Taxi Driver Online

Profits soar for Carlyle Group’s Addison Lee



DESPITE increasing competition from smartphone apps like Uber and Hailo, minicab company Addison Lee continued to grow last year as its revenue and profits surged.

The group, which was snapped up by private equity firm Carlyle Group in April 2013, said revenue rose 11 per cent to £196.6m during the year to the end of August, meanwhile profit rose over 55 per cent to £33.5m.

In a companies house filing its directors outlined ongoing plans to “focus on growth in its current markets through acquiring new customers, exploring opportunities to encourage existing customers to spend more and minimising customers who churn.”

The Carlyle Group, which tried to sell Addison Lee last year unsuccessfully, took a £17.2m dividend from the company, up from a far smaller £2m during the previous year.

Addison Lee’s chief executive Liam Griffin has slammed Transport for London (TfL) for allowing Uber such an easy entrance into the London transport market. He has argued TfL was failing to enforce rules and regulations on Uber that Addison Lee and black cabs have to comply with.

Last year the London Taxi Drivers Association was joined by taxi unions across Europe, who resent the competition and gung-ho attitude of the San Francisco start-up. The protest was mainly targeted at TfL’s decision to grant Uber a private hire licence.

source: http://www.cityam.com/208968/profits-so ... ddison-lee

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

The recent £1million fare giveaway probably helped, where customers were offered £10 off 5 rides, until the £1million was used up.

Uber focus on on-demand service, and currently don't have facilities for pre-booking, so this is where Addison Lee has the advantage, as well as the ability of supplying a large amount of cars at any one time (for roadshows, TV/film events, etc.), something which Uber cannot do.

Minicabs have to be prebooked, yet we have a minicab driver telling us you can't pre book an uber minicab?

And they wonder why cities throughout tbe world are taking legal action .... Ffs

I think he means that they can't be pre booked today for a journey tomorrow. You book it now for a pick up ASAP.

_________________
Grandad,

Yes, I am aware of that, I'm trying to be ironic.

What's the basic concept of PH? You book one. Yet with uber they're only available on demand?

What's on demand? Oh yeah, that's when you hail a taxi.

What's the difference between an electronic hail and booking one?

Let's see what the court thinks.

The problem is it wont just be one court, it will need to go up the scale of courts, and that will take years.

_________________
IDFIMH

I believe it's now starting in the high court with a more simplified approach from TFL.

The LTDA have handed over their case to them, which I personally believe was a mistake, as TFLs history on anything legal is crap.

Addison Lee considers job cuts as Uber and Hailo encroach on London minicab market



The taxi wars raging in the capital could trigger scores of job cuts at Addison Lee as the London firm attempts to adapt to a new world dominated by upstart tech rivals including Uber and Hailo.

Sources claim Addison Lee is putting nearly 90 jobs under threat to make cuts to its control room and maintenance operations, the Evening Standard understands.

The minicab firm said that exact numbers have not been confirmed.

The move is the first sign of the true impact of US tech giant Uber’s on companies’ operations as Londoners increasingly use their smartphones to books cabs.

The rapidly changing market has sparked a full review of Addison Lee’s structure.

In December, Addison Lee boss Liam Griffin accused Transport for London of “letting down” black taxi drivers – although his company does not run black cabs – and had “bottled” it by allowing Uber to operate in the capital.

The GMB union said it is watching the situation “carefully” and meeting with the minicab firm today.

In an internal letter seen by the Standard, Griffin said: “It has become clear that there is a business need to make organisational changes in the workforce, in order to become more efficient and in recognition that staffing levels may be too high in some teams.”

Addison Lee said the jobs are “non-customer facing” back office roles and are part of a wider review of the business as it aims to build up its digital arm.

The minicab firm, bought by private equity firm Carlyle Group in April 2013, this week posted an 11% rise in annual revenue to £196.6m and a 55% jump in profits to £33.5 million in filings to Companies House.

Carlyle, which took a £17.2 million dividend, attempted to sell the business last year.

http://www.standard.co.uk/business/busi ... 44146.html

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

Addison Lee considers job cuts as Uber and Hailo encroach on London minicab market

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

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

One established Minicab operator will be replaced by an out of control Yank based one which takes no responsibility for its operations or drivers and dodges tax.

Personally I'd rather stick with competition that we know, at least they comply with the '98 act and play a reasonably straight game.

Bet no one on here thought I'd ever say that.

I have just checked the date.............Thought it was April 1st.

_________________
Grandad,

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