Uber will integrate the traditional taxi booking application in the city, whose service was a direct competitor.:
Uber will integrate all New York taxis into its platform ,a turning point in its relationship with the famous yellow cars after years of tension and a sign of the group’s growth strategy.
Under an agreement with the Taxi and Limousine Commission, which regulates the business, Uber will host existing New York taxi booking software, which was a direct competitor, on its virtual application , a spokesperson for the company said, confirming information disclosed by The Wall Street Journal .
In fact, New York taxis had already launched their own booking apps, CMT, Arro and Curb .
“We are excited to partner with software providers CMT and Curb, which will benefit taxi drivers and all New Yorkers,” said Uber Vice President Andrew Macdonald.
Fares for a taxi ride booked through the platform will be roughly the same as those charged by Uber X ‘s basic formula , the group had told the newspaper.
years of transformation
The arrival of Uber in New York in 2011 transformed the transport industry, as in many other cities around the world, and put pressure on ordinary taxis , which until now enjoyed a near monopoly.
Since then, the city has seen how the number of taxis remains almost unchanged, around 14,000, but the number of passenger vehicles with driver (VTC) skyrockets, to the point that the municipality had to freeze, in 2018 , licensing, including the number had exceeded 120,000.
The coronavirus pandemic and subsequent traffic slump especially penalized New York ‘s already struggling taxicabs .(AFP)
