Is the taxi competition in Croatia about to hot up?
You are good at marketing and attracting new customers and great at organizing and supervising the quality of operations? It seems there is a new job opening just for you. That’s just a part of the job announcement published last week by Uber, which is looking for a manager of its Croatian subsidiary, according to an article in Jutarnji List on July 28, 2015.
The American company, which uses a mobile application in 58 countries and in over 300 cities to connect people who need a lift with the closest drivers, has clearly decided to spread to Croatian capital as well. In addition to general manager, it is looking for a logistics manager who will have to take care of the organization of drivers and develop an effective transport service. The US company is obviously coming to Zagreb, but it doesn’t seem that everything will go smoothly.
Judging by the comments of Zagreb taxi drivers, a real war could erupt. Some even claim that the unpleasant scenes from France, where the angry taxi drivers overturned cars and beat up Uber drivers and their clients, will be a peaceful garden party compared to what will happen in Zagreb. “It is certain that we will not idly watch as they take bread from our mouths”, said one Zagreb taxi driver.
Jozo Kovačević, president of the Association of Radio Taxi Zagreb, whose members are the owners of 75 percent of the 1.332 permits for taxiing in the city, explains: “To be a legal taxi driver, you need a lot of documents. You must finish transportation high school, pass the exam on knowledge of the city streets, etc. You also must be the owner of a car, so you need about 20.000 to 30.000 euros to start driving the taxi. And then some application comes and takes away your job.” However, the official representatives of Radio Taxi Zagreb, Cammeo and other taxi associations believe that the “relevant authorities” will protect them from the obvious lawlessness that Uber brings. And Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandić has recently promised that there will be no new taxi licenses issued.
But, history shows that various authorities begin writing fines only after taxi drivers themselves bring them the offenders. However, it is certain that for Uber drivers it would be better to pay a fine than to argue with taxi drivers.
