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I rarely even call a taxi in my town now. I dont even us an app either. Last time I went on a trip. I used bolt as they was advertised by the hotel in that area and they was great. You very rarely see a black cab in my town in Scotland. Two drivers in my street but I believe they work in the city.
The answer is it should be a TFL app. No commercial interest. Just an app for the benefit of taxi drivers and the customers. Makes sense, but Khan wouldn't be able to get his head around it .
Khan is the Mayor of London not the boss of TfL. He really isn't God or Santa, you know! I bet you didn't know who Andy Lord is till I named him @kevinsmoother
Hi Tom! Loads of research for this vid well done! As said taxiapp charge a £4 booking fee now. Just done Chiltern st to T5 ‘Freenow’ £17 commission! Have approached Uber enquiring about their failure to recruit black cabs on the app as yet no response.
Only 20 years here, but same opinion. It basically amounts to someone selling our work back to us. I’ll concede there may be a place for something out in the suburbs but imagine most cabbies are happy to spend the day in W1, WC, SW1,3,7 & 10 etc.
I’ve been a cabbie 10 years, since I was 18, I’m from Newcastle, I still work the ranks 5/6 days a week, used to also work for an office but when they introduced apps a while ago I stopped working for an office, too complicated, you don’t no if certain drivers are getting fed all the decent work, was so much easier working from a radio system.
As a passenger, transit user and car owner, I agree heavily with your conclusions at the 25:00. Use taxis because they have the right Knowledge, insurance and reliability. I call a dispatcher typically to get downtown and take transit if possible.
Do you happen to know if any of these apps can let the driver know if a passenger has accessibility needs? I’ve had to use Uber in cities outside of London, and I have to say, their Assist option has been quite helpful (even if it’s not without its flaws!). I really appreciate that most black cabs come equipped with features like swivel seats, but I’ve found that the driver’s attitude can really make a difference. If cabbies are prepared for someone with limited mobility, it can really help create a more positive experience!
Yep. And also, as someone with a disability that means I can’t stand up for more that a few minutes, I can’t stand for an uncertain length of time on the street to wait to hail a cab. It’s better for me to be able to call a cab and then go to them once they’ve arrived. I’d rather use black cabs though.
@@pb6010 ditto. Often I have found that when I want a cab it's more often than not when my legs have given up, so hailing one is not even an option, because I can't even stand at that point.
When I was in London last year, I hailed a black cab to see what it was like. In the middle of my trip, because of the conversation, I totally changed my mind on where I wanted to go. I feel that is an experience that I could not have gotten from a Uber driver. He got me to my new destination efficiently. It was a memorable adventure.
Tom. Great video about taxi apps. I really enjoyed it. Please also try and keep doing the work day videos as well. I think it helps a lot of viewers relax and unwind watching them.
Great video Tom. Many people here have mentioned a TFL app for Taxis. It seems logical, but have the been Taxi friendly lately ? Bank, Tottenham Court rd, LTNs, 100k Taxis, fees, compilance issues, some bus lanes we can't use, no right and left turns unless your a cyclist.etc etc etc
Great informative video, though it seems very protective of the taxi driver and there interest. Whilst ppl have to protect there living, if they don’t work to the change in consumer needs they will cease. I’d don’t see the benefit of meters, I ve never benefited and it doesn’t incentivise the driver to get there any quicker. So apps bringing in private higher, why? To compete on coverage and quality. If you want the cooperate coverage, it’s easy solution; better quality ride and better coverage and accessibility at a reasonable price. Change is key and find out why consumers use Uber and what they want. If it purely price, then you offer a higher quality better service.
I have no idea why TFL for example hasn't launched an app exactly like Uber for black cabs, where you can book a black cab and see exactly where your taxi is on a map on route to your location. Then, it's ran by the authority in the interest of the public, not in the interests of investors or commercial interests. It wouldn't cost that much money in the long run and would actually be an investment in London transport and help to preserve another tradition of the few we have left.. That's why Uber is so successful, it's mainly in the map and being able to track the taxi along with paying up front. It takes the jeopardy and uncertainty away for the customer. People aren't actually worried about the time they wait, it's the uncertainty that people don't like. Not to mention all black cabs are wheelchair accessible and that's a nightmare to find with Ubers and Private Hire.
Uber simplified how payments were made, which is another reason why it's ubiquitous. Ideally, it should have been integrated with public transport... a door to door app AND private hire vetted by councils included. Start in Leeds, end up in London. But that's why governments are shite.
I use FREENOW whilst in London as i need to book an electric black cab for wheelchair access ~ never had an issue, super quick and if i remember, reasonably priced, no high booking fee 😀 i've used GETT before and sometimes a £15/20 trip if i hailed cab on street, £30 odd through app!
@@TashyTilly My brother in law is a black cab driver and I think all the new LEVC cabs are fitted with ramps as standard. I live 20 miles outside of London and my dad needs a wheelchair taxi and getting one around here is a nightmare, especially if it's a short journey as they don't seem interested.
Hailo was the first dev company I interviewed for when I was about 20yo, they said no, stating they thought I couldn't work under pressure. I dodged a bullet with that one, been in my current job since!
Hailo got greedy, thought they were going to sail off into the sunset on their yachts. Used to take every job to get to gold level which gave you access to the going home job facility which was a scam, never once got a going home job.
