The fear of "How much is it going to cost?" is a major killer for me - I do appreciate Cabs are probably way easier/quicker in London but it's worth it knowing the price
If London black cabs have an app then you guys need to promote it more extensively through social media. Also I would have stickers inside the cab with a QR CODE so the passengers can quickly and easily download the app. The smartphone generation are all about apps and convenience.
The certainty of the fixed prices in apps like Uber are also part of the attraction. With little/no traffic, the meters are probably less expensive, but with traffic the fixed prices will usually be lower. Surge prices aren't fun but they do serve a purpose to attract more drivers to the areas with demand, which for some folks could be better than not getting a ride at all. In other cities/countries, taxis also have many surge-like prices e.g. peak-hour surcharges, which apps do not have.
The price before you order is definitely a big plus for some people. As a person that rarely uses taxis, I'm always very nervous that I don't know how much it would cost, which is why the few times I've gone with a black cab it was still through an app like Gett just for that peace of mind of knowing the cost.
I hate that Uber change their prices at random, the price goes up in the rain, in the heat, at busy times. It's not even a small amount the prices often double.
Its funny you say that, I tried to take an Uber from hounslow to Wimbledon the other day (mainly because there are no black cabs to flag down) and after multiple cancellations I decided to see what other apps there are. I tried Ola. No fixed price just ‘it will be between this and that’ but I needed to make the journey for work so I went for it. Got the invoice. Flat fee of £3.30 then stoppage fee and distance. It seems they are operating their prices similar to how a hackney carriage does their pricing
Not to mention the fact that Uber works in pretty much any major city. Landed in Germany and can't speak German? No problem, just copy in the address to the Uber app, and they'll get you there.
In the interests of fairness and balance I reckon you should have had someone with you who actually took the Uber rides whilst you took the black cabs and then compared the fares paid and route taken.
Yeah, though checking the fare at the exact time he takes a black cab isn’t a bad substitute. In the instance where he couldn’t find a cab it would be useful to see him use a black cab app. It was glossed over but that’s a benefit of the apps, they can get a taxi to you, even if you can’t find one on the streets.
Good idea, but if he did that, I suspect Uber would look amazing. Prices and journey time, I suspect, would be comparable to a black cab so defeats the point of the video.
You lads (and lasses) are part of the very fabric of London! NOTHING must ever change in regard to the way you train, drive, and generally conduct yourselves with the public. The black cab ... one of the capitals greatest assets! All the best. :)
I have actively boycotted Uber for a number of years. Anytime I am in London and need a cab I will always support the black cab trade. People that moan about the prices remind of the same types of people that moan about the cost food when they shop at Waitrose. A cab is a luxury and if if for a few extra pounds I am supporting an individual rather than a huge international corporation I will chose the black cab all day.
I don't live in the UK but we have Uber here as well as normal taxis. I would say the biggest advantage for me is to know what the price is going to be ahead of time. You wouldn't buy anything else if you only knew what it cost once you're legally obliged to pay
Short journeys are always expensive. It's the longer journeys say Kings Road to the West End that black cabs make less sense, especially stuck in traffic. No prices do not change mid-journey. Airport run is also easier to plan the cost. I have compared black cab and it's much more expensive.
I think that the ‘black cab institute’ is hands down the best. Just imagine the time (and money) a cabbie has spent doing the knowledge, just imagine the standard cabs with a very suitable layout, the standard pricing… Not only is a black cab driver excellently trained in going from a to b as quick as possible he also knows details of important landmarks. A no-brainer if you ask me.
Another random example: I was taking a cab at 4pm from Oxford Circus to Paddington because the tube was congested; Uber's price was 11-12 quid while the Black Cab ended up being 14. (15 w/ tip) - I could have saved the 2 pounds, but being in a rush it was great the black cab could wheeze past traffic without any issues That said for longer durations (ie City - LHR) I'll still prefer Uber as it's cheaper (assuming I can expense either)
The security of a set price is what makes me prefer uber. I dont need to sit there watching the meter is money is tight. also an added bonus to Uber is if I have a terrible experience with a driver, such as abuse or dangerous driving I almost always get a refund or £5 discount on next ride.
