[otd] 2 July 2012 - Uber comes to the UK

[whole diary]

[grahame]

From https://d1nyezh1ys8wfo.cloudfront.net/static/PDFs/33688+-+Uber+-+UK+Impact+Report_05.pdf mirrored for members at http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/mirror/Uber_uk_impact_report.pdf - "The impact of Uber in the UK.  How urban mobility has been transformed"

In 2009, Uber was founded by Garrett Camp and Travis Kalanick. By utilising the GPS and connectivity built into a smartphone, the new app enabled several innovations:
• Instead of having to travel out to scattered taxi ranks, calling a booking office, or relying on pure luck, passengers could have the vehicle come to them at the touch of a button.
• By making it easier for drivers to find passengers, the service enabled drivers to spend less time waiting around, reducing costs and increasing their earnings.
• The use of built-in GPS and route planning to estimate fares, enables more flexible and transparent pricing, and makes it easier for drivers to navigate to new destinations without prior awareness of the route.
• Passengers and drivers could now give feedback to each other, giving both more incentive to ensure a pleasant drive and helping to improve safety.

On 2nd July 2012, Uber came to London - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Uber

Here in Melksham, I see regular posts looking for taxis to certain common destinations, and with people scrambling around to find anyone to give them a ride at times, and here on the Coffee Shop I read of problems in sourcing rail replacement services at the last minute.    I will admit to never having used Uber; as an educational exercise, I signed up and found I have local offering (I should have known ...) with a £6.09 ride to the station available in 11 minutes.   OK - I know I have been behind the times.  Just sayin ...

[GBM]

  I will admit to never having used Uber; as an educational exercise, I signed up and found I have local offering (I should have known ...) with a £6.09 ride to the station available in 11 minutes.   OK - I know I have been behind the times.  Just sayin ...

How does that quote stack up against local Council approved taxi's?
Bearing in mind, Uber prices change depending on availability, demand, etc

[grahame]

  I will admit to never having used Uber; as an educational exercise, I signed up and found I have local offering (I should have known ...) with a £6.09 ride to the station available in 11 minutes.   OK - I know I have been behind the times.  Just sayin ...

How does that quote stack up against local Council approved taxi's?
Bearing in mind, Uber prices change depending on availability, demand, etc

Frankly, I can't recall. I rarely use a taxi to the station as it's not a long walk, and leaving home 25 minutes before the train is due gives me plenty of time to get there and to use the walk to keep an eye on what's going on, take pictures, etc - or on the way home to pick up kebabs, pizza, Chinese or Indian (the Thai is closed; the chippy closes a few minutes before I get there on the mid-evening train, and McD is not on the walk route).  With heavy luggage we tend to be going a long way, and these days catch the bus (good because it's close to home and reliable) to Bath where it connects with a train service in which every one many not always run but is frequent enough for that not to matter and where there is real human help available if it's needed.