Stratford cabbies in bid to win back customers with new technology
CABBIES in Stratford have developed their own taxi app in a bid to win back customers and counter lost fares to Uber.
The traditional taxi service which has been used by residents and shoppers for decades has for the past few years been dealt a financial body blow by the rise of Uber drivers in the town who are not regulated by the district council - an issue which has sparked fury and frustration by licenced taxi drivers who flagged up their concerns as early as 2015 when deregulation was brought in.
Angry town cabbies also say drivers from Wolverhampton come to Stratford poach their trade and park on ranks reserved for them which they pay for the right use.
While the district council issues licences that require existing taxi drivers to adhere to a strict set of criteria – MOT, insurance, vehicle safety, fixed fares – Uber drivers operate under a different business model which connects passenger to driver using a mobile phone app.
But now all that could change as one taxi company owner in Stratford has created an app which he hopes will reverse the rise in Uber bookings and boost business which dropped dramatically during the pandemic and has struggled to recover.
“It’s time to fight fire with fire,” said Andrew Wright, owner of Othello Taxis in Stratford. “The Othello Taxi app has been running for three months. I’m trying to convert more drivers to use it but it takes time as they prefer phone bookings and cash fares. We can’t just sit there and complain there’s no work so the app will allow pre-booking – to Birmingham Airport for example - which means there’s work lined up and yet drivers can still pick up and drop off customers like before. Younger people don’t use the phone to book a taxi they like to use an app – I don’t know why that is. I now ask customers why they booked our cabs and some say it’s because they couldn’t get an Uber in the first place and that’s why we’ve got to have this app. We can do special bookings, pre-bookings and it’s commissioned based so drivers can make good money if they want to.”
At a time when drivers in town face delays due to road congestion and road works, the ability to plan journeys and effectively manage time, will become increasingly important and it’s an issue Andrew Wright knows only too well.
“The app will help us improve our service and the independence of our drivers. The public will benefit too because it is flexible and offers choice,” Mr Wright said.
Previously, Stratford taxi drivers have claimed they offer a more reliable service than Uber because they are regulated by the council for public safety whereas the council can’t regulate Uber drivers.
