in the Granite City or officially announce when the cashless service would be available.

Convener of the licensing committee, John Reynolds, said the Silicon Valley firm can launch “whenever they want”.

He said: “I’m a little surprised they haven’t taken off because they do have a reputation of offering lower prices.”

Graeme McColl, chairman of Aberdeen Taxi Group, said he feels the service may never launch in the north-east.

Due to licensing rules at Aberdeen City Council, any driver who wishes to work for Uber would have to pass a number of criteria including a street knowledge test.

Mr McColl said: “I think Uber will have a problem launching in Aberdeen.

“In the current climate I don’t see the benefit for Uber. We are almost too small a city for them.”

Mr Reynolds added: “They can launch whenever they want. It has taken us a year to get to where we are at the moment and they haven’t launched, so the chairman of the Aberdeen Taxi Group may well be right – there might be no drivers willing to transfer over.

“The benefit I can see with Uber is a cheaper fare, but if they are saying to taxi drivers they may have to reduce their prices by 20%, that’s probably the reason they are not launching.”

A spokeswoman for Uber said it had no updates on its Aberdeen plans.

Don't count on it youth,

What a load of rubbish.

They don't offer lower prices, they do however at times offer massive price hikes.

_________________
IDFIMH

Why would drivers want to work with them?

As Uber couldn't use their cross border scams up in Scotland it would mean drivers giving 20% off what they charge at present, followed by the 25% commission to Uber.

Not exactly a tempting proposition IMO.

_________________
IDFIMH

Well indeed - it's like Brighton & Hove, but without the option of bringing in cars from Lewes, TfL, Sefton, or wherever.

And wouldn't be surprised if Aberdeen has the toughest knowledge test in Scotland either (for taxis *and* PH), so to that degree there's not the constant churn of drivers and a ready supply of wet-behind-the-ears newbies amenable to the Uber spiel.

Don't think the HC fares in Aberdeen are particularly high either, so less scope for discounting. And because it's largely an HC fleet up there they can't operate surge-pricing either (suspect the PHs there also use meters, in which case they have to comply with the council tariff).

Big economic downturn in Aberdeen in recent years as well due to the falling oil price.

So all in all not the easiest market for Uber to crack

Two pieces here, from Aberdeen's evening paper and the morning one.

Different takes between the two, which is why I thought worth including them both, because often only slight differences between different versions of same article. First is that Uber simply delaying Aberdeen start-up due to a problem with their office lease.

Second, Uber has 'axed' plans to come to Aberdeen


Taxi-calling app firm Uber delay service in Aberdeen

https://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/fp/new ... e-licence/

A taxi giant has delayed plans to roll out its service in Aberdeen.

Uber has had a licence to operate in the city since last year, however, the service – which uses an app to book taxis for customers – has never picked up a customer in the Granite City.

A letter obtained through freedom of information legislation shows the firm told Aberdeen City Council it was “surrendering” its licence, and would wait for a period of time before applying again.

The letter reads: “I write to inform you that we are surrendering our booking office licence due to issues with our landlord selling the property.

“Having not yet launched operations, we will wait until we are clear on doing that before applying again for a new booking office licence.”

City centre councillor Ryan Houghton was saddened by the news, and hoped the situation could be resolved in the near future.

The Tory member said: “This is clearly disappointing news – many had been expecting Uber to begin operating last year when the licence was granted.”

“Hopefully they’ll reconsider in the near future so that Aberdeen can benefit, as do many other cities across the United Kingdom.”

City centre community councillor Michael Kusznir, who stood for the Conservative Party in the European elections, was the one who uncovered the letter.

He said: “This is a lost opportunity for the Granite City which could have had another taxi operator to provide a private sector challenge to the current main providers and lower costs for consumers.

“Many visitors from other Scottish cities and tourists from abroad are amused when they hear that there is no Uber provision in Scotland’s third-biggest city.

“Its launch could have forced others to improve their customer service and supported our city’s plans to grow tourism into the city and shire.

“Hopefully we will see Uber reconsider and launch successfully in the near future.”

An Aberdeen City Council spokeswoman said: “We can confirm that Uber has surrendered the booking office licence that was granted.”

SNP councillor Alexander McLellan has said the local taxi industry will be pleased by the news.

He said: “Uber coming to Aberdeen rightly raised a number of concerns from the public – not least because of their working practices.

“Local business and taxi drivers had understandable worries too and I’m sure they will welcome this news.”

Uber did not respond to a request for comment.


Taxi drivers react to news Uber has shelved plans to come to Aberdeen

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/ne ... -aberdeen/

Uber has axed plans to come to Aberdeen almost two years after it was granted an operating licence.

The cashless car hire firm was awarded its office booking licence in 2017 – required to let it run a service in the Granite City.

However the company has now U-turned on its commitment and has said it has no plans to come to the north-east.

The city council has confirmed the American organisation has handed its licence back.

Uber has declined to elaborate on the reasons for its decision but a north-east tourism expert has speculated that the changing local economy could have been the death knell for the move.

Andrew Martin, tourism lecturer at Aberdeen University, said: “I know that taxi drivers have been having a really difficult time since 2015.

“Trading has been difficult. There have been less people coming through the airport and less wanting to use hotels and accommodation in the city.

“You only have to take a look around Union Street on a Friday and Saturday night to see how quiet it is.

I would reckon that the business case for Uber just wasn’t as strong as it might once have been.”

The controversial service is already operating in Glasgow and Edinburgh, but the Aberdeen branch would have been the furthest north the multinational firm has ventured in the UK.

Under the cashless service, patrons pay through a smartphone app and are given information on their driver, including the make of car, before pick-up.

It is understood that if the Silicon Valley company had recruited drivers in Aberdeen they would have had to undergo the same training and tests as ordinary taxi drivers, which has not been the case in other cities.

There was mixed reaction to the news Uber had pulled out among traditional taxi drivers.

Derek Davidson, who is self-employed, has been a cab driver in the city for 20 years.

He said: “I’m probably in the minority but I don’t think Uber are as bad as others make out.

“The big taxi firms take a radio fee if you work for them, no matter how many jobs you do. At least Uber only takes a cut of the trips you actually make.”

But Alex McIntosh, who has been a driver for 10 years, said he was pleased at the news.

“I think it’s a good thing they’re not coming,” he said.

“But as far as I could gather they would have had to go through the same licensing process as other drivers, which would take away their end of the market.”

The city council confirmed Uber had “surrendered the booking office licence that was granted in 2017”.