Being a private hire driver that only does fixed price long distance work, I sometimes check Uber prices out of interest,. They are normally higher, sometimes over double. I was talking to a customer the other day (on a 3 hour drive), he was telling me that he had been trying to use Uber for rides between his hotel and office, only for the jobs to be cancelled a few minutes after booking.
Uber's predatory pricing has had an effect on the London Taxi trade, customers are flocking back to the London taxis. Millions of people seduced by ride sharing past discounts, would have normally used public transport. Recent price increases by Uber and availability has seen an exodus of customers returning to other suppliers.
I had an issue a month ago where the price they charged wasn't the price I accepted and for reasons beyond me Uber ended up charging me £4 extra. Maybe I didn't read the small print but I was very confused. I tried to find the root of the problem on Uber's website but I couldn't even contest it. Doesn't really fill me with faith to use it again.
Yeah Uber is a fixed price within certain time and route assumptions, but if the traffic is particularly heavy such that your journey takes longer than “anticipated”, they charge you an increased amount. It’s never been entirely clear to me exactly how generous the flexibility on the “fixed” price is before you get stung for the extras.
Got in a cab at Holborn today after watching this video. Was the drivers 1st journey after 3 hours of looking. Going to St Pancras, Uber said £18, cab was £11.60. 1000% will get a cab in London now
The only reason the price may go up after booking one is if you the passenger keeps the driver waiting more then 3 minutes i.e you pop to the shop on the way or you get in the car straight away when it turns up. Traffic will NOT affect the price after booking
Difference between booking a cab and hailing a cab is a hard comparison to make, think it's all down to what the individual is more comfortable with really.
I use Uber all the time in Bristol as my local Taxi firm are unreliable "He's just turning your corner" is thier favourite saying when you call after your ride hasnt turned up after 30 minutes of the time booked. Urber price gauging can be brutal. I go to Temple Meads station quite a bit, prices can vary from £7 mid morning when the sun is shining to £28 during a rainy rush hour Urber has never let me down. Fixed prices and prepayment are also massive part of the attraction. Great video Tom I realy enjoy your channel keep them coming!! 🚕
Hey Tom I’ve got a question for you if you don’t mind answering. More of an observation on my behalf and I’m just wondering how you would go about doing it. I’ve been delivering all this week to Buckingham Palace for the Queens Jubilee, i’ve noticed that a few taxis have liveries/wraps essentially being used as an advertising board for different companies. My questions are, Who decides what liveries go on what taxis? Is it down to the driver? Does the driver gets a salary or rewarded in anyway for having the livery? Could you have a livery? Like for example Yfood? Just curious :) Hope you have a wonderful day mate
Thanks Luke! Sounds like you’ve got a sweet job there, would love to hear about that one! It’s been requested quite a lot so I think I will have to make it
@@TomtheTaxiDriver I’d like to see that video mate 🤙🏻 nice one. Yea I’ve done a video on it. I think it’s probably best to upload AFTER the jubilee though as it may be seen as a security risk as I’m behind the scenes
Have you covered "tipping" in your videos? (I looked, but could not find anything.) I'd be interested to know what the guidance is for Black Cabs and whether that affects their pricing versus Uber and Lyft. I'd be curious what you generally receive, and whether it varies with the nationality of the rider, time of day, getting the rider on time for a train or plane, etc. Thanks. ---Mike
Yeah Uber will put prices up. I used one in Bristol once, booked it 12 Hours in Advance as needed to go to a meeting. When it got dispatched it was double price. Never use Uber anywhere now let alone London.
Let’s be honest, nobody who has any regard for prices of things will take a taxi or Uber from Kings Cross to St Paul’s unless the cost isn’t important to them, either due to expenses or wealth, if they’re a tourist and not confident in using the public transport system, or else if they have some reason not to use public transport, such as a disability. So cost isn’t as much of an issue. Getting back to expenses though, you can see that the trip to St Paul’s has resulted in a hand written docket for expenses claim, whereas an Uber will show much more detail in a clearer format, and may be preferable to some companies as it is less open to abuse. There’s a lot more than prices which differentiate public transport, Uber and black cab.
Cabs are expensive, but they are a luxury. I have no right to complain if I have other options. If I don't have other options and I'm stranded, the cost is worth it. Happened to me at uni, went to Primrose Hill with some friends, lost them, and couldn't remember how to get back to the bus stop. The tube station was shut and I was wandering around for almost an hour, starting to think I might have to sleep behind a bush. Thank god a cab came along!
