Uber accounts for a growing share of taxi drivers’ business in Europe.
The media reports that the share of trips of European taxi drivers registered on this platform is 10% as of today. A year earlier, the corresponding figure was 5%.
Uber and European taxi drivers have a complicated history of relationships. Previously, there was a conflict between the company and the drivers. The situation has changed for the better after the firm introduced new rules according to which taxi drivers are required to have a license granting the right to carry out commercial activities.
Currently, European taxi drivers are actively using the Uber app. Scheduled trips are in high demand among them. This option of interaction between drivers and passengers allows you to expand business.
The increase in the number of drivers allows Uber to improve the quality of customer service. Also, more active interaction of taxi drivers with the company provides the company with the opportunity to develop business in Europe.
Anabel Diaz, Vice President of Uber and head of mobility in the EMEA region says that the company demonstrates high performance in the largest European markets. According to him, the positive trend is the result of the introduction of innovative solutions.
But the positive results of activity in the European market do not mean that the company’s position in this region is impeccable. Currently, the firm is in a situation of some kind of uncertainty in connection with the potentially possible introduction of changes to the pan-European regulatory framework in order to tighten the regulation of the economy. The definition of the status of an employee may also be revised. Relevant initiatives and prospects for their implementation will be discussed in June.
Diaz stated that regardless of future decisions regarding the regulation of processes in the economic sphere, the company is ready to adapt to new realities.
The integration of Uber with the taxi-hailing app has been implemented in several European cities. This decision has contributed to reducing the number of conflicts with both taxi drivers and regulators. For example, in Brussels, Uber drivers were banned from working until the integration of local taxi companies into the firm’s platform.
Uber is also expanding its business capabilities. In early May, the company integrated the flight booking function into the British version of its application. Previously, was added the possibility of booking tickets for domestic trains, Eurostar, and intercity buses was added.
The function of booking airline tickets was added as part of the program of cooperation with Hopper. Experts say that this decision will allow to activate the activity of the travel booking company.
In the US, Uber has established a partnership with Google-owned self-driving car company Waymo. As part of this cooperation, a fully autonomous service will be launched by the end of 2023.
