DRIVE NOW October/November 2021

Uber recorded $600 million in
first-quarter charges to account for
the UK benefits, highlighting the
financial toll of wider changes to
its contractor model. read more
Unlike in other European
countries and the United States,
UK employment law offers a
unique “worker” status - a legal
definition that situates drivers
between independent contractors
with no benefits and full-fledged
employees with extensive
benefits.
Uber has advocated for a similar inbetween
status in other countries,
but said those initiatives would
require changes to employment
laws.
February - Uber released a
white paper that called on EU
regulators to recognise the value
of independent contracts in job
creation as they consider new rules
to protect gig economy workers.
“We believe a new approach
is possible - one where having
access to protections and benefits
doesn’t come at the cost of
flexibility and of job creation,”
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said
in a blog post at the time.
The company is pushing for similar
models in the United States and
Canada, where it faces dozens
of lawsuits over the status of its
drivers.
May - Uber faced a legal
setback when the U.S. Supreme
Court rejected its bid to avoid a
lawsuit over whether drivers are
employees and not independent
contractors.
BACK TO BLACK:
Ride-hailing coverage issues
and high prices pushing
passengers back into black
taxis
by PERRY RICHARDSON | TAXI-POINT.CO.UK
LONDON,ENGLAND – Passengers
are going back to black using
London’s iconic taxis as ride-hailing
coverage issues and increased surge
pricing pushes demand for black
cabs.
At the height of the pandemic many
taxi drivers were forced to turn to
different jobs and employment to
tide themselves over as work levels
dipped to record lows. Fast forward
to September onwards and demand
has now returned, spiking to record
highs.
According to London’s biggest taxi
fleet rental, Colts Cabs, the firm
reported card payment transactions
hitting its highest figure since the
COVID pandemic forced restrictions
in March 2020. More than 40,000
transactions were recorded
on Thursday 9 September. In
comparison, a daily number of card
transactions in June 2020 fell below
3,000 payments.
Black cab app, Gett, has reported
a 40% increase in rides each day
compared to the first quarter of
2020.
The increase in demand has been
caused by many factors since
people returned back to work
OVERSEAS news
space offices and are again enjoying
leisure activities banned throughout
large parts of the pandemic.
A national shortage of private hire
drivers has seen the unmet demand
pushed towards the licensed taxi
sector. The minicab driver shortages
have also pushed prices higher than
regulated taxi fares.
Since Spring time, ride-hailing firm
Uber having been looking to recruit
an additional 20,000 private hire
drivers. Operator Addison Lee has
also committed to finding an extra
1,000 drivers in the capital.
This month TaxiPoint reported the
number of registered minicabs
entering London’s Congestion
Charge zone in mid-August 2021
was 43% lower than that recorded in
April 2018.
In April 2018 the daily average
number of PHVs entering central
London stood at 17,271, however
post-pandemic that number has
dropped to just 10,121.
Driver shortages in the sector are
thought to be due to drivers leaving
the industry during the pandemic to
pursue different careers in similar
paid logistic and delivery jobs.
www.drivenow-magazine.com.au
October/November 2021
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