City taxis buyout Mercury taxis in uber scare

[smiggs 10]

How would a taxi driver earn more with Uber?

 

...

 

The drivers pay a mint in radio rent with no guarantee of regular work. The companies will gladly take on drivers, the more drivers the more radio rent but the more drivers the less work to go around. I see them them regulary park up for up to an hour waiting for a job to come. How can that pay?

 

You pretty much answer your own question. Uber drivers just need a mobile phone app and the relevant licenced vehicle, giving them more flexibility to do other work if it's a slow day.

[The Joker 10]

Worst drivers on the road all of them. They don't signal but they do drive at excessive speed, park anywhere at any time and follow too closely.

 

That's something the Council should tackle.

 

No different to many other drivers in Sheffield then!

[Pr0187 10]

I know alot of taxi drivers, many of them are on £800+ per week.

[dutch 68]

Uber has been outlawed in Germany, Netherlands and will be outlawed in more to come.

Illegal drivers without commercial licenses or insurance in black-market tax-free systems are not to play taxi driver there like they do in third world countries.

Personally I would use it at my own risk if it were available here.

[Cyclone 10]

It is available here (in the UK, not Sheffield), and as per UK law the drivers must be registered as cab operators.

[small_hall 10]

Excuse me, but what've Sheffield City Taxi got to do with Mercury?

Sheffield City Taxi's are rubbish, whereas Mercury are a really decent private company who, not only the drivers say are good to work for (I ask them), but are completely reliable and provide decent cars. For instance, I was recently collected in an AMG Mercedes and have been taken (quickly) to the railway station in the owners new Roller some years ago, when they were having a prob getting a car to me on time (they wouldn't even charge me because it's illegal to charge in a private car, not registered as a taxi) ... so far as I'm concerned, that's good service.

 

If Mercury have been bought my City Taxis I'll be pretty distraught (in an Alcoblog sort of way).

 

city taxi's and mercury have merged. I work PT in a city centre hotel, and spotted a notice up on Tuesday saying they had merged companies. Its in effect from sometime in May (i think? - off the top of my head? ).

 

ETA - Just been on both their sites with no mention of the merge.. I will take a pic of the info leaflet if i remember.

Edited April 30, 2015 by small_hall

[smiggs 10]

city taxi's and mercury have merged. I work PT in a city centre hotel, and spotted a notice up on Tuesday saying they had merged companies. Its in effect from sometime in May (i think? - off the top of my head? ).

 

ETA - Just been on both their sites with no mention of the merge.. I will take a pic of the info leaflet if i remember.

 

I would imagine that that Mercury will become more expensive and exclusive, rather than merging the brands together. That's what I would do anyway.

 

Do we know which company is the purchaser?

[small_hall 10]

I would imagine that that Mercury will become more expensive and exclusive, rather than merging the brands together. That's what I would do anyway.

 

Do we know which company is the purchaser?

 

City Taxis .. - From what i remember the leaflet said they it was to help Mercury reach areas that are further out of town and both companies wanted to "expand" to become a better taxi service to sheffield residents.

[Cyclone 10]

How do you make a taxi service more exclusive? And if it becomes more expensive won't people just use the other brand?

[arrowhead 20]

right. There seems to be a lot of confusion on here. So to help you:

City have PURCHASED Mercury (not merged) for £2 million plus shares.

In due course the Mercury name will be retired.

Essentially the choice for most people will be CITY or UBER.

 

And yes the reason for the purchase is the threat of UBER.

 

City owners are running scared with threats made against any driver who leaves to go to UBER, i.e. will never for work for City again.

 

The only people who will benefit from this is are the millionaire City partners. The drivers will not nor the customers.

 

Hope this will clear the confusion.

[small_hall 10]

right. There seems to be a lot of confusion on here. So to help you:

City have PURCHASED Mercury (not merged) for £2 million plus shares.

In due course the Mercury name will be retired.

Essentially the choice for most people will be CITY or UBER.

 

And yes the reason for the purchase is the threat of UBER.

 

City owners are running scared with threats made against any driver who leaves to go to UBER, i.e. will never for work for City again.

 

The only people who will benefit from this is are the millionaire City partners. The drivers will not nor the customers.

 

Hope this will clear the confusion.

 

I dont recall any mention of UBER taxis on the leaflet, but now you mention it - this does seem to likely be the reason both companies are operating as one. ( I am sure it said merge on the leaflet at work)

[mafya 243]

right. There seems to be a lot of confusion on here. So to help you:

City have PURCHASED Mercury (not merged) for £2 million plus shares.

In due course the Mercury name will be retired.

Essentially the choice for most people will be CITY or UBER.

 

And yes the reason for the purchase is the threat of UBER.

 

City owners are running scared with threats made against any driver who leaves to go to UBER, i.e. will never for work for City again.

 

The only people who will benefit from this is are the millionaire City partners. The drivers will not nor the customers.

 

Hope this will clear the confusion.

 

The drivers need to set up a rival firm to city if they are that bothered and stick it out while the new firm gets up and running, they all moan about City running a monopoly yet not many are willing to go to a newly set up firm as they don't want to be out of pocket till the new firm gets established.