Taxi Driver Online

Well here's a definite case of the Local Cab thing being a Trojan horse for local operators. Bet the other firms were fizzing at Hawk Express at the time, and their anger be off the scale now


Taxis react Uber receives licence to operate in Ipswich

https://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/news/2432 ... e-ipswich/

The arrival of Uber has raised concerns among established Ipswich taxi firms and drivers.

The multi-national company has had a presence in Ipswich since 2021, as it partnered with Hawk Express to deliver private services across the town.

But on Monday, May 13, Ipswich Borough Council approved a full operating licence for the company, which has left some taxi services with mixed feelings.

The company is understood to be able to operate fully as of Monday, May 20.

A spokesman for Fast Cabs said: “Ipswich is such a small town - this will affect all taxi companies that have been running for some time, in such a big way.

“Ipswich is quiet for other taxi companies; we all spend a lot of money per month on advertising our companies for our self-employed drivers to earn their living, to support their families.

“This will have a big impact on all drivers and companies that are already established in Ipswich.”

Meanwhile, Mohammed Miah, a taxi driver for Hawk Express, said that the company’s introduction to Ipswich could not only hurt companies but also drivers.

He believes that Uber can create a situation where drivers registered in other towns could come to Ipswich and operate their cabs under the banner of Uber, which would “take businesses away for us”.

“But it’s not all bad, Uber is a big company coming into our town,” Mr Miah added.

“It would boost the town’s reputation for sure, especially with away fans coming in for Premier League games.”

Additionally, a spokesman for Fine Cabs raised concerns over contracts handed to taxi firms by Suffolk County Council.

They feared companies could be outbid and potentially lose out on school-run contracts from Suffolk County Council.

Suffolk County Council was approached for comment on this matter.

The cab firm spokesman said: "But what if being as big as they are Uber is the cheapest bidder, then it takes away crucial funds for us."

Councillor Ruman Muhith who sits on the Licensing and Regulatory Committee at Ipswich Borough Council said that while Uber's introduction to Ipswich is a positive for the town, the local taxi companies should be protected.

The borough council added: "As the local licensing authority, Ipswich Borough Council has a statutory duty to accept and determine applications from any persons or company seeking to register a Private Hire Operator License to allow them to offer a private hire service which employs registered drivers."

Easy and meaningless soundbite, much?


Don't want to sound too pedantic, but surely a licensing authority shouldn't be using incorrect and misleading terms like 'employ' with regard to Uber and drivers? (Although, to be fair, they're closer to 'employees' than the average self-employed driver, but their employment status is still 'worker' and not 'employee', strictly speaking.)


Tendering and competitive markets, eh? That's never happened before

Think his fears are misconceived with regard to Uber and school contracts, though.


I'm sure the town's PH ops and drivers and HCDs will be cock-a-hoop about the boost to the town's reputation on match days

I will be very surprised if Uber isn't already well-established in Ipswich, being serviced by non-Ipswich licensed vehicles from some license anything that moves council.

The fact that they are now going to use licensed Ipswich vehicles is, in my opinion, a good thing.

I wonder if the concern of the local operators isn't losing work to Uber, but to losing drivers.

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IDFIMH

WTF is he on about, Uber couldn't give two figs about contract work.

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IDFIMH

Not clear whether they have an op's licence for Colchester, but the licensing chair gives the impression that they don't.

Mind you, the licensing chair makes it sound like he doesn't have much of a clue - you'd think he'd know the basics of what he's needing to write to his own council about


Uber expands into Colchester worrying taxi drivers

https://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/243 ... i-drivers/

TAXI drivers fear Uber’s expansion into Colchester will impact their livelihoods.

The American transport company, which makes it easy to order a car in a few clicks on its mobile app, is now operating in Colchester, the Gazette can reveal.

Its presence in the north Essex city is tiny compared to big cities like London, with only a handful of Uber drivers understood to be operating in Colchester.

But cabbies are asking “lots of questions” and are “worried about their businesses” according to Dave Harris, who is the chairman of Colchester Council’s licensing committee.

Mr Harris said: “I get a lot of the licensing trade contact me and they’re worried about their businesses and whether it’s a level playing field. There’s lots of questions coming in about Uber.”

