Taxi Driver Online

Just what the ops in Bradford need. After all, only the pandemic, the CAZ and strikes to contend with so far


New app-based private hire service to expand into Bradford

https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/ ... -bradford/

A NEW app-based private hire company will be moving to Bradford, new documents reveal.

Chinese based DiDi, which links passengers with drivers through a phone app, is planning to apply for a Private Hire Vehicle licence for Bradford.

The company’s plans were revealed in a seemingly mundane planning application that has recently been submitted to Bradford Council.

DiDi UK has applied for permission to use a space in the Albion Mills complex in Greengates as a base for its rollout in the city.

Earlier this year there were rumours the company would be expanding to Europe, targeting markets such as the UK and Germany.

In China the company has dominated the ride sharing market, proving more popular than rivals Uber.

The planning application by the company says: “Our office space will only be used for internal employees for operational and admin-based functions, and will not be open to the public.

"Furthermore, the office is not to be used for the purpose of driver management or as a booking office.

"Therefore, parking spaces for vehicles and public access is not applicable as the office is not for public use.”

A decision on the planning application is expected next month.

The company has been contacted for a comment.

Found this in the financial press, from February this year.


Chinese Ride-Sharing Giant Didi Plans Entry Into Europe

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles ... ern-europe

Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing Technology Co. plans to make its debut in Western Europe, people familiar with the matter said, as the company seeks new growth markets ahead of a long-awaited initial public offering.

Beijing-based Didi is considering rolling out ride-sharing services in markets that could include the U.K, France and Germany by the first half of this year, according to two people briefed on the plan. The company has already set up a team dedicated to the European market and is hiring locally, another person said.

Shares in rival Uber Technologies Inc. slumped 3.7% in U.S. trading on Wednesday, while Berlin-based Delivery Hero SE sank 3.9%. Didi is turning to new geographies as its momentum starts to slow in China, where it has a dominant market share after ousting Uber in 2016.

The SoftBank Group Corp.-backed company now operates in 13 countries outside its home base, mostly in Latin America. In August, it began offering car-hailing services in Russia, marking its first direct foray into Europe, and it’s already an investor in Estonia-based Bolt Technology OU, the continent’s main rival to Uber. Didi would also be competing against apps like Gett Inc., Ola and BlaBlaCar.

In Europe, Didi would face a fast-changing regulatory landscape for tech companies and the gig economy. Last week the U.K.’s highest court ruled Uber must treat its drivers as “workers,” entitling them to vacation pay, rest breaks and minimum wage while using the app, a judgment which could have wider repercussions. European countries are also working on taxes aimed at tech platforms, and the continent imposes strict data privacy rules in the shape of the General Data Protection Regulation.

“Aggressive expansion outside of its domestic market sounds like a bad idea for Didi,” Bloomberg Intelligence senior analyst Vey-Sern Ling said. “It does not have clear competitive advantages against established incumbents, and it may have to navigate through regulations in different jurisdictions. Initial efforts to acquire users may result in higher operating losses.”

As part of the rollout, Didi is also considering additional offerings including food delivery and errand services, depending on local market demand. The plans are aimed at boosting the value of the firm, already one of the world’s largest startups, ahead of a possible IPO, the people added, who asked to not be identified discussing private deliberations.

The company didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

Didi is also eyeing foreign markets as Chinese regulators step up scrutiny of the country’s tech giants. Xi Jinping’s government has unveiled anti-monopoly regulations targeting internet companies while the Beijing-based industry group China Taxi Industry Association in December called on the antitrust regulator to investigate Didi’s takeover of Uber’s China business.

Presumably DiDi will be trying out a few markets before deciding to expand across the UK, thus just like Bolt and Ola. But whether they're just trying out Bradford or other locations as well isn't clear, unless anyone knows different. It may be that they've applied elsewhere, but only the press in Bradford has picked it up.

Of course Bolt just starting, while Ola been up and running in a few locations for a couple of years now, but you-know-what has kind of gotten in the way. So not much evidence that Ola has continued to expand beyond its initial markets, but with Covid putting a spanner in the works it's difficult to assess the market.

But according to Ola's website it's operating in these locations, which are a few more than I was thinking, but what kind of numbers are involved I suppose is anyone's guess:

It was inevitable whatever seems to work for the yanks the Chinese have to try and go one better but do they have investors with limitless deep pockets ?

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Taxis Are Public Transport too

Join the campaign to get April fools jokes banned for 364 days a year !

YES, the state will be their backer.

This is why the app companies will never make any money, as others will come along and fight for the work via discounts.

Good for punters, bad for shareholders.

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IDFIMH

Uber don't operate in China as DiDi bought them out.

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IDFIMH