By 
Quite possibly one of the most successful apps ever to find its way into the hands of partygoers, the driver hire sensation that is Uber has come to Leeds.
Indeed, Leeds has become the third city in the UK, and one of the hundreds in the world, to profit from the cab service that originally found it’s feet in San Francisco. I must confess that after using it extensively in the USA when I attended Mozcon 2013, and using it when I’m doing SEO consultancy work in London, I’ve turned in to a bit of a fan.
So how does it work?
Requesting a ride is simple; all you have to do is download the app, set up your account and request a lift by letting the Uber app find your location via GPS. Then you choose your desired car type and by tapping “request,” it finds the nearest available driver.
It’s that simple.
But it does sound a little risky.
Is it?
Well that depends. There have been cases where people have been robbed at gunpoint (in Los Angeles), and there is also a concern about sexual harassment, as read about in The Daily Beast (in Washington D.C).
The app is also banned in Berlin by the authorities who state that Uber “fail to provide adequate insurance” and don’t “do enough to protect its passengers from unlicensed drivers”.
Uber’s response was:
“The decision from the Berlin authorities is not progressive and it’s seeking to limit consumer choice for all the wrong reasons.”
“As a new entrant we’re bringing much-needed competition to a market that hasn’t changed in years.”
When you book your ride, you receive your driver’s photo and registration details for safe-keeping, which is also recorded by Uber. The media hasn’t really been focusing on safety in the UK, at least, not as much as Berlin. Instead, the press seem to have taken more interest in the reaction of black cab drivers in London who, over the summer, loudly protested the arrival of the service.
In fact, in June, 12,000 black cab drivers assembled a blockade at Trafalgar Square in protest. The Rail and Maritime Transport union (RMT), London Cab Drivers Club (LCDC) and Licensed Taxi Drivers Association (LTDA), were all represented.
A spokesperson for the RMT spoke to The Independent on the day and said that:
“We are not objecting to competition. We have had competition for years from minicabs but we haven’t caused gridlock over it.”
“We have to jump through hoops to be regulated and we don’t feel people involved in these new apps are being subjected to the same regulations.”
London Mayor Boris Johnson was also subject to flack at the protest, with cab drivers calling for his resignation.
But they didn’t win everyone over, as Telegraph columnist Ed Cummings wrote:
“The black cabs are right to be scared. Perhaps they are right to strike, too. Yet they are fighting a losing battle. Uber provides a better service for less money.”
“As with Amazon, the firm’s success is not part of some great corporate conspiracy but driven by consumers (also as with Amazon, there are legitimate questions to ask about Uber’s tax status.) The technology that enabled this disruption will only become cheaper, better and more widespread. The question for black cabs is whether they adapt or die.”
The reaction has been similar in Leeds, as taxi drivers staged a protest when the Leeds move was announced in June. Paul Landau, chairman of the Leeds cab section of Unite the Union told the Yorkshire Post that Uber is not “legitimate” and that it was not “operating within the parameters of what is acceptable within licensing guidelines.”
But this didn’t stop famous Leeds lad, Chris Moyles, turning up at the opening ceremony. That isn’t so surprising though, since he hasn’t got much to do these days!
All this said however, all is not lost, as London cabbies are fighting back with rival app, Maaxi, which helps bring together those in need of a lift and is branded as a black-cab-only service.
But the app is proving popular with punters
Indeed, Uber has a massive fan base and perhaps unsurprisingly, is even teaming up with Spotify so that users can unite their two accounts and create playlists for their journey in the hope that the driver also likes it.
What’s more, despite a few (American) horror stories, Uber has been found to be 30-40 per cent cheaper, it is largely (if not entirely) safe and there will always be a ride waiting for you when you need it. Not only that but you know what your driver will look like before he arrives, what car he will be driving, and exactly how long he will be as you can watch him moving on your phone screen.
When it comes down to it, as we’ve seen time and time again, if people find something more convenient, cheaper and fashionable, they’ll do it no matter what; even if it means turning their backs on something they’ve relied upon since they were old enough to drink.
With that in mind, Uber is likely to a big hit in Leeds, and will undoubtedly be coming to other cities across Yorkshire very soon.