The councillor has written to the authority’s licensing team to ask for more information about Uber’s operation in the city.

“I am expressing concern to make sure there is a level playing field across all private taxis, hackney carriages, and Ubers,” he said.

“I want to make sure no-one is disadvantaged.”

The extra choice for passengers is welcomed as long as everyone is safe, Mr Harris said.

“I would start asking questions if my daughter was coming home late at night and I didn’t know who that driver was.

"I only want the people I love to be coming home in the safest ways possible.”

Resident Abbey Ward, who has used Uber before on a trip to the capital, thinks it is a great addition to Colchester.

She said: “It was easy to book and pay for on the app and the journey was ten-out-of-ten.

"It was a 40-minute journey, the driver made it comfortable and he was very chatty.

“As a girl on my own late at night in London, I felt very safe. I think it being in Colchester is a good idea because taxis can be so unreliable.”

When checked by the Gazette on Wednesday afternoon, a trip from our newsroom in The Crescent to Colchester High Street, a journey of less than four miles, would cost £11.99.

We were quoted £8 – almost 50 per cent less – by a local cab firm for the same journey.

Think the Gazette has got its sums the wrong way round - Uber quoted 50% more than the local firm, but the local firm is 33% less than Uber


So where's Uber's lavvy, then? Amsterdam?

Same daftie is also asking why local drivers can't work for a local office and Uber at the same time...because HCDs are already allowed to work for the local office

So 50% more than 100 is 150

33% less than 150 is 100

come on Stuart I know your maths is better than that shall we put it down to working too many hours to pay for your new motor !

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

Well at least we agree on something

But haven't you got it the wrong way round, like the Gazette?

They cited the 150 first, essentially. Then they tried to say 100 was 50% less, when it's actually 33% less.

If the Gazette had said the local firm quoted 100, but Uber quoted 150, then that would be 50% more, but that wasn't the way round they did it

Another daftie driver who thinks the council can restrict the number of drivers Uber can 'employ'. And seems to think Uber has this fixed pool of drivers who will suddenly be magicked up when Uber gets an op's licence.

And also seems to think local PH operators couldn't do surge-pricing if they wanted to.

At least the councillor seems to be a bit more switched on about the issues than most. Or maybe he's just parroting what the licensing department told him to say


Uber 'will negatively impact business' says Ipswich driver

https://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/news/2435 ... ch-driver/

An Ipswich taxi driver fears his business will be negatively impacted by two changes set to come to the town.

Ali has been driving Hackney Cabs within Ipswich for the past five years and said he was annoyed when he heard Ipswich Borough Council had approved Uber's licence to operate here.

He began carrying a ledger and got customers to comment about their feelings on Uber.

"You can see almost everyone has not liked that Uber is coming to Ipswich because of their impact on local businesses," he added.

Going into the general election, Mr Ali said he would like to see a candidate who vows to protect the local groups from global companies like Uber.

Mr Ali said: "These local companies are currently asleep at the wheel, and they are all going to come to an end soon because of Uber."

He believes it is "unfair" that Uber has been given licences to employ over 100 drivers.

"If you give them half that then at least it would be a level playing field, but with so many Uber would easily take over the market," he said.

His second concern was that Uber drivers from outside Ipswich could come to town during peak times, such as for football matches, the Suffolk Show and Music in the Park, taking business away from local drivers.

Mr Ali is also concerned about how this would impact his customers.

Many of those who responded to him in his ledger said that surge and peak-hour pricing with Uber can make rides with them quite expensive, as trips that would cost £10 could cost £50 if an event is on.

He said: "In other words, you pay more when you desperately need an Uber whereas no private hire company would do that due to the strict conditions and rules of the council that don't apply to Uber."

Mr Ali says he is now reliant on the connection him and his fellow drivers have with the existing customer base to continue supporting them when Uber begins operating in town.

Ipswich Borough Councillor John Cook said the council could not discriminate against Uber in their application.

He said: "Ipswich Borough Council aims to maintain a good relationship with the Hackney carriage and private hire drivers in the town.

"I understand why some drivers will be concerned about Uber applying for a licence to operate in the private hire trade in the Borough.

