What is Uber's new 'Local Cab' feature and how does it work?
Back in May, Uber announced that they would be piloting their newest service offering, the ‘Local Cab’ feature, in Plymouth. This feature allows people wanting to book a journey via the Uber app the ability to connect with local cab firms. The Plymouth Herald reported that the Uber app is opened as many as 16,500 times a month in the city but previously passengers had been unable to book via a local cab firm.
Need-a-Cab Plymouth announced that it would be the first operator to integrate with the Uber Local Cab service. In a statement, Need-a-Cab director, Dave McIntosh, said:
“We’re delighted to be the first local operator in the UK to pilot ‘Local Cab.’ This will give the people of Plymouth another way to book with Need-A-Cab – and anyone visiting the city, that already uses the Uber app, will now find it easy to book a ride with a local operator. With the boost in passengers, we will also be looking to welcome new drivers to the company”
At the time of writing, the Local Cab service has also been rolled out to Bedford and Oxford.
Uber’s ability to offer this new service is down to their acquisition of Autocab earlier this year. When Uber users select the Local Cab feature within the app, their request will be routed to Autocab’s iGo marketplace and connect them with a local operator. This will all happen in the backend of the app whilst the user remains logged into their account on the app.
Engineering Manager, Manish Bharani, leading the team that developed the Uber/Autocab integration commented saying:
"The product is a win-win as it offers riders access to Uber at the touch of a button. At the same time, it enables Uber to connect with riders in towns and cities where it doesn't operate,”
The booking itself is made with the local operator but all the driver and vehicle details will be received by the passenger within the Uber app. This includes the usual driver ETA that Uber users expect when booking through the app. The cost for the journey is estimated by the local operator and cashless payment is made via the app. Uber will also take a small transaction fee from the cost of the journey.
In a statement discussing the launch of their new feature, Uber UK’s General Manager, Ash Kebriti, said:
“Every month, we see thousands of people in towns and cities across the UK where we currently don’t operate open the Uber app and try to request a trip. Launching this pilot of Local Cab in Plymouth is an exciting first step in connecting these riders with local operators so that eventually the Uber app can be used anywhere in the country.”
This new feature was only possible thanks to Uber’s acquisition of Autocab being cleared by the Competition and Markets Authority. The merger faced intense opposition from industry representatives. Those opposed believe that the acquisition will lead to unfair competition and allow Uber to potential monopolise the industry. In a live poll at Dotted’s Taxi Summit earlier this year, 90% of attendees stated that they believe the merger was bad for the industry. It remains to be seen whether these fears are justified but this new feature is without a doubt the beginning of a new stage in Uber’s growing domination of the UK’s taxi and private hire industry.
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