Uber is preparing a bid to launch in Aberdeen, nearly five years after shelving plans to come.
The ride-hailing service has been tempted back to the Granite City as local leaders look to end snaking queues at taxi ranks.
Shortages of taxis have been commonplace at night and weekends for years, as Covid lockdowns forced many drivers into retirement or to seek work elsewhere.
It has been argued that this has held back the struggling city centre as it battles to survive. Long queues have been reported at the airport too.
Earlier this week, Aberdeen Inspired was revealed to be in talks with a “global taxi operator”, along with the council.
Roule Wood, a project manager working with the business improvement district, said talks were at “early stages”.
She stopped short of naming Uber in her LinkedIn post.
But a spokesman for the worldwide transport firm, which has ventured as far north as Edinburgh and Glasgow in the UK, has now confirmed their intention to apply for a licence in Aberdeen.
“It is correct that talks are ongoing,” he told The Press and Journal.
Uber’s spokesman declined to add more while his company negotiates the formal licensing process, which has previously proven precarious in Aberdeen.
Uber’s last ride into Aberdeen
In June 2019, the giant surrendered its booking office licence blaming its landlord selling the premises.
When plans for an Aberdeen arrival first emerged, we reported Uber wanted to launch as soon as possible.
City officials rubber-stamped Uber’s licence as no objections were raised in time.
But the BBC reported on a “farcical” process to garner opinion as the only public notice was displayed at ankle-height at Uber’s registered Aberdeen office in Berry Street.
This time around, Ms Wood said Uber’s business model – running in hundreds of cities across the world – was “impressive”.
She wrote: “It’s early stages. I hope the city will get behind the reform we need to increase our driver pool – in quick time.”
Uber currently only operates its food delivery service in the Granite City.
Would Aberdeen’s taxi trade still resist Uber?
Sources inside the taxi trade indicated they had no issue with Uber coming to Aberdeen this time around.
But that would be on the basis the ride-hailing app’s drivers have to go through the same labour of a street knowledge test that they do.
Despite being long beyond the advent of sat nav, Aberdeen licensing chiefs stopped short of scrapping the demanding exam.
Even pre-booked, private hire drivers must pass before being allowed on the roads.
In her online post, Ms Wood described the rules as “mind-boggling and outdated”.
Bosses met this week to discuss the reemergence of Uber’s interest in the Aberdeen market.
They are meeting again later in the week and are reluctant to say much before for fear of “inflaming the situation”.
Aberdeen Inspired: ‘Our levy payers are concerned’
An Aberdeen Inspired spokesman said: “For some time now, our levy payers have voiced consistent concerns regarding taxi provision, clearly echoed by wider public sentiment.
“It is obvious taxi provision is something that needs to change as part of the drive to help the city’s economic recovery – in terms of safety, vibrancy and the city’s reputation – and our levy payers asked us to explore this.
“In our talks with the taxi trade they agree and have stated they want to work towards viable solutions.
“That reflects on the trade’s hard work and dedication to passengers and the city, which is never in any doubt.
“We have talked to our levy payers, we have talked to the taxi operators, and now we and Our Union Street will be working in partnership with concerned parties to find a way forward.”
Rainbow City Taxi boss: Uber talks are ‘almost immoral’ without trade reps
But Russell McLeod, managing director of Rainbow City Taxis, hinted at unrest at talks being held on how to fix the taxi shortage – without trade representation.
“They are talking about our industry without talking to us. That’s almost immoral,” he told us.
“At the moment, I think the taxi trade feels quite strongly that the inference that we are the cause of issues in the night-time economy is totally unjustifiable.
“Roule Wood says on LinkedIn that she was ‘sanctioned’ to ‘reform’ the taxi trade in Aberdeen – without speaking to us.
“‘Sanctioned’ by who? I had to ask council officers for her contact details and we didn’t meet until December.
“We also met Bob Keiller in December. There are all these issues and we still had to contact Aberdeen Inspired and Our Union Street ourselves.
“Maybe some in the city centre need to look closer to home for reasons why it’s struggling.”
Taxi driver U-turn could be on the cards over Aberdeen Uber
However, even the slightest steer that the taxi trade would not outright oppose Uber’s arrival in Aberdeen is a significant change of gear from drivers.
The P&J reported that Com Cabs driver Jason Sutherland was “absolutely gobsmacked” when Uber was granted a licence in 2017.
The difference between then and now could be in what he told The P&J next: “The city has more than enough taxis.”
‘Uber approached us,’ Granite Mile boss claims
Our Union Street leader Bob Keiller said it was not fair to suggest city bosses had “enticed” Uber to look at Aberdeen.
“Uber is looking at a national expansion, already trading in 59 UK towns and cities including Edinburgh and Glasgow.
“They are looking at Aberdeen, Dundee and maybe North Lanarkshire.
“They approached Aberdeen, they are coming to us through Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeen Inspired.
“But that’s not to say we would not welcome Uber.
“We would welcome anything to increase the supply of taxis in Aberdeen, whether that’s improvements by local firms or from outside operators such as Uber.”
Taxi firms part of conversation on Aberdeen’s supply of driver
Since his meeting with taxi firms, Our Union Street has drawn up a list of ideas to improve the taxi supply.
Among them are suggestions brought to that meeting by the trade. Discussion is yet to come on which should be taken forward.
“We acknowledge we are not experts in the taxi trade,” Mr Keiller added.
“We hope we can help the trade to be more successful but also welcome more entrants into the market. And we want a good working relationship.
“The street knowledge test is part of the discussion. It appears more complicated than other cities and also needs brought up to date.”
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