I use black cabs when I'm in London, but I must admit that the added convenience of now being able to use Uber to book a black cab is the best of both worlds for me. I usually have a lot of gear with me, so having a cab that can pick me up right at the door works much better. However, I do wonder if the cab driver receives the full amount for the fare.
The big 3 circuits were com cab , dial a cab , radio taxis which gett bought radio taxis out along with all their account work . And there were a few others about Zingo , call a cab .
Very shameful of them. I’m always of the belief that you can never predict your next job. After dropping in Brockley it might lead to another job I’d never have got.
Uber subsidies the fare by 59% when it first arrived, impossible to compete. I remember a guy phoning Radio London this Uber is fantastic Wembley to Collier's Wood £25. Now LBC presenters complaining surge prices £40 Leicester Sq to Brentford.
Was in London recently and wanted to hail a taxi. Stood around on the street corner with my luggage feeling like a goose as I had no idea if taxis regularly use this street. Would be great to have an app to signal my location to nearby (but out of sight) drivers. Payment should remain in the taxi.
No mention of Zingo which i joined around 2006 it was the forunner to a lot of these app type ideas. I actually thought it was quite good but didnt attract enough drivers
Hey Tom, I'm a Retired Liverpool Cabbie I Did 43 Years before I Retired to Thailand 9 Years Ago,And guess what The " Other Lot " as you call them are Totally BANNED here by the Government we have Bolt & Grab Here.....Just for your Info thought you'd like to know.....
There is a big difference in Scotland where taxi drivers are private hire most of the time but metered fare if you are hailing them, honestly best of both in my opinion
Following this article I read why grab taxi were banned. From the articles I have read, it was due to licensing and interfering with the competition. Interfering with competition was also mentioned there other business operations such as food delivery. I use grab all over se Asia. I find them a lot cheaper, quicker, better coverage, a standard across other , easy for people that don’t speak the language and better ride.
The only way to make those interests intersect would be a real co-op. If cabbies (and not only a few, but all that use that app) are members, and only working cabbies can be members and members have to vote on big policy changes and decide on the leadership, selling out would be a hard thing to do.
I think we need a decentralised approach with open source. Trouble with that is regulation, if you are connecting people peer-to-peer, you might need to _manually_ block bad users and other bad actors.
When you are in Central Scotland basically every cab driver moved to private hire because they are guaranteed too make money I don't think I've used a metered fare in about 5 years now because the private hire app we have covers all of Central and East Scotland but when I'm in Glasgow I choose Uber because it is ridiculous for the distance and time taxis drivers charge here
@@henrygrootenify im sure with lots of money and time they could. Developing an app is not easy but can be done as uber shows. But then you get into the taxi drivers being sub servient to tfl, what if tfl want to decide who works on what days and at what times
I remember a good few years ago speaking to a London cabbie who absolutely hated hailo and spent most of the journey slagging it off ! He was a sound guy aswell
15,000 taxi drivers all chip in £100 that's £1.5m, more than enough to start their own version of Uber with all the taxi drivers as shareholders the company can be run as a not for profit organisation to keep costs for taxi drivers at a bare minimum. It can then be rolled out across the country or even the world, possibly under licence. However £1.5m is also enough to interest scammers looking to do a runner with the cash.
Question. If people choose to use Uber or other such services above traditrional taxis is that not then on the black cabs to improve their service in the areas that is motivating people to look elsewhere? In many ways it's direct feedback from customers or potential customers as to what they want from a service. I ask as someone who has used both?
In terms of the going home thing. In Singapore taxis can put a general area on their taxi sign and then only accept jobs in that direction. Something like this would be an idea maybe?
So taxiapp charges a £4 booking fee basically making every cab ride £4 more expensive and that's how they make money?? So it seems like they just shifted it to the passenger.
@@tx41979 that is a fair comment when I heard the advert on Greatest hits radio I did think that they would need to find a cabbie that had their brain removed to sign up to Uber.
Maybe it's time to create Taxiapp MK 2 but with an ownership and management structure that explicitly stops the "I want mega profits and I want them NOW" type of investors from getting any kind of ownership. Every black cab driver on the app would get one share in the app (and the shares would be held only by those drivers) and in order to change how the app works and e.g. add commission, they would have to get a majority vote from all the driver-shareholders (not easy to do when the drivers directly benefit from the existing business model and would be worse off with a new business model)
As you would expect a story biased towards the black cabs were year on year the consumer just wants one place to go to get a taxis of some kind. Technology is a fast paced place and the number of users need to be watched
Why does Mc Donalds work? It is easy. Even if you are in a country where you don't speak the language, you are still able to get the basic items from Mc D. You always know what you can expect, when you order a Big Mac. If you not sure where to go, you most likely end up in a fast food chain that you already know. That is the reason why all those local cab driver made taxi app won't work that well. If I come from Germany and stand in front of my AirBnb in Londen and don't know where the next taxi stand is or I don't want to walk in the rain to look for it, it is most likely that I use the My Taxi App I have already installed on my phone. Especially for touristic cities the big ones will win the race, because a lot of people from other countries already know one of the big apps and already have it. So I would not feel very good to have to install a new app just for a 3 Day stay in London to order a Taxi. In Germany radio Texi is still a big thing. In your City you know the phone number, you call them and they send you a Taxi. For me as a customer it would be confusing to pay different prices related on which way I use to order the cab. Why should I pay 2 quit more for order via an App that is made by Taxi drivers and helps them to get orders? It is in the response of the drivers to deliver the infrastructure to order Cabx, just like the radio Taxi does. You call them, they send you a Taxi, you pay normal price and it is part of the Taxi Company or driver what kind of contract they make. It should not be my response for paying extra for that. Another thing is, that the taxi drivers are angry about the App makers for the fact that they try to make the most money out of the App and let to many drivers or privat drivers join the App. But on the other hand they say. I don't want to use the App very well, but if I need a ride out of town or in a special direction, then I look into the App and pick the gold nuggets out of it, if it is for my own profit. That is not fair and that is not the way it will gonna work. To blae the other party to want to make the most out of the produckt, but then use it themselfes by the same way.
