Uber shows defiance following pressure from London's black cabs
Uber's used to taking heat from traditional taxi organizations that'd rather the new breed not muscle in on their turf; including in London, where black cabbies are expected to protest against the car service next month. Even Hailo, which for years has given the capital's iconic cabs an app-based platform for finding customers, suffered backlash last week after announcing its intention to include private hire services in the future. Without referring to either of these events specifically, Uber's taken to its blog today to "clarify a few things," or rather, tell black cabbies where to go.
Most poignantly, Uber reiterates that it ticks all the appropriate regulator's boxes, and that calculating fares using smartphones is neither the same as having a taximeter, nor is it illegal -- one of the main arguments cabbies are trying to use to shut Uber down. Beyond that, the service points out the convenience factor and its commitment to safety, commenting also that wider choice and competition for customers shouldn't be considered a bad thing. Basically, this is Uber's veiled rebuttal to all the arguments against it, but it's still got some love for black cabs, it seems. Uber calls them "arguably the best taxis in the world," adding afterwards, however: "there is room for more and better."
