Uber has updated its vehicle eligibility requirements in Victoria, allowing cabs to accept bookings on the app, in a move intended to provide flexible earnings opportunities for taxi drivers.
Victorians can now select ‘Taxi’ when booking their next trip in the Uber app, and a local cab will pick them up.
The first of the changes reflecting the partnership between the once-competitors came into effect in October.
Riders in Melbourne, Geelong, Ballarat and the Mornington Peninsula will have the taxi option available to them.
The surprising collaboration comes after years of fierce competition between the two rideshare companies, including a class action in 2019 where thousands of taxi and hire car drivers alleged that Uber operated illegally in Australia.
Dom Taylor, Managing Director of Uber Australia and New Zealand said that the partnership will offer consumers more choice.
“We know people like choice when it comes to how they get around town, and with the addition of Taxi, riders can book a taxi for the trips where they would need or prefer one,” Mr Taylor said.
“We believe that working together, Uber and taxi provide consumers with more choice and flexibility while creating new earnings opportunities for taxi drivers across Victoria.”
Despite Mr Taylors optimism, 13cabs said the move threatened the integrity of well-established safety and fatigue management systems and customer care protocols.
A spokesperson for the company said while it strongly encouraged competition and choice for passengers, safety remained a pivotal concern.
“If rideshare providers want to start operating taxis, they can do so – as we are able to offer a rideshare service. However, in keeping with the spirit of the law in most Australian States, allowing rideshare vehicles to do taxi work threatens the integrity of both safety and customer care,” he said.
The taxi service also raised concerns over security measures that are not shared between the two vehicles.
“Furthermore, a taxi driver doing a rideshare job will not have access to the same safety infrastructure they would if they were doing a taxi job – things like security cameras and back to base alarms will not be available to them.,” he said.
“In essence Uber is providing an opportunity for drivers to operate outside of fatigue protocols and irrespective of whether customers have made complaints.
Uber trips in taxis are already taking place around the world, from New York to Mexico City, San Francisco to Auckland.
Uber will be exploring whether the same change can be made in additional states over the coming months.
The taxi trips booked on Uber will closely resemble a typical uber ride, with upfront pricing as opposed to metered fares and no ability to hail from the street or taxi rank.
(SKY NEWS)