As someone who could write apps for this scale of deployment, Tom let me done some really quick research with ya. Cos this documentary is great but its also murkey around what black cab drivers actually want the app to do. So in your own words, what do ya want it to do, what do you really want in a dedicated app. Im already retired at 40 so i have ALOT of time on my hands.
With taxiapp, it feels like it'd be better if it was a cooperative model with cabbies literally voting on how the app is run - each cabbie should have a vote and a share in the ownership, and a share in the profits. Simple as really - if cabbies could vote, they wouldn't vote to sell out. The rising tide quite literally lifts all boats (or cabs, I suppose)
Either we believe in a free marker or we don't. Also I have to say a lot of areas of London black cabs don't even roam around. And before Uber there were already minicabs.. that moreover were unregulated. These days phvs undergo a some sort of filtering and licencing process anyway.. I see like this.. if I am a cabbie I am more niche and prestigious. If I am a phv I am most likely a licenced lazy driver that can't be bothered to do the knowledge. But yet, in life and in a specific market everything change overtime. Also having the option of becoming a phv people obviously could start considering what would be the point of spending 3 years for the knowledge to do pretty much the same type of trade.
Good video, although be super careful about explicitly saying there is corruption in specific companies. That is an accusation you would have to prove in court if the company in question sued you for libel. I’m a journalist, it’s the sort of thing that’s easy to slip up with.
Here's the problem as I see it, it's almost simply down to cost. On shorter journeys a black cab is often cheaper, gets you there, job done. Anything over a few miles and Uber wins every time. Euston to Kingston in a Black cab? £60-70? Not the £35-45 it is on Uber, and at the end of the day we get home in one piece and know how much it'll be before we leave. Second - as with any trade, there's the old school who think they're owed a living for their entire lives, resist change, hate change, don't move with the times... They're the ones who get left behind because they can't see that life moves on, technology improves, GPS becomes available so the knowledge is less of a seperator than it was before. Fundamentally there's not a huge difference between an old-school radio circuit and an app - if you're slightly off the beaten path, you want a car, you don't want to stand waiting in the rain, you call a cab firm or ping an app and a car appears. At that point, quite honestly, I don't care who licenced it, who's driving, who they work for. I just want to get home in an insured vehicle. Too many London cabbies think of every journey in London as "their work" - "They're taking our work" - no, they're taking work. It was only yours because for years there wasn't another option. Now there are several. Adapt or die, as they say. Prefect example - a few years ago we went Royal Garden to Fortnums and back, and it was £18 in an S-class to get there and £17 in a cab to get bounced around on the way back.
Hailo failed quite simply because the owner Jay Bregman saw what was coming down the pipeline. The heavily backed monster that is “Uber” so he basically cashed in whilst he was financially ahead.
FREE NOW HAD TO ALLOW PRIVATE HIRE!!! If you wait for a black cab they take forever to arrive, trying to get a black cab outside of the very centre of London is pointless
Great video, Tom. Love the documentary style. Just like everything else, when you subject something to capitalism and private entities, it turns to shit. Neither the customer nor the driver is prioritised, especially in the long term. Basically; pay the "premium" and support the standardised public service.
uber is better for me as i know the driver is happy knowing hes gonna get paid. rather then having a black cab driver looking at me worried that he mingt not be.
Not always quick, You could be in your wheelchair, in the rain that’s lashing down, and in the wrong clothing too (was lovely and sunny when we left home), doesn’t help that no one wants to go to Queens Square, so bound to get one outside GOSH. Nope, so after getting wetter, we made a dash for Southampton Row, well my wife did, I was in the wheelchair, luckily we managed to hail a cab there, but not before a couple of cars decided to give us a good spraying down, as if we weren’t wet enough already. I always drove myself to my appointments in London, but since becoming unwell, I’m unable too, so rely on london’s great Black cabs. Never had a bad driver, wouldn’t dream of using any other cab firms, but I’m seriously thinking about an app for the black cabs, haven’t got one yet, but I’m thinking about it.
@@LordWarden76 We all survived without the web and apps and all that stuff, so why not now. Just have to bare with it. Bus Stops (theres now a destination and time) digit screen............before we just waited.
Tom, how do you find the time to put in the hours at work to cover the high expenses of a cab to make a profit , make UA-cam videos, maintain relationships and a social life? 😂i can't get my head around it.
Missed Lance Armstrong was an early investor in Uber. When he lost his fortune when he was found out he cashed in on his Uber investment and got 10 of millions from not a large investment. Great vid 👍🏻
Never understood Uber. The amount of people i know that have an Uber on the way and then they cancel on them and the person who ordered it just accepts it as ok....bizarre! They then order another Uber and the price has unsurprisingly went up. Once again they accept it as ok. Bonkers! I will stick with private cabs and black hacks thanks, at least you know when they say they will come for X price they come and that is the price you pay.
