Uber strikes deal with London drivers to rope in iconic black cabs on its platform
Uber strikes deal with London drivers to rope in iconic black cabs on its platform
Uber is all set to rope in London's iconic black cabs next year, the firm announced on Wednesday after almost a decade of disagreements.
The ride-hailing company said that the cab drivers will have to pass an exam called "The Knowledge" which requires them to memorise the routes within the city.
The drivers have long opposed Uber over the idea of the deal stating that this would threaten their livelihoods.
The new service, which will be rolled out by Uber in 2024, will enable cab drivers to sign up to the application to take booked trips. The company, for the initial six months, is offering the drivers a commission-free deal.
However, a group representing the majority of black cab drivers has rejected the offer, claiming that there wasn't any demand for it from its members.
"We have no interest in sullying the name of London's iconic, world-renowned black cab trade by aligning it with Uber, its poor safety record and everything else that comes with it," said Steve McNamara, general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association (LTDA).
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Black cabs, also known as Hackney carriages, are London's only vehicles that can pick up passengers from the street or taxi ranks in the capital city. These can be booked through other apps as well.
The British capital is one of Uber's top five markets which is why the company, for the longest time, has wanted the taxi drivers to join its service like they have done in cities like Paris, New York and Rome.
The firm states that the deal would benefit the cabbies as well as Uber.
The dispute between the two parties saw an upsurge in 2014 when the cab drivers blockaded the streets and staged demonstrations against Uber.
Even now, they continue to strongly oppose the service.
One driver, Hameed Hameedi, said he was on board, becoming the first London cab driver to sign up. He said it could be a "huge advantage" to the trade.
"Ultimately, more passengers booking trips means more cash for cabbies," he was quoted as saying by news agency Reuters.
(With inputs from agencies)