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PostPosted: Thu Jul 25, 2019 9:37 am 
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Nothing particularly interesting about this from an app point of view, but since it's intended to encompass three local authorities, and in Scotland you can't work cross-border Uber-style, then will be interesting to see how it might work. Or not.


Ayrshire's very own Uber-style taxi app is launched

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/ayrshire/ ... i-18762869

Colin Boyd says his new Ayrshire Taxi App will connect passengers with licensed taxi drivers across the county.

Image
Image: Daily Record

A Kilwinning businessman has launched Ayrshire’s first Uber-style taxi app.

Colin Boyd says his new Ayrshire Taxi App will connect passengers with licensed taxi drivers across the county.

The meter started running on the service this week following a ‘soft launch’ in Irvine, Kilwinning, Beith and Kilbirnie.

Now Colin, chairman of Junior football club Kilwinning Rangers, is looking for taxi companies and drivers in all three local authorities to get on board and make the service fully-Ayrshire wide. He said: “The aim is to provide a single taxi booking service to cover the 380,000 people that live in Ayrshire.

“We want to work with all local, independent taxi owners in every town. I’ve got meetings lined up this week to expand into other areas.

“Ayrshire’s taxi services have been fragmented for a long time and I believe there’s a market there for an app like this.

“It pulls everything together. There will be no need to make six or seven phone calls any more just to get a taxi.”

Users who download the app – available on I.O.S and Android platforms – can access a range of Uber-style features.

They will be able to:-

● Enter destinations to check fares

● See all available and nearest travel options

● Pick their choice of ride

● Get instant confirmation with trip details

● Track their car in real time

● Pay through the app using a card with the option of paying cash at the end of their hire.

To ensure safety for passengers, only drivers who are licensed through one of Ayrshire’s three local authorities can register to use the app. Colin got the idea for the app after using Uber to attend regular business appointments in Glasgow.

He said: “I would get the train up from Kilwinning and have my taxi sitting there ready for me arriving. It’s a fantastic service and hopefully one taxi companies in Ayrshire will embrace. There’s maybe been a reluctance to use technology before but it’s the way forward.

“Young people in the pub on a Saturday night just want to be able to take out their phone and get a taxi sorted in a few minutes.

Next on Colin’s agenda is a plan to deliver another Ayrshire-wide app to rival food giants Just Eat.


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PostPosted: Thu Jul 25, 2019 9:40 am 
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Quote:
Now Colin, chairman of Junior football club Kilwinning Rangers, is looking for taxi companies and drivers in all three local authorities to get on board and make the service fully-Ayrshire wide. He said: “The aim is to provide a single taxi booking service to cover the 380,000 people that live in Ayrshire.


Of course, cars can take people cross-border, or go there to pick them up. But they can't hang around in other areas, waiting for jobs to come in, Uber-style.

But suspect it's quite messy here in that regard already, and whether the councils can/will do anything about it is another matter. Although no doubt the existing offices will be watching them like a hawk.


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PostPosted: Thu Jul 25, 2019 1:00 pm 
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Joined: Mon Jan 18, 2016 7:56 pm
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StuartW wrote:
Quote:
Now Colin, chairman of Junior football club Kilwinning Rangers, is looking for taxi companies and drivers in all three local authorities to get on board and make the service fully-Ayrshire wide. He said: “The aim is to provide a single taxi booking service to cover the 380,000 people that live in Ayrshire.


Of course, cars can take people cross-border, or go there to pick them up. But they can't hang around in other areas, waiting for jobs to come in, Uber-style.

But suspect it's quite messy here in that regard already, and whether the councils can/will do anything about it is another matter. Although no doubt the existing offices will be watching them like a hawk.



Nobody does anything for nothing,what is the cost to the vehicle proprietor/driver as the businessman is only in it for profit.


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PostPosted: Thu Jul 25, 2019 7:42 pm 
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Joined: Wed May 16, 2012 6:33 am
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heathcote wrote:
Nobody does anything for nothing,what is the cost to the vehicle proprietor/driver as the businessman is only in it for profit.


Indeed, and I think many of these people are naïve in that they think all the established firms will come together and it'll all be one big happy family, but suspect that's no more likely than the trade elsewhere getting into bed with Uber 8-[

But have changed the thread title to make it sound a bit more interesting. Meant to say earlier, nothing to suggest that the app is illegal in itself, but since it's claimed to encompass three local authorities then it's certainly not conducive to adhering to the law in view of the cross-border rules up here.

Another thing I hadn't thought of was the implications as regards the licence required for despatch operations here, which applies both to HCs and PH. When I started in the trade there was no third-tier licence required at all, and to be honest as a one-man band I've never really paid much attention to how it works since it was introduced about 10 years ago (there's an exemption for less than three cars, I think it is.)

Anyway, I hope Mr Boyd has done his homework as regards the licensing laws.

(In the current context maybe worth noting that in Scotland Mrs Cardy's HC-only Welsh despatch operation would require a licence. The HC/PH split is irrelevant as regards the requirement for a third-tier licence, although as I said there's an exemption for micro-firms. So although an HC-only despatch operation requires an office licence in Scotland, a one-man PH band doesn't need the third licence, just the badge and plate.)


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PostPosted: Fri Jul 26, 2019 8:00 pm 
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It could be done if the app only shows cars licensed in the area you want the hire.

Bit similar to what Uber does with their virtual areas. In other words a London PH will not show up on the app at Gatwick, and a B&H PH will not show up on the app in London.

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