Every uber i have ever had has turned up, been on time and i have paid the original agreed price. Whereas in ye olden days phoning for a cab after coming out the pub, they almost never turned up in the time the operator said and when you phoned them back asking where the cab was, half the time they would just put the phone down on you
Ps im not saying Uber are a saintly company, or that some of their business practices are not shady, like i dont think they should be allowed to subside fares, it should be a level playing field but they did transform the market in terms of technology, watching the car on the map coming to you was mind blowing when you first saw it
If i ever get a cab its always an uber or bolt i barely ever go into the capital i'm always around greater london to finding a black cab round there can be annoying its just easier to get an uber they're right outside my door in less than 5 minutes usually
sorry my dude, there is nothign inheremnt better about a meter than an app. The meter has so much anxiety indusing elements to it. I think people want fixed price rides. The app should be good options if only just for estimating the cost of taxi fares.
Why don't UA-camrs get a sponsor that's actually related to their content? Get a sponsor from tfl. Get a sponsor from a cab service. I don't know, something travel related. The fact that you're trying to tell people, that this manual company is going to save them from low. Sperm count is ridiculous. The company doesn't do any of what you've just but that's really very irrelevant because you are not a health beauty Channel. Neither are you a doctor's Channel so why are you having sponsors like this on your channel? Think about your subscribers, not about your wallet! .
I value my health, and taxi driving is a sedentary profession and TfL espouse the benefits of being active and healthy. Especially added that you need to pass a medical to become and maintain your taxi licence.
Uber coming in was the best thing. Black cabbies have been overcharging for years. ‘Its a disgrace to the knowledge’ - relax mate you just studied a map. Most overpaid job mate sorry, hence why you all get so annoyed as soon as any competition comes in.
In Spain I use one called Bolt and in Denmark one called Viggo,no complaints.In the US I've used Uber and have encountered a few issues which caused me to pay more because I had to use a taxi off the nearest rank.Just my experience.
With the fast pace of modern life its the knowledge that's kiling the black cab trade. Its too much of a barrier when there are now different doors into the industry. The customers that use Uber now probably wouldnt use black cabs if the likes of uber never existed. The trade is in freefall with the number of licensees and eventually that will see the demise of LEVC , then what?
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I rarely even call a taxi in my town now. I dont even us an app either. Last time I went on a trip. I used bolt as they was advertised by the hotel in that area and they was great. You very rarely see a black cab in my town in Scotland. Two drivers in my street but I believe they work in the city.
Surely the TFL app should be the one to incorporate taxis (of course alongside bus, tube etc under TFL umbrella)
I always have done my best to use the black cab over any other service and will continue to do so. I refuse to allow companies to undercut a cabbie
The answer is it should be a TFL app. No commercial interest. Just an app for the benefit of taxi drivers and the customers. Makes sense, but Khan wouldn't be able to get his head around it .
Good idea 👍
It would give TfL a lot of data on how and where taxis drivers operate. They could make it mandatory! But… this could also be used against us
@@TomtheTaxiDriver can you give examples of how you think these data could be used against you in this situation Tom?
@@rbraithwaiteUndeclared income
Khan is the Mayor of London not the boss of TfL. He really isn't God or Santa, you know! I bet you didn't know who Andy Lord is till I named him @kevinsmoother
Hi Tom! Loads of research for this vid well done! As said taxiapp charge a £4 booking fee now. Just done Chiltern st to T5 ‘Freenow’ £17 commission! Have approached Uber enquiring about their failure to recruit black cabs on the app as yet no response.
One of your best videos in my opinion, I've been a cabbie 26yrs never used an app.
They all seem corrupt
Only 20 years here, but same opinion. It basically amounts to someone selling our work back to us. I’ll concede there may be a place for something out in the suburbs but imagine most cabbies are happy to spend the day in W1, WC, SW1,3,7 & 10 etc.
I’ve been a cabbie 10 years, since I was 18, I’m from Newcastle, I still work the ranks 5/6 days a week, used to also work for an office but when they introduced apps a while ago I stopped working for an office, too complicated, you don’t no if certain drivers are getting fed all the decent work, was so much easier working from a radio system.
As a passenger, transit user and car owner, I agree heavily with your conclusions at the 25:00. Use taxis because they have the right Knowledge, insurance and reliability. I call a dispatcher typically to get downtown and take transit if possible.
Really interesting. Filled in the gaps in my understanding of the history of taxi apps. Nice one Tom👏
Do you happen to know if any of these apps can let the driver know if a passenger has accessibility needs? I’ve had to use Uber in cities outside of London, and I have to say, their Assist option has been quite helpful (even if it’s not without its flaws!). I really appreciate that most black cabs come equipped with features like swivel seats, but I’ve found that the driver’s attitude can really make a difference. If cabbies are prepared for someone with limited mobility, it can really help create a more positive experience!
Yes.
ComCab has access to the taxi card system (people who get their journeys subsidised)
And FreeNOW and get I believe they allow you add specifics
Yep. And also, as someone with a disability that means I can’t stand up for more that a few minutes, I can’t stand for an uncertain length of time on the street to wait to hail a cab. It’s better for me to be able to call a cab and then go to them once they’ve arrived. I’d rather use black cabs though.