Unfortunately we suffer from bad PR....people just see a black cab and think expensive, I did a trip from Camden to Kew Gardens some months ago..£48.00 in a black cab and think Uber were quoting 42.00 for a standard car as we had a pushchair it was easier to take the cab, great video Tom..
I’ve never used black cabs in my life cause I couldn’t afford them. Uber opened up the opportunity to use them when I need to. The fixed price for me is huge for budgeting with the cost of living crisis.
My Uncle was a Black cabbie from the 50s to the 90s. I wouldn’t take an Uber but with a black cab you never know the price when you hail one as you don’t know the traffic. The difference with Uber is you agree the fair and it is set regardless of the traffic. I emigrated to Sweden and in Stockholm it’s different. The official taxi drivers are also on an app to compete with Uber on the set price. I can hail a taxi which might cost £10 or £20 depending on traffic. If I use the app for the SAME taxi it would be somewhere in the middle, say £15.
I thought Uber pricing was an approximation depending on time. The actual fare is decided after your journey has stopped. In Newcastle we do have some taxi companies that offer fixed fairs where its to the city centre or Airport they charge you a fixed rate.
I never have taken black cab due to one simple reason - I don`t know what journey will cost me. Compared to Uber, I can get estimated cost upfront which helps me decide if I`m willing to pay that or take public transport etc. With black cabs, you get in, they take you there and then you might get a shock.
Private hire drivers also grumble about Uber surge pricing if they don't have meters and quote a fixed fare. This is how it works in Birmingham. Their point is that at the same time Uber is on surge pricing, they are busy too but they can only charge the same fare as normal
Great video! When you were in the back of the cabs, did you ever think "why are you going this way?" or did they all pretty much take the routes you would have?
Only the second route. But as I wasn't working that day I had no idea where the traffic may have been. It's my day off I don't want to have to think haha!
@ Tom the taxi driver - Go steady on Uber, the drivers that work for them are just normal people and want their passengers to get from A to B in the safest way possible, and with every thing in life, things will go wrong on occasion, just like with any part of the taxi industry. The choice is there for the public to use whichever service suits them at that given moment, and in that specific area of the country. I myself have used Black Cabs and Uber, never had a bad experience, always excellent service.
@@TomtheTaxiDriver well last month your videos saved me from paying eye watering fare on uber. Landed at Heathrow at 930pm looking for a ride to southhal. I needed mpv Coz of the luggage and uber was £64 with bolt at second position at £47.walked to rank got in the cab who took me n my luggage for £33 50 on tarrif 3.👌
@@TomtheTaxiDriver Exactly. I did the Apps at the very beginning, the thing is when it's busy on the streets it's busy on the apps and vice versa when it's quiet. Personally I don't need a "middle man" adding expense to my passenger and taking a percentage off me. I can ply for hire and the job in front of me is best for me, the passenger and the enviroment rather than chasing down an app job.
This was an excuse to uber-bash and in reality it showed how the fixed price of app journey can help in situations of heavy traffic. But let's be honest, nobody who cares about money will get either an uber or black cab in Central London for a 5 minute trip. From my experience, uber and other apps are incredibly useful in the suburbs and especially helpful when getting home at night when there are fewer trains. A good test would be to do a uber vs black cab from central out 10/15 miles without price surges
I think it's unfair to say he was Uber bashing. if you've previously watched his videos you would no that's not his intentions it's obvious he's just trying out new video ideas.
You also have to remember that customers are only paying 40% of the fare in an Uber, the other 60% is investors money hence the huge losses by Uber $30billion and counting to entice customers to use Uber. You are now seeing huge hikes from Uber to appease worried investors and taking an Uber out of London can be staggering and more expensive than a cab. Uber after raising prices by 80% still cannot show a profit.
I think Uber is a bit like flight websites, the site recognises your IP address so every time you do a search the price rises to make you think there’s a high demand for that service…. 🤔
Fare jacking on Uber has happened to me several times. Usually to increase the fare by about a tenner. Uber has a system in place, you complain and the software has a look at the route and time of your journey and from my experience usually makes a decision in the customers favour to refund the extra charge. It’s a pretty instant refund as a rule.
