It should come as no surprise that Uber is coming to Ghent, according to Alderman for Mobility in Ghent in Flanders. Watteeuw is concerned about the liveability of many taxi companies. We can miss a taxi war, according to Watteeuw. Following the announcement of the American Uber that the well-known taxi service is coming to Ghent, the sector is in turmoil. After corona a new crisis for the taxi sector for which the government does not have a vaccine, quite the contrary.

No surprise

It has been known for some time that Uber wants to start its services in different cities. UberX will become available in next week Ghent, just like in Antwerp and Leuven. Uber has been driving food couriers in Ghent for some time, but UberX is the 'popular' taxi service of the American company. A few years ago, Uber tried to launch all its services in Ghent, but that met with resistance and angry taxi drivers. Now that the taxi decree is the red carpet for the giant, there will be little that can be done to stop the services.

The introduction of the new Flemish taxi decree and on top of that the COVID-19 crisis meant that the taxi sector was already on the ropes. Uber can now knock out the taxi sector from Flanders. Recently, Flemish Prime Minister Jan Jambon called for solidarity with the Flemish companies and to buy from them or to use their services, apparently this does not apply to the taxi sector. 

In a press release from the BTB-ABVV, the organization writes that it is the final deathblow for the Flemish taxi sector. They represent all workers from the maritime sectors, dock workers, workers in air handling, in freight and passenger transport and in logistics. Earlier today, Uber announced in a press release that it will start operating in Flanders on 9 November. 

“From that day on, thanks to the Flemish taxi decree of former Flemish minister of mobility Ben Weyts (NV-A), Uber will now also have the opportunity to destroy the taxi sector in Flanders,” according to the BTB-ABVV.

more hijackers on the coast

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Uber faces competition from French taxi app Heetch in Flanders. The taxi app Heetch can be seen as the French counterpart of Uber. The company had been active in the capital Brussels for several years and announced yesterday that it would also roll out its services to Antwerp. This will be the case from today, and in one fell swoop the app will also be available in the other major Flemish cities of Ghent and Leuven.

Also read: Flemish Taxi Decree and Uber death knell for taxi sector

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