@@pb6010 ditto. Often I have found that when I want a cab it's more often than not when my legs have given up, so hailing one is not even an option, because I can't even stand at that point.
I remember Hail-O drivers blocking customers for the most ridiculous things. Dreadful company/app.
When I was in London last year, I hailed a black cab to see what it was like. In the middle of my trip, because of the conversation, I totally changed my mind on where I wanted to go. I feel that is an experience that I could not have gotten from a Uber driver. He got me to my new destination efficiently. It was a memorable adventure.
An interesting and well researched topic, presented in a balanced way. Thanks Tom.
Really well researched and put-together episode, mate 👍
Thank you
Tom. Great video about taxi apps. I really enjoyed it. Please also try and keep doing the work day videos as well. I think it helps a lot of viewers relax and unwind watching them.
Wow 👌 Tom . You dine a fantastic job on your research and explaining it all . I'm old school and only do ranks and street hail. .
Flexing some SERIOUS taxi and business knowledge with this one Tom, top top video, super informative and concise 👌🏻
Great video Tom. Many people here have mentioned a TFL app for Taxis.
It seems logical, but have the been Taxi friendly lately ? Bank, Tottenham Court rd, LTNs, 100k Taxis, fees, compilance issues, some bus lanes we can't use, no right and left turns unless your a cyclist.etc etc etc
16:47 I'm confused. You just showed the website showing who is paying. That someone is the passenger and somewhere is the £4 booking fee.
Great informative video, though it seems very protective of the taxi driver and there interest. Whilst ppl have to protect there living, if they don’t work to the change in consumer needs they will cease. I’d don’t see the benefit of meters, I ve never benefited and it doesn’t incentivise the driver to get there any quicker. So apps bringing in private higher, why? To compete on coverage and quality. If you want the cooperate coverage, it’s easy solution; better quality ride and better coverage and accessibility at a reasonable price. Change is key and find out why consumers use Uber and what they want. If it purely price, then you offer a higher quality better service.
I have no idea why TFL for example hasn't launched an app exactly like Uber for black cabs, where you can book a black cab and see exactly where your taxi is on a map on route to your location.
Then, it's ran by the authority in the interest of the public, not in the interests of investors or commercial interests. It wouldn't cost that much money in the long run and would actually be an investment in London transport and help to preserve another tradition of the few we have left..
That's why Uber is so successful, it's mainly in the map and being able to track the taxi along with paying up front. It takes the jeopardy and uncertainty away for the customer. People aren't actually worried about the time they wait, it's the uncertainty that people don't like.
Not to mention all black cabs are wheelchair accessible and that's a nightmare to find with Ubers and Private Hire.
Uber simplified how payments were made, which is another reason why it's ubiquitous. Ideally, it should have been integrated with public transport... a door to door app AND private hire vetted by councils included. Start in Leeds, end up in London. But that's why governments are shite.
I use FREENOW whilst in London as i need to book an electric black cab for wheelchair access ~ never had an issue, super quick and if i remember, reasonably priced, no high booking fee 😀 i've used GETT before and sometimes a £15/20 trip if i hailed cab on street, £30 odd through app!
@@TashyTilly My brother in law is a black cab driver and I think all the new LEVC cabs are fitted with ramps as standard.
I live 20 miles outside of London and my dad needs a wheelchair taxi and getting one around here is a nightmare, especially if it's a short journey as they don't seem interested.
Wouldn't trust TFL running an app....
@@ScreaminNorman Neither would I but it's the only way to ensure neutrality.
What a fantastic video Tom, one of your’e best. Keep it up.
Oh this is timely! ❤ In London for two weeks, 6 more days!
always good info about London
Hailo was the first dev company I interviewed for when I was about 20yo, they said no, stating they thought I couldn't work under pressure. I dodged a bullet with that one, been in my current job since!
Hailo got greedy, thought they were going to sail off into the sunset on their yachts. Used to take every job to get to gold level which gave you access to the going home job facility which was a scam, never once got a going home job.
I use black cabs when I'm in London, but I must admit that the added convenience of now being able to use Uber to book a black cab is the best of both worlds for me. I usually have a lot of gear with me, so having a cab that can pick me up right at the door works much better. However, I do wonder if the cab driver receives the full amount for the fare.
I cant believe there are black cabs on uber.... 😮
The big 3 circuits were com cab , dial a cab , radio taxis which gett bought radio taxis out along with all their account work . And there were a few others about Zingo , call a cab .
Glad to see my uncle Alan "Al" Fresco get a mention!
I use black cabs in London, independent local private hire or Hackney everywhere else
Always get turned down by black cabs when I say I want to go Brockley from town, forces me to use the apps a lot of the time when I’d rather not
Very shameful of them. I’m always of the belief that you can never predict your next job. After dropping in Brockley it might lead to another job I’d never have got.
Uber subsidies the fare by 59% when it first arrived, impossible to compete. I remember a guy phoning Radio London this Uber is fantastic Wembley to Collier's Wood £25.
Now LBC presenters complaining surge prices £40 Leicester Sq to Brentford.
Uber pricing today in Los Angeles are insane now . £24 for a mid am ride of 3.9miles today. That’s a 400% increase since they launched here.
That’s a similar price to London black cabs.
Tom the video at 1:04 do you know its location, looks a lot like Cambridge?
