Uber: 'We are safe, value for money and ready for Liverpool' Controversial taxi firm Uber says city drivers are already registering interest in working for the company as it prepares to launch in Liverpool.
The business – which has seen some of its services banned amid safety and regulatory concerns in cities around the world – also says Merseysiders have already started downloading its booking app in preparation for its arrival.
And as the company gears up for its Liverpool launch Uber today tells potential customers it is safe, good value and looking forward to working here.
News of Uber’s advance to the city broke last year when jobs were first advertised for its Liverpool-based operation.
While the company is currently going through Liverpool council’s licensing process and does not have a firm date for its launch, it is hoping to start working here in the coming months.
Uber is already in several UK cities, including Manchester and London, and has operations around the globe. But the company has been the subject of controversy, with concerns raised over its services.
Speaking to the ECHO Jo Bertram, Uber’s UK and Ireland general manager, sought to reassure potential customers as the company plans its Liverpool launch.
What is Uber?
Uber is a taxi firm where customers are able to book and pay for cars online – meaning no cash exchanges hands. The fare is paid directly to Uber online, who then pay the driver after taking a cut for arranging the job.
Explaining the service, Ms Bertram said: “Uber is a smartphone app that riders can use. They can download it, sign up and create a very simple profile.
"Once you have done that you are able to book a car at the touch of a button. When you get to the end it’s simple – you just get out and the payment is processed automatically.
"You get emailed your receipt, it shows the route you have taken so you can be confident the driver took the best route and at the end you are asked to rate your driver, so we get real time feedback on the driver.”
Why has it been controversial?
Uber operates in 55 countries and more than 200 cities, but has encountered controversy since it launched.
It was temporarily banned with other web-based taxi firms in Delhi, India, following allegations a driver working for the company raped a passenger, while parts of its service have also been subjected to bans in other countries over regulatory issues.
Taxi drivers have also staged protests in cities where Uber has launched, complaining of unfair business practices.
When news broke that Uber could be moving to Liverpool, Jimmy Bradley, spokesman for the Liverpool Taxi Alliance – which supports the city’s black cab and private hire drivers – said the city’s taxi market is already saturated and Liverpool-based firms who have built up their businesses over years will suffer because of Uber.
Is it safe?
Ms Bertram told the ECHO that safety is the company’s number one priority.
When passengers book an Uber taxi they are provided with the driver’s name, picture, registration and can track the vehicle’s progress to their destination. They are also able to share details of their journey, including estimated arrival time, with friends and family at the touch of a button. After the ride, their email receipt also details the route the driver so the customer can see if it was a reasonable journey.
Furthermore, Uber will be licensed by Liverpool council and Ms Bertram said: “The most important thing is around public safety. All of the drivers go through the same process as everyone else.
"We have extra checks on top... Uber drivers will have gone through exactly the same private hire licensing process as any other licensed car in the city, as well as our own checks.”
The firm also has monitoring systems to make sure the drivers are working efficiently and around the clock coverage in case there is an incident.
What can passengers expect?
How identifiable Uber’s private hire fleet are depends on the regulations of the licensing authority, and Uber are currently going through Liverpool’s licensing process.
But in many cities outside London Uber cars simply have stickers with Uber written on them to show they are working for the company.
Asked how many cars Uber would like to launch with in Liverpool, if it is given the go-ahead, Ms Bertram said: “We build it up slowly, having said that we have seen in all of the UK cities [we have launched in] enormous demand from the customers.”
She added drivers have already been contacting Uber ahead of its arrival in Liverpool and people across Merseyside have already downloaded the app. The company has not yet appointed its general manager for Liverpool though.
Asked why she believed Uber could succeed in Liverpool, Ms Bertram told the ECHO that customers could look forward to Uber’s arrival and said: “Safety is the number one priority. Secondly, in almost every city we offer more value for money than other alternatives because of the efficiency of our technology.”
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liv ... ey-8780761
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