I’m not 100% if it’s the same in London but a bit further up north here in Yorkshire, the prince shown on the Uber app is what you pay and sometimes in cities you can actually book a black cab through Uber (did this in Blackpool) which usually gives you a range which you would be charged. This is because Uber sometimes offer to book a taxi with a local company but through them which helps if you’re in an area you don’t know. It definitely makes things easier for me as a student since I can factor it into my weekly budget and decide whether or not to just walk it. It’s also a lot harder to spontaneously hail a cab on the street here which definitely makes a difference😅
I don't quite understand this. You always say that when you are stuck in traffic you actually end up earning less, so how was the traffic a problem in the second one?
With a black cab you are getting consistency - safe driving, hygienic seating and guaranteed space for passengers and luggage. Ive been in Ubers that I'm sure have not passed MOT, have had bundles of stuff in the boot meaning luggage has to go on the seat with me and some of the worst driving I've ever seen. Black cabs can be more expensive, but are totally worth it.
Every Private Hire/Hackney Carriage Vehicle has to be inspected by the licensing authority every year, some are inspected twice a year. They have to have an in date MOT at all times, and are regularly inspected by licensing officers at check points in cities in the UK. All cars driven by Uber drivers, are private hire/hackney carriage vehicles, and the drivers are all licensed as private hire/hackney carriage drivers. This is the law in the UK.
@@matthewfrancis9830 yea but what if a Uber driver uses another car or shared their Uber credentials with someone else? I’ve seen that happen first case before.
@ Jim Banks - The vehicle registration plate is provided to every passenger on the app and they are encouraged to check it, before getting in the vehicle and report it to Uber if it is not correct, and not to get in the vehicle, as is the licence number of the driver. Also, Uber regularly carry out facial recognition checks on drivers through the app at random intervals, if the driver doesn't match the facial recognition check, the driver is automatically suspended pending further verification checks in person. If they repeatedly fail, they can be deactivated permanently and reported to their licensing authority. Uber is about as safe as you can get in the taxi industry, and their policies and procedures are second to none.
I visit London a couple of times a year. When I do I prefer Uber. I agree the cost upfont and know what I am paying. In a taxi the cost is fluid. It could be anything. Traffic, closed roads etc.. all mean the cost can jus go up and up. I prefer to pay a quid or two extra to to not have to be looking at a meter the entire journey.
I'd be curious to see the difference in routes drivers would take. These were all reasonably short trips, but you've explained before how sometimes you pretty much have to go around the most obvious route just because of traffic. Any chance you could show off some of those in this same style, proving that a taxi driver is really never looking to waste your time (or theirs)?
A taxi driver won't try to take a slower route, but with computers crunching realtime traffic data they can't be as all-knowing as Waze etc. Some places they can use bus lanes so maybe they do work out quicker anyway, and navigation apps don't always have the perfect data, but I'd be shocked if the computer weren't faster on average.
I've never seen a price change mid-trip with uber, however, if a surge is about to start soon it is very difficult to book an uber with a non-surge fare. The drivers can see the price before they accept a fare. This has meant on many occasions I've had every driver around reject my non-surge fare because a surge has just begun, and they know not only will everyone else's fare will be higher, but that in 5 minutes they can accept the same journey from me for sometimes double the money
Amazing video Tom, the issue I have personally that I live in Bromley and if I have a night out a black cab from/near greek street to bromley will be in excess of £70 but a uber around £40-£50 I feel with distance black cabs greatly increase plus they havent wanted to go that far south sometimes
That's provided an Uber will accept to take you there. I had many customers asking me "Why isn't my Uber picking up?" in tears, as they'd been waiting half hours trying to get someone to accept. The cost you pay helps the cabbie to cover the cost of dead time, having to come back in town. Bromley is not really round the corner from central London. Moreover you could fit 6 passengers in a TX, and share the price Many Uber still allow only 3 passengers, as you probably know.
Uber does increase prices when traffic increases. We got an Uber in Edinburgh and it started heavily raining. The bill jumped from £7.86 to £20.54. We had no clue the price changed until we checked the money that had come out of my account.
As far as I understand, it doesn't surge whilst you are actually in the vehicle. The price you pay is the price you were shown upfront, unless there are significant deviations or a destination change, or stops added.