Was in London recently and wanted to hail a taxi. Stood around on the street corner with my luggage feeling like a goose as I had no idea if taxis regularly use this street. Would be great to have an app to signal my location to nearby (but out of sight) drivers. Payment should remain in the taxi.
This would be a game changer! Would be massive for our industry. Maybe if hotels had access to it as a starting point
No mention of Zingo which i joined around 2006 it was the forunner to a lot of these app type ideas. I actually thought it was quite good but didnt attract enough drivers
Hey Tom, I'm a Retired Liverpool Cabbie I Did 43 Years before I Retired to Thailand 9 Years Ago,And guess what The " Other Lot " as you call them are Totally BANNED here by the Government we have Bolt & Grab Here.....Just for your Info thought you'd like to know.....
There is a big difference in Scotland where taxi drivers are private hire most of the time but metered fare if you are hailing them, honestly best of both in my opinion
You cant hail a private hire in edinburgh what crap are you talking @ronangray1250
Following this article I read why grab taxi were banned. From the articles I have read, it was due to licensing and interfering with the competition. Interfering with competition was also mentioned there other business operations such as food delivery. I use grab all over se Asia. I find them a lot cheaper, quicker, better coverage, a standard across other , easy for people that don’t speak the language and better ride.
taxi app now charges a £4!! booking fee
Absolute sense spoken tom
The only way to make those interests intersect would be a real co-op. If cabbies (and not only a few, but all that use that app) are members, and only working cabbies can be members and members have to vote on big policy changes and decide on the leadership, selling out would be a hard thing to do.
I think we need a decentralised approach with open source. Trouble with that is regulation, if you are connecting people peer-to-peer, you might need to _manually_ block bad users and other bad actors.
When you are in Central Scotland basically every cab driver moved to private hire because they are guaranteed too make money I don't think I've used a metered fare in about 5 years now because the private hire app we have covers all of Central and East Scotland but when I'm in Glasgow I choose Uber because it is ridiculous for the distance and time taxis drivers charge here
freenow charges from the customer and the driver?
Hey Tom, isnt the Taxi trade regulated by TFL? If so why can't TFL just make an option in their app from which you can hail a cab?
Its not quite that simple
@randommusic4567 they can work it out, no?
@@henrygrootenify im sure with lots of money and time they could. Developing an app is not easy but can be done as uber shows. But then you get into the taxi drivers being sub servient to tfl, what if tfl want to decide who works on what days and at what times
@randommusic4567 TFL allready has an app
@@henrygrootenify yeah but you cant just stick a new button in it, it would be a whole new function set
I remember a good few years ago speaking to a London cabbie who absolutely hated hailo and spent most of the journey slagging it off ! He was a sound guy aswell
I thought Taxiapp is now meter +£4 ? Through the app rather than the meter but similar to unify in principle?
Why doesn't the london Taxi drivers union build an app for its members Tom?
15,000 taxi drivers all chip in £100 that's £1.5m, more than enough to start their own version of Uber with all the taxi drivers as shareholders the company can be run as a not for profit organisation to keep costs for taxi drivers at a bare minimum. It can then be rolled out across the country or even the world, possibly under licence. However £1.5m is also enough to interest scammers looking to do a runner with the cash.
Question. If people choose to use Uber or other such services above traditrional taxis is that not then on the black cabs to improve their service in the areas that is motivating people to look elsewhere? In many ways it's direct feedback from customers or potential customers as to what they want from a service. I ask as someone who has used both?
In terms of the going home thing. In Singapore taxis can put a general area on their taxi sign and then only accept jobs in that direction. Something like this would be an idea maybe?
So taxiapp charges a £4 booking fee basically making every cab ride £4 more expensive and that's how they make money?? So it seems like they just shifted it to the passenger.
How do u expect the app to pay its bills drivers dont want to pay lol
@@davidfoster2832 I’m not saying if it’s bad or good. There was a part in the video where he said he wasn’t sure how they made money but that’s how.
No mention of Black cabs on Uber since they were advertising this in the summer. 🤣
None on there
No taxi driver wants to be enslaved by master
@@tx41979 that is a fair comment when I heard the advert on Greatest hits radio I did think that they would need to find a cabbie that had their brain removed to sign up to Uber.
@@tx41979When. I heard the advert on Greatest Hits radio I did think a black cab driver would need their brain removed before signing for Uber.
Maybe it's time to create Taxiapp MK 2 but with an ownership and management structure that explicitly stops the "I want mega profits and I want them NOW" type of investors from getting any kind of ownership. Every black cab driver on the app would get one share in the app (and the shares would be held only by those drivers) and in order to change how the app works and e.g. add commission, they would have to get a majority vote from all the driver-shareholders (not easy to do when the drivers directly benefit from the existing business model and would be worse off with a new business model)
Was on radio taxi circuit which was brilliant
Top gear reference FTW! 😁
As you would expect a story biased towards the black cabs were year on year the consumer just wants one place to go to get a taxis of some kind. Technology is a fast paced place and the number of users need to be watched
Aren't private hire regulated in London? I dont think theyre just random blokes witth a car like Uber tries to pull in other parts of the world.
I didn’t realise Uber is so old, I thought it came out in the late 2010’s
Why does Mc Donalds work? It is easy. Even if you are in a country where you don't speak the language, you are still able to get the basic items from Mc D. You always know what you can expect, when you order a Big Mac. If you not sure where to go, you most likely end up in a fast food chain that you already know.
