After years of tensions with London’s black cab taxi drivers, Uber is trying to win them over by opening up its platform to them. The ride-hailing firm will roll out the new service in early 2024, enabling black cab drivers to sign up on the app to take booked journeys. For the first six months, the new drivers will benefit from 0% commission which will bring an uptick in sign-ups. The commission will then kick in at around 20% to 30%.
Uber wants London black cabs on its app, but do they want Uber?
Uber has said that drivers have already started signing up for the deal. However, the story being narrated by the group representing the majority of black cab drivers in the British capital is on the contrary. Steve McNamara, general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association (LTDA), dismissed the offer, telling Reuters that there was no demand for it from the drivers.
He informed that he wasn’t aware of any of the member drivers signing up to be a part of Uber and that the group hadn’t been consulted before the announcement. “We have no interest in sullying the name of London’s iconic, world-renowned black cab trade by aligning it with Uber, it’s poor safety record and everything else that comes with it,” McNamara added.
The Black cab drivers have been at loggerheads with the ride-hailing company for years and the dispute was at its height in 2014 when the cabbies took to the streets to protest against Uber. They have continued to be vocal in their opposition to the service since.
Uber wooing London Black cabs
While London’s black cabs are already available through apps like Gett, Taxiapp, FreeNow and ComCab, Uber is trying to tap into the market with its offerings. London is one of Uber’s top five markets and the company wants taxi drivers to join its service and is trying to win them over. The company has already succeeded in onboarding taxi drivers in Paris, New York and Rome. It believes that the move will benefit both the passengers and taxi drivers. In fact, in Europe and the Middle East, over 10% of Uber trips are now completed by taxi drivers, the company has said.