TfL has gone to the High Court today to seek clarification by a High Court Ruling to question legality of an app which calculates the costs of taxi journeys. TfL need to know if, by using Global Positioning Systems that are available on most Smart phones, calculating taxi fares on this basis complies with laws which state only black cabs can have meters. TfL themselves do not believe that that Uber app breaks the rules but need clarity as Taxi drivers plan to protest with the support of the LTDA as TfL regulates and licenses the taxi and private hire trades in the capital. They say the app did equate to being a taximeter even though the “meter” is not directly fitted to the vehicle like a traditional taxi. The row centres on the application that Uber uses, which calculates a fee and then dispatches a background-checked private driver that is not directly employed by Uber.
Uber’s London manager said he welcomed the action to “bring clarity” to the situation and on 29th May Uber issued a Blog on their website which confirmed the following:
“Transparency, accountability and safety are of paramount importance at Uber. We very much welcome TfL’s announcement today bringing clarity and confirming that TfL and Uber fully share the vision that technology should be a key driver in changing the way people are moving around their city, improving the experience for both riders as well as drivers.
Therefore, we welcome TfL’s decision to test its interpretation – that Uber’s app, installed on a driver’s smartphone, is not a taximeter – in the High Court.
Uber is fully committed to working with TfL on finding constructive ways to bring London’s mobility to unprecedented levels of safety, developing, establishing, and maintaining industry-leading policies and processes.
We were pleased to show TfL how scrupulous Uber is in vetting drivers and making sure all paperwork adheres to TfL’s strict standards. We are particularly proud of the fact that Uber passed TfL’s “largest ever” compliance investigation.
Since launching in London almost two years ago, hundreds of thousands of Londoners have already embraced Uber connecting them to the safest, most reliable transportation providers in this great city.”
The matter of insurance does not seem to be an issue as part of the sign-up process asks if the driver has an appropriate private hire or public hire badge. Similarly, the sign up process also asks that the correct insurance is in place also. To keep costs down, all drivers have to do is ensure that they have the cheapest minicab insurance they can obtain. The age of a driver doesn’t seem to be an issue either – again its a question of trying to obtain cheap taxi insurance under 25.
Comments are closed.