That is the reason why all those local cab driver made taxi app won't work that well.
If I come from Germany and stand in front of my AirBnb in Londen and don't know where the next taxi stand is or I don't want to walk in the rain to look for it, it is most likely that I use the My Taxi App I have already installed on my phone. Especially for touristic cities the big ones will win the race, because a lot of people from other countries already know one of the big apps and already have it. So I would not feel very good to have to install a new app just for a 3 Day stay in London to order a Taxi.
In Germany radio Texi is still a big thing. In your City you know the phone number, you call them and they send you a Taxi.
For me as a customer it would be confusing to pay different prices related on which way I use to order the cab. Why should I pay 2 quit more for order via an App that is made by Taxi drivers and helps them to get orders? It is in the response of the drivers to deliver the infrastructure to order Cabx, just like the radio Taxi does. You call them, they send you a Taxi, you pay normal price and it is part of the Taxi Company or driver what kind of contract they make. It should not be my response for paying extra for that.
Another thing is, that the taxi drivers are angry about the App makers for the fact that they try to make the most money out of the App and let to many drivers or privat drivers join the App. But on the other hand they say. I don't want to use the App very well, but if I need a ride out of town or in a special direction, then I look into the App and pick the gold nuggets out of it, if it is for my own profit.
That is not fair and that is not the way it will gonna work. To blae the other party to want to make the most out of the produckt, but then use it themselfes by the same way.
As someone who could write apps for this scale of deployment, Tom let me done some really quick research with ya. Cos this documentary is great but its also murkey around what black cab drivers actually want the app to do. So in your own words, what do ya want it to do, what do you really want in a dedicated app.
Im already retired at 40 so i have ALOT of time on my hands.
With taxiapp, it feels like it'd be better if it was a cooperative model with cabbies literally voting on how the app is run - each cabbie should have a vote and a share in the ownership, and a share in the profits. Simple as really - if cabbies could vote, they wouldn't vote to sell out.
The rising tide quite literally lifts all boats (or cabs, I suppose)
Very Interesting. thank you
Either we believe in a free marker or we don't. Also I have to say a lot of areas of London black cabs don't even roam around. And before Uber there were already minicabs.. that moreover were unregulated. These days phvs undergo a some sort of filtering and licencing process anyway.. I see like this.. if I am a cabbie I am more niche and prestigious. If I am a phv I am most likely a licenced lazy driver that can't be bothered to do the knowledge. But yet, in life and in a specific market everything change overtime.
Also having the option of becoming a phv people obviously could start considering what would be the point of spending 3 years for the knowledge to do pretty much the same type of trade.
Where was the drone shot taken from at 1.10
really good video mate
at 16.16 is your answer for taxiapp - they charge the punter £4.
Good video, although be super careful about explicitly saying there is corruption in specific companies. That is an accusation you would have to prove in court if the company in question sued you for libel. I’m a journalist, it’s the sort of thing that’s easy to slip up with.
16:17 says passengers pay a 4 pound booking fee
Here's the problem as I see it, it's almost simply down to cost. On shorter journeys a black cab is often cheaper, gets you there, job done. Anything over a few miles and Uber wins every time. Euston to Kingston in a Black cab? £60-70? Not the £35-45 it is on Uber, and at the end of the day we get home in one piece and know how much it'll be before we leave.
Second - as with any trade, there's the old school who think they're owed a living for their entire lives, resist change, hate change, don't move with the times... They're the ones who get left behind because they can't see that life moves on, technology improves, GPS becomes available so the knowledge is less of a seperator than it was before.
Fundamentally there's not a huge difference between an old-school radio circuit and an app - if you're slightly off the beaten path, you want a car, you don't want to stand waiting in the rain, you call a cab firm or ping an app and a car appears. At that point, quite honestly, I don't care who licenced it, who's driving, who they work for. I just want to get home in an insured vehicle.
Too many London cabbies think of every journey in London as "their work" - "They're taking our work" - no, they're taking work. It was only yours because for years there wasn't another option. Now there are several. Adapt or die, as they say.
Prefect example - a few years ago we went Royal Garden to Fortnums and back, and it was £18 in an S-class to get there and £17 in a cab to get bounced around on the way back.
Hailo failed quite simply because the owner Jay Bregman saw what was coming down the pipeline. The heavily backed monster that is “Uber” so he basically cashed in whilst he was financially ahead.
FREE NOW HAD TO ALLOW PRIVATE HIRE!!! If you wait for a black cab they take forever to arrive, trying to get a black cab outside of the very centre of London is pointless
Idiot
Nice one Tom.
You’re a good soul Tom. You’re a perfect ambassador for the taxi trade and I wish you the best of luck. Keep up the fantastic work
Great video 👍
Stick with UBER mate cheaper and actually works
Only cheaper for now. In the places in the world it has killed off the competition it is now very much not cheap.
A really fascinating video
So what are Uber up to, I heard an ad aimed at Black Cab drivers offering £500 to sign up with them!
Very few join about a dozen
Great video, Tom. Love the documentary style.
Just like everything else, when you subject something to capitalism and private entities, it turns to shit. Neither the customer nor the driver is prioritised, especially in the long term.
