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Uber taxis

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telstarbox

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I used this service for the first time at the weekend in London, and was very impressed with the speed at which the taxi turned up (quicker than waiting for a black cab as we were in the City which is quiet at weekends), and the fares which were cheaper than black cabs. Payment is made by card so no need for either the passenger or the driver to have cash available, and passengers can rate drivers following each trip.

Have other members found it as useful? Is it likely to replace black cabs in the future?
 
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Bletchleyite

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I used this service for the first time at the weekend in London, and was very impressed with the speed at which the taxi turned up (quicker than waiting for a black cab as we were in the City which is quiet at weekends), and the fares which were cheaper than black cabs. Payment is made by card so no need for either the passenger or the driver to have cash available, and passengers can rate drivers following each trip.

Have other members found it as useful? Is it likely to replace black cabs in the future?

I haven't used it as it doesn't yet operate in Milton Keynes and I very rarely have cause to use a taxi in London as it's usually slower than the Tube (about 3 times ever, if I recall), but card payment is an absolute "killer app" and it would win me over straight away from the classic private hire companies for that alone.

Neil
 

Clip

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Been able to have card payments in Hackneys for years man.

Cheaper still is unlicensed cabs at the end of the night but that's not really safe for many people.
 

WelshBluebird

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My concern with Uber is more with the company itself rather than the service it provides. Things like them being able to track the location of individual users etc.
 

Puffing Devil

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Use it extensively in the USA, UK and in Europe. No issues at all.

The days of the cab are limited!
 

fairysdad

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Cheaper still is unlicensed cabs at the end of the night but that's not really safe for many people.
You appear to have erroniously put the letter 'm' in front of the word 'any'...
I think I remember seeing claims of every taxi in glasgow now...
A good majority of taxis in Bournemouth have them as well, the Hackney ones at least.
 

pne

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Is it likely to replace black cabs in the future?

I think that "The Knowledge" still has a certain amount of appeal, and some people will be willing to pay a premium for someone who knows how to get to anywhere, as well as the quickest route to take depending on time of day, traffic conditions, etc. - as compared to someone who relies on their satnav or when asked to take you to point X asks "where's that then, mate".
 

Bletchleyite

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I think that "The Knowledge" still has a certain amount of appeal, and some people will be willing to pay a premium for someone who knows how to get to anywhere, as well as the quickest route to take depending on time of day, traffic conditions, etc. - as compared to someone who relies on their satnav or when asked to take you to point X asks "where's that then, mate".

Indeed, though really that's mostly a London thing, a satnav can do a more than acceptable job in a less congested city.

I've also wondered if there is scope for simplification - zonal fares, for instance, similar to the way many private hire companies do airports.

Neil
 
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jopsuk

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The real future threat to cabbies isn't (current) Uber-type services. It's what comes next- driverless cabs.

Are Uber drivers registered as Minicabs?
 

stut

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Are Uber drivers registered as Minicabs?

In London, yes. It's a legal requirement.

Have yet to use the service in the UK (I rarely use taxis here) but they are a godsend in India. None of your usual nonsense. You just need to make sure you have wifi or a decent data plan - that app certainly is data-heavy!
 

Busaholic

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They are registered as minicabs in London, but whether they act as minicabs is definitely open for argument. FWIW I agree with the cabbies, as Uber uses a meter.

Licensed taxicabs are allowed to use most bus lanes in London but other private hire vehicles aren't: does this also apply to Uber?
 

jopsuk

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One would assume so, if licensed as private hire they'll get fines if they use buslanes. Given Addison Lee backed down on this issue I can't see Uber challenging the rule.
 

Bletchleyite

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One would assume so, if licensed as private hire they'll get fines if they use buslanes. Given Addison Lee backed down on this issue I can't see Uber challenging the rule.

Must admit I don't think *any* taxis should be allowed to use bus lanes; they are effectively private transport and make very inefficient use of road space. Stopping in bus lanes is even worse as they cause significant disruption.

Until Bozza gets his way with electric Hackney carriages, they are also far more inefficient and polluting than a small car.

Neil
 
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They are registered as minicabs in London, but whether they act as minicabs is definitely open for argument. FWIW I agree with the cabbies, as Uber uses a meter.

they cannot be hailed ergo they are not hackneys

some LAs allow / require PHVs to have meters
 

Deerfold

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they cannot be hailed ergo they are not hackneys

some LAs allow / require PHVs to have meters

TfL does not allow them to have meters. They've referred to court the claim that Uber effectively uses meters.
 

radamfi

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Must admit I don't think *any* taxis should be allowed to use bus lanes; they are effectively private transport and make very inefficient use of road space. Stopping in bus lanes is even worse as they cause significant disruption.

Until Bozza gets his way with electric Hackney carriages, they are also far more inefficient and polluting than a small car.

In central London, many bus lanes are effectively useless as they are so often full of taxis. Leon Daniels is on record saying that there is no point reducing the number of buses on Oxford Street (as some organisations want) because the space would just be taken up by more taxis, because that has been the experience when buses have been removed in recent years.
 

Deerfold

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In central London, many bus lanes are effectively useless as they are so often full of taxis. Leon Daniels is on record saying that there is no point reducing the number of buses on Oxford Street (as some organisations want) because the space would just be taken up by more taxis, because that has been the experience when buses have been removed in recent years.

I'd agree with that view.

Whilst Black cabs are alllowed to pick up and set down just about anywhere they often seem to abuse this privilege to the detriment of bus passengers, often stopping on junctions and just before bus stops.
 

Busaholic

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A few years ago the City of London Corporation proposed banning taxis from bus lanes but the idea seemed to get quietly dropped, maybe under pressure from the Mayor of London's office (not that he has jurisdiction in the City).
 

Deerfold

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A few years ago the City of London Corporation proposed banning taxis from bus lanes but the idea seemed to get quietly dropped, maybe under pressure from the Mayor of London's office (not that he has jurisdiction in the City).

As in all boroughs there are roads that are the resposibility of the Borough/Corporation and those that are the resposibility of TfL (The TLRN).

TfL (and thus the Mayor) is in charge of the later and not the former.
 
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TfL does not allow them to have meters. They've referred to court the claim that Uber effectively uses meters.

which is a stupid arguement and driven by Spanish practices , but given the involvement in the RMT in the taxi trade this is perhaps unsuprising

the fundamental difference between a Hackney and a PHV is street hailing pure and simple
 

Busaholic

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As in all boroughs there are roads that are the resposibility of the Borough/Corporation and those that are the resposibility of TfL (The TLRN).

TfL (and thus the Mayor) is in charge of the later and not the former.

According to their website, TfL has responsibility for only 5% of London's road network, the 'red routes'. These will, of course, have far more than 5% of London's bus lanes on them, but nevertheless the City could have adopted a 'no taxis' policy in those bus lanes under their jurisdiction.
 
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