It is no secret that the taxi-booking app, Uber, has transformed the vehicle hire market, now existing as the country’s go-to company when booking a cab in any city. Having this week casted their net to the glorious Cardiff you would have thought the drivers of the city would have their noses well and truly out of joint. However, it appears not, with local businesses relishing in the new competition.
Premier Taxis Director Tim Mahonay has a lot to say on the subject, cementing the fact that it is not just Uber that uses sophisticated technology nowadays.
“We have got no problems with competition. I would imagine it would affect more people like Hackney firms. We already have an app for bookings and you can use cash for it.
“We don’t think it will affect us that much.”
Fares
Where Uber fares “surge” depending on demand, with prices being very much uncertain, a local firm’s prices do not, something Mr Mahoney is ken to celebrate. Mr Mahoney says their customers know that if they take a fare on a Monday morning or Saturday night they will cost the same.
He added that his drivers pay the firm a £99 weekly fee where Uber drivers pay the company 25% of each fare.
“From our point of view, they won’t be charged any more and it’s still up to them when they work.”
Dragon Taxis
Paul Ragan is chief executive officer of Veezu; a company that owns Dragon Taxis in Cardiff and Newport as well as Radio Cabs in Bridgend.
His firm is also responsible for the running of Amber cars in Leeds, a city where Uber are already a well-known name.
He said: “Uber’s presence in UK regions is undoubtedly forcing smaller taxi firms, who are unable to compete with the consumer mobile app technology, to do or die by either investing in the required technology, merging with firms who already have, or exiting altogether…
“And for those forward-thinking taxi firms who have already invested in cloud-based dispatch software and mobile app technology, Uber, and other application-only businesses, are playing a pivotal role in raising awareness of booking a taxi via an app, which must be seen as a positive.”
Let us know what you think, can Uber really take over the traditional black cab? Leave your comments below.