"As the licensing authority we operate under national legislation and treat all applicants equally under the law. It is not our role - nor lawful - for the Council to discriminate in favour or against any particular applicant."

The app-based operator said they are pleased to be granted the licence and hope to boost opportunities for drivers in the town.

However, Uber is not the only thing that drivers in Ipswich currently fear according to Mr Ali, the council is currently in discussion about pedestrianising Lloyd's Avenue.

The avenue is a hilly area, where taxis can drive down to the flat ground when they see someone who is not able to get up the hill.

Mr Ali said: "Plans are to half this space, meaning we can't drive down to the vulnerable and disabled people at the bottom of the hill."

The council is still discussing this and has not finalised any decision on Lloyds Avenue yet.

In both these cases, Mr Ali pleads for people to speak out and support local drivers and companies.

Noticed this on the Ipswich tariff card (although I don't think it's the most up to date one.)

Don't think this is right - seems to be saying that a fare more than clock can't be agreed for a cross-border run?

The section 66 of the 1976 Act referred to seems to be about when there's no agreement on the fare, so can't see the relevance of section 66

You are correct.

It's a load of old b****cks.

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IDFIMH

The Greens to the rescue.

Ipswich Green Party candidate takes stance against Uber



A parliamentary candidate has joined Ipswich taxi drivers in their stand against the arrival of ride-hailing service Uber in the town.

Ipswich Borough Council approved a licence for Uber on May 13, following which local Hackney Cab driver, Mo Ali, began his campaign to ask for restrictions on the American firm.

Uber has said it will "boost earning opportunities for drivers" and "provide passengers with greater transport options" in Ipswich.

But news of Uber's approval prompted Mr Ali to take a ledger and ask every passenger in his cab to write down their opinions on the global giant having a presence in Suffolk's county town.

His campaign has now got further support as Green Party candidate for Ipswich, Adria Pittock, has called for restrictions on Uber.

She said: "It is really unacceptable that Ipswich Borough Council seemed to have sold these guys (local cab drivers) down the line and they've signed up with Uber for a five-year contract."

The candidate added that she does not believe cab drivers want to work with Uber, because they are "not a reputable company".

She said the council contractors need to do due diligence before handing in the contract, and that the Green Party will control the number of licences the company gets.

The borough council said that as a local licencing authority, it has a statutory duty to accept and determine applications from any persons or company seeking a licence.

Therefore, it does not currently have the power to reject Uber's application.

Meanwhile, Mr Ali who has been running this campaign from the driver's perspective said that he is pleased a political party is taking his cause seriously.

He added: "We feel that this current council has betrayed us by its poor decision-making that would affect the lives of many in Ipswich and surrounding areas by not standing up for the very people they serve."

An Uber spokesperson said the ride-hailing service will bring economic opportunities for drivers looking to work in the gig economy, as well as offer passengers with a more options when looking to get to their destinations.

The spokesperson said: "We are pleased to have been granted a licence to operate in Ipswich, which will help boost earning opportunities for drivers, provide passengers with greater transport options across the town and support the local economy.”

Since launching in the UK in 2012, Uber is now available in more than 40 towns and cities across the country - with more than 60,000 drivers using the platform.

Uber Eats, Uber's online food ordering and delivery platform, already operates in Ipswich.

Adria Pittock will be fighting for the parliamentary seat for Ipswich on July 4.

The seat was last won by Conservative Tom Hunt in 2019 and he is defending his seat in the general election.

Labour's Jack Abbott, James Sandbach of the Liberal Democrats, Reform's Tony Love, Freddie Sofar of the Communist Party and Terence Charles of the Heritage Party are also hoping to take the seat in the poll next week.

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IDFIMH

I think by 'contract' she must mean the operator's licence?

Suspect the due diligence has been done - it's called the fit and proper test


About as likely to happen as me being the next US president

Just crude and clueless electioneering - who'd have expected that?

The thing is I suspect the Greeny actually thinks they are doing a good thing supporting the trade in its hour of need.

However, there is nothing they can do. It breaks my heart to say so but Uber 2024 is not Uber 2017/18.

If they got rid of their complete abuse of the cross-border situation then I wouldn't have an issue with them.

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IDFIMH

does that mean you've accepted Uber are here to stay ?

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