Basically; pay the "premium" and support the standardised public service.
uber is better for me as i know the driver is happy knowing hes gonna get paid. rather then having a black cab driver looking at me worried that he mingt not be.
What a weird comment. I would not get into a UBER car if it was free.
Uber is better for me as I know what the prove is going to be beforehand and if it’s reasonable or not.
Call me dumb, but whats the point in all these Apps? I just hail a Cab down, its simple, its so quick and I still get to the location in quick time.
Not always quick, You could be in your wheelchair, in the rain that’s lashing down, and in the wrong clothing too (was lovely and sunny when we left home), doesn’t help that no one wants to go to Queens Square, so bound to get one outside GOSH. Nope, so after getting wetter, we made a dash for Southampton Row, well my wife did, I was in the wheelchair, luckily we managed to hail a cab there, but not before a couple of cars decided to give us a good spraying down, as if we weren’t wet enough already. I always drove myself to my appointments in London, but since becoming unwell, I’m unable too, so rely on london’s great Black cabs. Never had a bad driver, wouldn’t dream of using any other cab firms, but I’m seriously thinking about an app for the black cabs, haven’t got one yet, but I’m thinking about it.
@@LordWarden76 We all survived without the web and apps and all that stuff, so why not now. Just have to bare with it. Bus Stops (theres now a destination and time) digit screen............before we just waited.
@@raystewart3648i know of at least 5 people who have literally died waiting for a bus
Hackney cabs and private hire have a common enemy ...uber.
Basically regardless you doing private hire or black cab we all getting exploited by apps and big cooperates
Tom, how do you find the time to put in the hours at work to cover the high expenses of a cab to make a profit , make UA-cam videos, maintain relationships and a social life? 😂i can't get my head around it.
I spin a lot of plates… sometimes the odd plate falls
i had a horrible experience with gett
Missed Lance Armstrong was an early investor in Uber. When he lost his fortune when he was found out he cashed in on his Uber investment and got 10 of millions from not a large investment. Great vid 👍🏻
Never understood Uber. The amount of people i know that have an Uber on the way and then they cancel on them and the person who ordered it just accepts it as ok....bizarre! They then order another Uber and the price has unsurprisingly went up. Once again they accept it as ok. Bonkers! I will stick with private cabs and black hacks thanks, at least you know when they say they will come for X price they come and that is the price you pay.
Every uber i have ever had has turned up, been on time and i have paid the original agreed price.
Whereas in ye olden days phoning for a cab after coming out the pub, they almost never turned up in the time the operator said and when you phoned them back asking where the cab was, half the time they would just put the phone down on you
Ps im not saying Uber are a saintly company, or that some of their business practices are not shady, like i dont think they should be allowed to subside fares, it should be a level playing field but they did transform the market in terms of technology, watching the car on the map coming to you was mind blowing when you first saw it
The subtitle (h)'idden is chef's kiss.
If i ever get a cab its always an uber or bolt i barely ever go into the capital i'm always around greater london to finding a black cab round there can be annoying its just easier to get an uber they're right outside my door in less than 5 minutes usually
Good for you mate, i shop in m&s whilst you shop in poundland.
@@alfiesharpe907 good for you, i live in a house you live above a corner shop
cab-:app?😊
Hailo failed but uber remained
sorry my dude, there is nothign inheremnt better about a meter than an app. The meter has so much anxiety indusing elements to it. I think people want fixed price rides. The app should be good options if only just for estimating the cost of taxi fares.
20% is alot
Scooby was slavery of 21th century
Cabbies love their meter but I believe customers prefer convenience and a bargain.
Why shop at the pound shop when you can shop at Selfridges
@@Michael-hf5sr Because the pound shop is selling the same product without ripping me off.
@@Michael-hf5sr because it’s cheaper
Why don't UA-camrs get a sponsor that's actually related to their content? Get a sponsor from tfl. Get a sponsor from a cab service. I don't know, something travel related. The fact that you're trying to tell people, that this manual company is going to save them from low. Sperm count is ridiculous. The company doesn't do any of what you've just but that's really very irrelevant because you are not a health beauty Channel. Neither are you a doctor's Channel so why are you having sponsors like this on your channel? Think about your subscribers, not about your wallet! .
I value my health, and taxi driving is a sedentary profession and TfL espouse the benefits of being active and healthy. Especially added that you need to pass a medical to become and maintain your taxi licence.
Hailo was good
Uber coming in was the best thing. Black cabbies have been overcharging for years.
‘Its a disgrace to the knowledge’ - relax mate you just studied a map. Most overpaid job mate sorry, hence why you all get so annoyed as soon as any competition comes in.
Overcharging? Our rate is set by Transport for London? 🤔
In Spain I use one called Bolt and in Denmark one called Viggo,no complaints.In the US I've used Uber and have encountered a few issues which caused me to pay more because I had to use a taxi off the nearest rank.Just my experience.
I will never use an uber for taxi ever in my life :) not sure about app's either catch one on the street or call them is me :)
Uber have destroyed the taxi industry.
With the fast pace of modern life its the knowledge that's kiling the black cab trade. Its too much of a barrier when there are now different doors into the industry. The customers that use Uber now probably wouldnt use black cabs if the likes of uber never existed.
The trade is in freefall with the number of licensees and eventually that will see the demise of LEVC , then what?
@@AndrewMackenzie-z2b Then Uber charge £100 minimum for every trip? You pay or you take the tube and risk your lungs?