TCA director Hedy Borreman sees Uber as a danger to the taxi sector rather than 'as a way to stay sharp as a company'. That is what the independent trade journal Passenger Transport Magazine writes after listening to BNR Business. In a typical black-and-white dilemma question during the program, director Hedy Borreman of Taxicentrale Amsterdam (TCA) saw Uber and all other platforms “rather as a danger to the taxi industry than as a way to stay sharp as a company. Uber makes low prices on the backs of the taxi drivers.”
“All we try is to educate people: dude, know what you choose and why. But we are all going to keep it going.”
According to Borreman, drivers at Uber have to work more hours to achieve a reasonable turnover and that is not good for safety. The interviewer, Thomas van Zijl, seemed to be surprised that TCA drivers sometimes also drive for Uber and other platforms. “These drivers are lured by Uber's algorithm with attractive offers and the longer they drive for Uber, the revenues decrease and they have to work more hours to make a reasonable turnover.” According to Borreman, this creates downward pressure on prices and people are used to driving for low prices, while they see the TCA taxis – which are still at the door within 5 minutes – as 'expensive'.
renewed app
TCA deliberately does not compete on price, except through the renewed app, which recently won the Public Award of MKB Amsterdam. Anyone, even without an account, can order a taxi via the TCA app. Those who do not have an account pay the regular meter price electronically in the taxi. Account customers can count on a discount via the app. The fact that the TCA sticks to a reasonable price also has to do with the fact that “we take care of our drivers. That's just what we stand for.” She also tries to inform taxi customers about the differences between 'the taxi' and 'the platforms': “All we try is to educate people: dude, know what you choose and why. But we are all going to keep it going.”
Read full article on Passenger Transport Magazine.
