Taxi apps causing anger and frustration

Hailo, an app that allows Londoners to hail a taxi through their smartphones, was founded in 2010 by three black-cab drivers and three technology entrepreneurs. Hailo is now causing tensions with the capital’s black-cab drivers, who are angry that Hailo bosses have applied to Transport for London for a private hire licence - the same as minicabs. Limousines and a pre-booking option are among services Hailo could offer under the new licence. It is understood that Hailo hopes to receive a decision from TfL wi
May 23, 2014 Read time: 2 mins
Hailo, an app that allows Londoners to hail a taxi through their smartphones, was founded in 2010 by three black-cab drivers and three technology entrepreneurs. Hailo is now causing tensions with the capital’s black-cab drivers, who are angry that Hailo bosses have applied to 1466 Transport for London for a private hire licence - the same as minicabs. Limousines and a pre-booking option are among services Hailo could offer under the new licence. It is understood that Hailo hopes to receive a decision from TfL within weeks. The company’s London office has been vandalised and police were called after a fight broke out.

In an open letter on the company’s website, Hailo chairman Ron Zeghibe explained why it had applied for a private hire licence: “Hailo has applied for a private hire operator’s licence in preparation to have the full service that passengers and businesses tell us they want. There is no point burying our heads in the sand - people want a choice and taxis need to be in the mix. A taxi-only app will get isolated and customers will take their money to services without any cabs on offer. It is already happening. Let’s win back that work.”

London cab drivers are also planning a protest in June to show their frustration at the presence of other services like US-based Uber, which operates in 36 countries and recently rolled out in Saudi Arabia and Jeddah. Cab drivers say Uber is not subject to the same regulation that licensed drivers are; it uses an app to calculate fares; cab drivers say this is similar to a taximeter, which is illegal to have in a private vehicle.

It’s really the same story, but I missed a couple of words out of the first one!

Related Content

  • September 25, 2019
    BlackBerry’s Jeff Davis: ‘Hands off 5.9GHz!’
    As a US Marine, BlackBerry’s Jeff Davis saw the world’s trouble spots. But much of his attention is now focused on what he sees as the ITS sector’s biggest issue: cybersecurity. Adam Hill finds out more Oh, I often feel I’m the dumbest guy in the room,” laughs Jeff Davis, senior director, connected transportation, at BlackBerry. It’s hard to credit this. Davis has a range of experience that sets him apart from most people in the ITS sector. He was in the US Marine Corps, with seven tours of duty, inclu
    Read More
  • June 9, 2015
    Mobility itself is moving says cubic
    Cubic’s Chris Bax looks at the challenges and benefits of implementing transport as a service. Imagine paying for travel in exactly the same way you buy your phone service. For example, you would pay a set amount in exchange for a monthly travel package covering up to 100km of free taxi journeys in your home city (including a guaranteed 15 minute pickup) and public transport usage within a 1,500km radius of your home. Not only would this option be cheaper than owning and maintaining your own car, you would
    Read More
  • April 30, 2013
    London may trial Dutch-style roundabouts
    Roundabouts similar to those used in the Netherlands, which separate cyclists from cars and give them priority, could be used in London as early as next year, subject to government approval, according to Transport for London (TfL). TfL has begun a major cycle safety research project to trial new and innovative junction layouts and traffic technology that, if successful, could be introduced in London and potentially more widely across the UK. The trials, which are being carried out for TfL by the Transport R
    Read More
  • February 23, 2017
    Single system simplicity for smarter city transport
    All encompassing, city-wide transport monitoring and control systems are beginning to make their way onto the market, as Colin Sowman hears. The futuristic vision of cities where everything is connected and operated with maximum efficiency by a gigantic computer remains a distant prospect but related sectors and services are beginning to coalesce: transport monitoring and control for instance.
    Read More

Highlighted Content