Taxi Driver Online

001 Taxis in the news again after yesterday's piece about the driver banned for life after the student's allegation, but this time because of its Uber linkup via Autocab.


Uber accused of Oxford 'back door' taxi plan with 001 Taxis

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-o ... e-58092004

Uber has been accused of trying to enter Oxford's taxi market "through the back door" by its city council's deputy leader.

The ride-hailing app plans to allow Oxford firm 001 Taxis to use its software in a first for the city.

Tom Hayes said the local authority has "concerns" and its legal team is reviewing the arrangement.

Uber said its Local Cab trial is an "exciting first step" into the city taxi market with "local operators".

It plans to allow app users in Oxford to find a 001 Taxis driver, which other taxi firms worry will affect competition.

Mr Hayes said neither Uber or 001 Taxis, which is licensed to operate in Oxford, contacted the city council about their arrangement before it was announced publicly in June.

"The waters are murky, whether you define Uber as an operator or a platform provider," he said.

"We have not licensed Uber in the city. We haven't done that because we wanted to support the local taxi trade, whether that's private hire or Hackney."

Uber agreed to buy its biggest UK rival Autocab in August 2020, which ran a ride-booking app for minicab companies across the country.

At the time, Autocab's platform had access to more than 75,000 drivers in areas where Uber did not operate.

An Uber spokeswoman said: "Every month, we see thousands of people in towns and cities across the UK where we currently don't operate open the Uber app and try to request a trip.

"Launching Local Cab in Oxford is an exciting first step in connecting these riders with local operators."

Don't think that's a legitimate licensing consideration

Uber must rub their hands in glee when daftie councillors make statments like that

Anyway, can't see this getting very far - isn't the law that as long as a job is funneled via a licensed operator, as long as that operator allocates the job legitmately then it doesn't matter where the job has come from?

Sadly Uber don't need an Oxford ops license to operate in Oxford, should they have wished to. That's been the law since 1976.

Whether or not Uber are an operator or a platform provider matters not, the work is being despatched by an Oxford licensed operator.


The option on the Uber app will be for a local taxi, so a locally licensed taxi/PH will fulfil that booking. Which part of that plan will adversely effect local drivers?

Clearly if 001 pass work to their non local fleet then that could be a trading standards matter.

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IDFIMH

As a HC in Oxford I think it’s great, now I’ve got the Uber price which can be up to 40 % higher then the standard 001 fare. I’ve got the app and can negotiate fares much much easier. You have to be a real Uber lover to pay those rates and remember it’s about 25% for Uber about 10% for 001 and a pittance for the driver.

Unfortunately nearly a billion people worldwide are uber fans

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

The kids book and take no notice of the price.

These are the same kids who moan if a meter goes 10p more than normal.

Really can't work it out.

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IDFIMH