10% off the 10% off price is only 19% off total ((p*0.9)*0.9=p*0.81) - if it was 20% off it would be 41p cheaper. It’s a common mistake (and marketing tactic) but makes a significant difference when you get to higher prices 😀
I can’t help but think that if I choose a taxi, a significant amount of the profits will stay in the London economy, and if I choose and Uber that money gets distributed to international investors. To me it makes more sense to support local economies. But that’s just me.
On my last visit in London I took an Uber Ole time , and never again. While it might be cheaper than a black cab, you have to think about that black cab drivers do this everyday for a living and therefore know the best routes and how to navigate the London traffic. The uber ride i went on the driver simply couldn't handle the traffic very well and was stuck in traffic for way to long, resulting in that it took twice as long as it would have with an black cab. The Uber drivers are for the most part not as used to drive and therefore less "aggressive" in traffic and thous using mutch longer getting from A to B. In my opinion
uber work on a surge system . i know a guy who went from liverpool to birmingham on new years morning . cost £600 . 5x fare . also liverpool to southport £150 . that is about 6x .
i'm a cabbie in sunderland, spoke to a couple who went out last bank holiday to newcastle. of course it's busy, queue for the hacks at the station to get back home, wife had new shoes on...ear bending ensues, husband whips out the phone and see's through bleary eyes that he could get an uber in about half an hour.... pops into the boozer opposite the station for a quick half and then away home when mr uber turns up. next day, rough as badgers, hubbie checks his phone...so instead of a what would normally be a 42-ish quid fair it tells him that it cost him £184.00 of the queens finest. that's some expensive shoes was my reply 😂
I use both, but will say that price isn’t the main attraction for me to services like Uber, I think it’s swings and roundabouts on which is cheapest. The benefits for Uber for me are related to ease of booking and starting the journey. in your example you gave up hailing a cab and took the train instead, with Uber you know how long it will take and can plan accordingly. Being able to schedule journeys at a specific time/location is also a benefit. Aside from that, Uber receipts linking in automatically with corporate expense systems makes it a very easy process for travelling on business compared to faffing around with paper receipts.
I could have pressed the Uber button but there's plenty of examples where they just cancel jobs because a more attractive one comes up. Not the same reliability of seeing a taxi there and then.
Personally, I very rarely use a Taxi or PHV, and the few times I do use them is usually because I either have bulky luggage, am in a hurry, or have someone with mobility problems with me. In all these cases, being able to just hail an easily accessible cab there and then is far more important than the price (especially since unless you're travelling with multiple passengers, bus or tube would be cheaper than either PHV or Taxi regardless). I can see the appeal of Uber for people who live in the suburbs though, where you can't rely on the stream of taxis going by you get in central.
I live in Reading, and Uber service is quite poor here with very few cars so high wait times, not only that it is also often 1.5-2x the price of a black cab or other ride sharing apps, I think Uber is generally quite poor in the UK
I think Uber is best for medium - long journey's out of surge pricing. Especially outside of London. Tbh i used to leave clubs 15 mins before closing to get cheaper uber rates to get home for the cheapest rate.
I booked an Uber 4 days in advance for Heathrow. £28 from mine at 5:30 in the morning. I get a text 5 mins before pick up. It’s now £42 because ‘increased demand’ because it’s raining. (They refunded that in the end but a p-take for a pre pre PRE booked cab)
I would guess its more because no driver was accepting the job and they had to "surge price" to get a driver to accept the job. Unlike a black cab were if you book with them it'd already assigned to a specific driver who has accepted to do the job.
Id say taxi is better as they normally take the best route as for uber they follow their GPS which is always taking bad routes and the price always changes on the app
Alot of the time now especially with the cost of living people will choose price over anything else. Ive just been quoted on uber paddington station-Heathrow T4. £47.50 i mean how can a black cab driver compete with those prices.
great video tom the london eye journey is what worries me about black cabs seeing the meter go up but not moving much if uber booking prices are fixed when booked and dont change they are not going to be going away any time soon.
Uber/pre booked cab is better than taxis from Heathrow for example. I actually had a horrible experience with a black cab from Heathrow a couple of weeks ago. He misjudged how long it would take to get to ealing and dropped me off in a completely different place so he could get back to the rank at Heathrow. And it was insanely expensive.
