Taxi Driver Online

Uber launch in Capital delayed by lack of drivers


The launch of controversial taxi service Uber could be delayed into 2016, the firm has admitted – more than a year after it announced plans to expand north of the Border.

The American app-based service, which matches customers up with the closest driver using their smartphones, applied for a licence to operate in Edinburgh last November and established an office in George Street.

Three months later, it also unveiled plans to launch in Glasgow.

But a spokesman told the Evening News that the need to find “the right people” to run its office operation has meant that Uber cars may not hit the streets in Scotland’s two biggest cities until into next year.

A spokesman for the firm said it was looking for people who had previously worked in jobs such as banking and management consultancy.

The multi-billion-pound US company connects passengers to a background-checked driver via a smartphone app, with the firm taking a 20 per cent cut of the fare. It claims that speed in connecting drivers and passengers allows it to keep fares low.

Harry Porter, UK spokesman for Uber, said he was doubtful that a launch would occur by the end of this year.

“That would be nice,” he said. “But we are currently looking for the right people to run things on the ground. We have got a licence for both Edinburgh and Glasgow and we want to do it as soon as possible.

“The people we are looking for are ex-banking, ex-management consultancy. That’s the general kind of person we need. It is a very analytical job around supply and demand.”

The company is currently advertising for a general manager of Scotland on its website. It is believed that around three staff would initially be recruited in Glasgow and Edinburgh, while Uber employs up to 50 people in London.

“We do always look for someone from the local area who knows the city,” added Mr Porter. “We have had a lot of CVs in, we are just looking through them.”

Uber’s plans were said to have been responsible for a rush of potential drivers signing up for private hire permits in Edinburgh after costs were slashed by two-thirds.

Earlier this week, court papers filed in California accused Uber of not doing enough to check the backgrounds of drivers it employs in the US. Papers filed by attorneys in the state claim that former murderers, sexual offenders and thieves have all been Uber drivers.

However, Uber’s UK division, which is already in operation in seven British cities including London, Birmingham and Leeds, does not include UberPOP – the peer-to-peer taxi service it runs in some other countries including the US, which matches customers up with other members of the public who act as casual drivers for the company.

Instead, UK Uber drivers have to have already passed any checks necessary to become a private hire driver in the city in which they are operating.

source: http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/n ... -1-3865927

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

Is that an Uberism for "anybody will do" ?

Edinburgh will be tough to crack, established app and 2 co-ops plus the biggest ph operator is tied to the airport, that's a lot of driver loyalty.

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Alway's been about Tightening the Grip!

Could uber bid for future airport contracts..they aint short of a few bob.

They'd need a hell of a lot of drivers and vehicles and hope that punters would be willing to book by app at point of pick-up, very difficult in my opinion bloodnock.

App work is well established in Edinburgh, all three main players have an App that is well serviced by drivers, the App we use doesn't insist on uploading card details, we are not interested in the value of customer data, we just want the work, all uber and gett have is the cheap fare strategy, for how long though can they offer that, service over discount will always win the day, punters just want picked up ASAP.

Here is a link showing how cab companies, drivers etc are fighting back,, in Edinburgh this is the norm, again I can't see a major threat to our business.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/stor ... e-on-uber/

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Alway's been about Tightening the Grip!

What do drivers get out of the co-operative? Are their radio fees lower if they are a member? Do they get a % of the profits the company makes? Whilst I'm not a fan of uber I see some benefits to drivers using an App only provider especially if the App company isn't taking a huge % of the drivers earnings.

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

Toots the answer to your first question is ....nothing (but they have plenty work). 2nd No they are not. 3rd No ( It is re-invested).

Uber have the upper hand if the PHC drivers fall for it, Uber can enroll as many cars on there app as they want against the black cab regulated numbers.
This will make it very difficult for the Uber driver to make a living, but Uber will make money from the drivers.
Uber will throw promos about but there main task will be to have lots of PHC on there app to make money.

Gett are very different and only deal with black cabs or licensed cabby's, yes they are throwing the promos about but are also building a big client base up very quickly over the UK.
London has been only going 4 years and 9000 cabby's use the app plus Gett are knocking in the contracts.
Gett is pretty much all over UK now so we will see what happens.

The Coop company's can sit tight and watch, but for how long ?

Uber may take over the airport, it's not if Google and Goldman Sachs are short of a few quid.

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IDFIMH

Why not just build an airport for their taxi service.

Why spoil the fun of just taking what they want, that's how they seem to operate

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

Edinburgh's co-ops are well established, we are ahead of the game, cloud companies will blow over and away in Edinburgh, again customer service and relations will win the day.

As far as taking over airport ranks etc, any other form of taking a booking or hire by the likes of Uber or Gett will in my opinion compromise their status as cloud companies, in Edinburgh they will struggle to become significant, maybe elsewhere but not here, the App market isn't big enough, our council are promoting a cleaner greener city centre, they have a tram to pay for, they have the power to restrict ph.

Competition is good though, as long as they abide by our regulations including pricing, I say bring it on.

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Alway's been about Tightening the Grip!

You have price fixing? Other than that I think you're deluded, but, I hope I'm wrong

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

I've just been looking at Edinburgh Airport's Wikipedia page, at the busiest routes.

The top 5 busiest international routes, i.e. Amsterdam, Dublin, Paris, Frankfurt and Geneva (and no. 8 is New York), and the top 7 busiest domestic routes include the five London airports, along with Bristol and Birmingham.

Uber has a presence in all these cities.

Visitors to Edinburgh from these cities, may have taken an Uber to their departure airport, and are therefore could be likely to take an Uber from Edinburgh airport to their final destination, if Uber existed there. Especially coming from overseas, as the transaction is cashless and payment is made by card, makes it more convenient for foreign visitors.

..just a thought.

be a Fechin Nightmare up there if Uber get a foothold, what little spare pick up space will be choked with Uber cars whislt airport Taxis will stagnate where they sit, and that will create a future problem for Edinburgh Airport, a major switch from Airport Hacks and all their Extra space to PH's Uber and other Prebooked fighting over their smaller designated P/U area.

Not sure itll' work that way though..UBER drivers wont want to sit waiting for delayed flights etc, and the air passenger wont want to wait for an UBER driver when theirs a Hack already sitting waiting in line...Im guessing it'll tick over pretty much the same as always.