Expansion of the Uber app in Croatia opposed by taxi drivers.
After Uber started its operations in Zagreb a few days ago, rumours could be heard that starting next year the taxi service app will expand to Split as well, reports Slobodna Dalmacija on October 27, 2015.
Uber is an application available for iOS and Android smartphones which uses GPS maps to find the nearest available driver. The caller can see the driver’s photo, name, car registration number, and follow his arrival on a map. With Uber, there are no cash transactions, since all transportation charges are paid by credit card. It has been announced that in Zagreb the prices will be 20 percent cheaper than with other taxi carriers.
“Uber is not welcome in Split”, say representative of the Radio-Taxi Association, which brings together owners of 138 vehicles. They consider the app to represent an unfair competition. “As a result, in many countries there are legal proceedings against Uber. We who do this for a living cannot agree with this way of doing business. If you look more closely, anyone can download the application and get involved in the Uber system as a driver, even you! We as taxi drivers have to obtain a number of permits from the state administration, city authorities and others, while Uber drivers don’t. I have spoken with my colleagues in Zagreb and they are all frightened by the unfair competition that is neither safe nor reliable as traditional taxi services”, Lovre Ćatipović, president of Radio-Taxi, says.
According to him, his colleagues will always support healthy competition, but if Uber comes to Split, they will collectively withdraw from the market and see what happens. “Our services are safe! After all, through our website with a single click you can select your destination, and the operator immediately finds you a driver, so there is no waiting”, Ćatipović adds.
Uber’s Zagreb office did not confirm they were expanding to Split any time soon, only that their ambition is to be present everywhere, in “all progressive cities that need a secure, reliable and efficient transport”. “Currently, we are focused to make our service more efficient and reduce the average waiting time for customers. Our drivers undergo stringent checks: medical exam, criminal background check and driving experience test, and they also must have a driver’s license, ID card and commercial insurance”, Uber reported.
Radio-Taxi Association in Split has announced that starting on November 1 they will introduce winter rates. First kilometre will cost 30 kuna, and each additional kilometre after that will cost 8 kuna.
