Taxi Driver Online

Was going to post this along with the other Dundee story, but it's a while since we've had an article about a boilerplate new local app - presumably they've been on hold because of Covid

Online Courier articles normally not bad as regards spelling mistakes etc, but noticed one or two in this piece


Uber rival launches in Dundee with vow to help the community

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/busines ... community/


Image: DC Thomson/Ride Loca

Dozens of taxi drivers have signed up to a Dundee-based rival to Uber that has launched in the city.

Ride Loca shares a lot of similar themes to the multi-billion dollar tech company, including being able to book a journey through the app, leaving driver feedback and paying through the platform.

However, chief executive Farees Ahmed said it was the differences between the companies that was important.

“Companies like Uber are funded by investors who want a return and that’s made through high commissions and ultimately paid by the customer,” the Dundonian said.


Image: DC Thomson/Ride Loca

“Often they’ll reduce their prices when they go into the market and then rise them when there are less taxis.

“We are using technology like Uber but we are doing things the right way, protecting the trade in a way that’s sustainable, making it better for drivers.

“We have made a substantial investment in the technology but our commission is 10%, compared to Uber’s which can be up to 30%.”

The launch come at a time it has been claimed that up to 30 taxi drivers in Dundee have already left the trade after a downturn in demand.

Ride Loca has done a soft launch in Dundee with 35 taxi drivers signed up to the platform and the number of customers building through word of mouth.

Mr Ahmed said the app is continuing to be developed, with improvements daily, and has a unique safety feature.

“Sometimes with Uber people can take someone else’s ride, change the destination and then the person who booked the journey gets charged for it.

“To mitigate that risk and increase the safety, Ride Loca customers need to give a code their receive to their phone to the driver.

“We are still recruiting drivers – from their point of view it’s an extra channel for them to get more work.”

Although Uber has launched in more than 10,000 cities around the world, it is yet to come to Dundee, making Ride Loca the city’s first ride hailing app.

But Mr Ahmed plans to soon expand beyond Dundee and start to compete with Uber in other cities.

“We will be expanding but we want to make it a success in Dundee first,” he said.

“Our concept is we want to keep wealth within the communities. Drivers get to keep more of their income, which stays in the community and part of the profits we generate will go to Dundee charities.

“Once that message gets out there, hopefully people will understand in cities where Uber already has a presence.

“We don’t just get you from A to B, together we will empower the C – community.”

Prices charged using the Ride Loca app are in line with normal taxi drivers in Dundee.

Boilerplate features:

- slag off Uber (although there's no Uber in Dundee)
- better for drivers
- better for community
- unique app features
- aims to expand elsewhere
- usual marketing/feelgood buzzwords like substantial investment, sustainable, charities, technology, blah, blah.


So no cash for a big launch/marketing drive? Free advertising via the Courier obviously preferable


You mean slapdash coding with numerous glitches that are only being exposed by in-the-field experience?


Well they certainly won't be surging, because it's mostly HCs in Dundee, and the PHVs have to have meters fitted, and a meter in a Scottish PHV has to be calibrated to the HC tariff. Doubt if much scope for discounting either - Mr App gives impression he doesn't have particulary deep pockets, and doubt if drivers would be keen on cheaper fares

Anyway, excuse my cynicism, but seen all this before, and all a bit deja vu-ish.

But good luck to the guy

I wonder how many of these apps have already fallen by the wayside?

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Taxis Are Public Transport too

Join the campaign to get April fools jokes banned for 364 days a year !

Loads and loads.

It's will be the same as with the mass of websites that bombarded the trade for years offering loads of work.

All the trade had to do was pay for work that wasn't worth a f*** in the first place.

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IDFIMH

Came across this piece on the Courier's website the other day when looking at the Uber stuff.

But had zero recollection of it all, and almost posted it again on the assumption it wasn't on here.

But that's three-and-a-half years since launch now, and I've never heard of it since reading the piece back in 2020.

But looking around at their Facebook page etc, it looks as if it's dormant, effectively, or they're doing deliveries, or something like that. But it's certainly never become Dundee's local answer to Uber. Who'd have guessed that?