Taxi Driver Online

Tube strikes: Uber triples charges as Londoners turn to taxi services


Minicab service company Uber has been charging customers almost three times as much for its standard rate during London's Tube strike, which started at 5.30pm on 8 July.

The scandal-ridden taxi firm's popular app gives a signal that, due to a high amount of customers, the basic rate is 2.9 times as high as normal because Tube workers are on strike to protest the 24-hour Tube terms.

"Demand is off the charts! Fares have increased to get more Ubers on the road," the message sent to app users read.

The Tube strike, thought to be the largest since 2002, has caused chaos across the capital as all underground stations are closed. Uber's decision to impose a rate increase has been criticised by commuters.

Other taxi companies have also seen a major rise in sales volumes. Taxi firm Hailo reported the number of customers who signed up to the company's service in the week of the strike was 174% higher than the average week.

Hailo's chief executive Andrew Pinnington told IBTimes: "It's been all hands on deck since five o'clock this morning [9 July] really."

"I think we will end up, in total, getting nearly ten times as many pre-books as normal, Pinnington said. "That just shows how much demand we are seeing at the moment. I have no doubt there are a lot of happy taxi drivers out there today."

Hailo did well, the CEO said, although it took taxi drivers a bit longer on average to get to the customers.

"Our attitude is that, the black cab service is about security, safety and reliability. We are not taking this as a chance to take advantage of consumers, we are just doing our best to provide the best service possible," he added.

Many cab services advise commuters to pre-book taxis in order to avoid queues. Uber could not provide a comment in time.

source: http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/tube-strikes-u ... es-1510077

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

Uber quote the rate, or an estimated rate, every time someone books.

Punters are free to use a hackney or another minicab firm.

That's of course if they cab get one.

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IDFIMH

It's called supply and demand, I bet some of the cabbies had extra large money bags today also, I bet the bus fares went up to.

I had a lovely day off.

Gridlock, Non Taxi users, and a fun run in the City this evening, F@~k that for a game of soldiers.

At least with Uber, those who are willing/able to pay for a car, will get one. The surge ensures that there are cars available for anyone who's willing to pay for one.

Overheard a customer (I was on a Hailo job) saying that they tried to book an Addison Lee, but there were none until midnight.

Luckily it was Holland Park, and it was in the afternoon so easy run in going against the traffic. Earls Court Road and the surrounds were a nightmare. Turned off phone and slowly headed home, had a nap until 8pm, until the traffic died down, then worked the rest of the evening.

Do they do a kind of surge?

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IDFIMH

No.

Hailo was designed as a black taxi app, so can only charge what's on the meter, subject to the different tariffs, depending on time of day, and day (weekend/bank holiday/Xmas/New Year).

For private hire vehicles, it's one rate, based on distance only.

Unsurprisingly, during the strike, according to Uber in their article here: http://newsroom.uber.com/london/2015/07/tube-strike/ there were no Hailo drivers available. At one point there were 50 urgent pre-books, and am certain most of those jobs couldn't have been fulfilled.

Nevertheless, as most HailoExec (PH) drivers are also on the Uber platform, they are competing for drivers to work for them, who are finding it more profitable to do Uber jobs instead, because of their surge pricing, so Hailo didn't charge their commission (for both taxi and PH), for jobs done on the strike day during peak hours.