Uber has scored another win over the struggling taxi industry. Soon, commuters in London will be able to hail the city’s distinctive black taxi.
London taxi drivers can now start signing up for Uber ride referrals, but the service won’t be rolled out until early 2024. Uber says some drivers have already started showing interest in being included on the app.
Uber has been steadily working on deals with taxi fleet owners in a move to bring the traditional taxi industry to its app. The ride-hailing giant recently signed up taxi fleets in Los Angeles, New York City, Paris and Rome to include drivers on the app. Uber says that in Europe and the Middle East, more than 10% of Uber trips are now taken by taxi drivers.
Whether London black cab drivers will sign up to Uber in large numbers is another story.
In a statement, Steve McNamara, spokesman for the Association of Licensed Taxi Drivers, a trade group representing 10,000 drivers, said the group was not interested in “tarnishing the name of London’s world-famous black cab business by aligning itself with Uber and its poor track record in the industry.” “Safety and everything else that comes with it.”
McNamara also noted that he was not aware of any of its drivers signing up to be part of Uber and did not think it would take off, given Uber’s reputation for safety and workers’ rights. He said the group was not consulted before Uber’s announcement.
Black cabs in London don’t necessarily need to be hailed by Uber when ordering via an app. Taxis are available through other apps such as Gett, Taxiapp, FreeNow and ComCab. That’s why Uber is also trying to tap the markets with other offers.
In order to gain more market share and create consistency in its app, Uber has introduced additional transportation bookings in its app in the UK, such as intercity trains, Eurostar, National Express, car rentals, and even flight tickets.
Uber black cab drivers will receive regular messages for taxi rides with a fare range provided and the destination of the trip, which they can choose to accept or decline. All new drivers will benefit from 0% commission for the first six months, which could lead to an immediate increase in sign-ups before commission rises to the usual range, which is 20% to 30%.