Taxi Driver Online

Headline explained below. Or not


Bedford confirmed as first town in UK to trial Uber ‘Local Cab’ initiative

https://www.bedfordindependent.co.uk/be ... nitiative/

It has been confirmed that Bedford will be the first town in the UK to trial a new Uber initiative in partnership with a local taxi company.

‘Local Cab’, which has already been piloted in three UK cities, will enable passengers in the town to book a trip with a local taxi company via the Uber app.

Anyone opening the Uber app in Bedford will see the Local Cab option which will connect passengers to taxi firm Key Cars.

Users will have to download the latest version of the app to be able to see the Local Cab product.

The decision to select Bedford for the Local Cab trial was based on the number of times the Uber app is opened in the town. Uber data shows that the app is accessed almost 10,000 times per month in Bedford, despite passengers not previously being able to book a ride via the Uber app.

To meet this growing demand in towns around the UK, Uber is looking to work with local operators across the country.

Amna Sadiqa at Bedford’s Key Cars, said: “We’re delighted to be one of the first operators in the UK to pilot Local Cab.

“For anyone in Bedford who already uses the Uber app, it is now easy to book a ride with us. With the boost in passengers, we will also be looking to welcome new drivers to the company.”

Ash Kebriti, UK General Manager, Uber, 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 this pilot of Local Cab in Bedford is an exciting first step in connecting these riders with local operators so that eventually the Uber app can be used anywhere in the country.”

Oh, I see - the others were just 'pilots', whereas this one is a 'trial'

there will be around 50 to 100 within 6 months

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

Does Uber not require an operators licence in every Borough they are offering this service in, after all they are offering the service of a private hire operator, if the prospective passenger opts to go with a local operator Uber cannot subcontract to that operator if the 3 licence rule is breached.

Some say yes, some say no. But the courts currently say no.

Uber take the booking, even if the punter clicks the 'local taxi' icon. Then they pass the work to the local operator who does have a local license via the provisions in the Dereg Act.

So all the bookings for areas Uber doesn't have a license go to a licensing district where they do have a license, then that booking is redirected to the licensed firm that will supply the licensed vehicle and licensed driver.

What a great act the 1976 one is?

_________________
IDFIMH

No doubt everyone will have noticed the similarity in the quotes between the Autocab/Uber operators in the first four areas. Only difference is that the same quote has been split between the two operators in Exeter.

Which leads me to think that the local operators haven't actually made these statements at all, and they're just quotes supplied by another business's PR department to the local press

Who'd have expected that?

(Wouldn't normally use colours like these, but intention is to highlight the similarity of the quotes - the colours correspond to the similar or identical quotes from the different operators.)

Can't you just tell who is supplying the rags these "stories"

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