I’m on the fence. I am pretty split 50/50 between my use of black cabs and Ubers and between 7-8 out of 10 times, black cans are more expensive. On the side note, one thing that really draws me toward Uber is knowing exactly how much I’ll pay before I even order the ride whereas black cabs are very on the whim. This means that people with less disposable income or students are less inclined to take them as they never really know how much they’ll pay in the end
I don’t use either in London, but I’ve always been slightly wary of cabs because you don’t know how much a journey is going to cost you whereas the tube is cheap (and has a daily cap). I suppose you could ask the driver before you get in but then I feel like I’m committing to taking the journey by hailing them down
Uber price consists of 1.50 congestion charge which black cabs don't pay. Plus,price is not the only issue. Lots of black cabs don't want to take card payment. Furthermore, you have to hail a taxi whereas you can get Uber on your door. You had your days Cabbies but with the younger generations they like things fast,convenient and hassle free.
I live just outside of London on a Friday night about 2am I’ve just finished work and was looking to get home it’s about 15 minute journey and I looked at Uber and they were charging £54 this was surged normally it’s about £11 which seems fair so I just booked with the local taxi company which cost me £12.If Uber knows your trying to get home at like 2/3am and they’re busy they massively surge the price because they know you can’t another way home. There app learns your journeys I’ve found out.
I was trying to hail down a black cab around Fulham Broadway station last week. Took me over half an hour to find one.... A few occupied ones drove past, one driver was paying no attention to any potential passengers and only looking at the road (very busy junction to be fair to him) and ages standing around with a single cab in sight... Then I finally do find one, I tell the cabbie I need to get to Steventon Road in White City, and he tells me he's never heard of it... I get in the cab (boiling hot in there) and check Google Maps if I can find a bigger road or landmark in close vicinity to Steventon Rd that the cabbie might know. Tell him another road (can't remember it now) he doesn't know it again (or didnt hear me properly), then I tell him a park which is pretty close to where I had to go, he didnt know that either..! Only when I told him "near Old Oak Road" did he have a clue where I was talking about other than very broadly "White City" And Old Oak Rd wasn't even that close to where I had to go, so in the end I had to direct the cabbie via Google Maps on my own phone! And then to top things off, the flippin card machine only worked on the 5th try (of 2 different cards and both cards had worked before that day and worked again later that day). Very disappointed by the whole black cab experience... Cabbie was a lovely chap in his late 60s or even early 70s, at least he seemed that old considering he was telling me cabbie stories from the 1970s...
Aren't you clever with your phone and Google maps. He would have got you there even if he needed A-Z to look that road up. Ask 100 cab drivers if they know that road, you're be lucky to find five who know it right away. Old Oak Road not close to Stevenson Road you say ? Your road is off the other. He probably headed towards White City to save time and asked you to look up the last bit to help out. Yet all you've done is moan..
Great comparison Tom. I'm in my 50s and always though Black Cabs were expensive hence i use Minicabs and Uber. The trouble I have with Uber is their drivers cancelling you whilst your waiting for pickup. it happens a lot! I live in Eltham and my recent Uber trip was to the dogs at Crayford at 18:00, Price was £14.33, good. I pre-booked on the app to be picked up for the return at 22:45, Price quoted £16.00 but with 5 minutes to go Uber Cancelled the pick up advising lack of drivers in the area. absolute rubbish as I went for a live booking and picked up a driver within 5 minutes who took me home and the cost? £14:00. Its the unreliability that gets me. And don't get me started on BOLT with double charging
I’m amazed that surge pricing is legal. What other businesses are allowed to do that? BTW: from Berkeley Square, there’s a Piccolo not that far away. Plus, at the north side of Berkeley Square and through the alleyway, there’s a great deli.
Hi Tom Do you take private bookings ? I’m going to coldplay in Wembley in august and will need a taxi to and from the gig if you are interested or can you recommend the best form of transport to and from event from central London and would they need pre booking?
My company forbids us to take an uber. This is caused to a accident happened with a coworker of mine in a uber car. He got hurt. The driver had the wrong insurance, with a lot of problems in the aftermath. Since then we are only allowed to take official regulated taxi's.
Interesting video, I think cabs are great for convenience if you can put your arm up and get a ride right on the kerbside but having used a lot of both cabs and uber's it always seems a fair bit cheaper using the Uber app but it does stand to reason.
Another issue lately with Uber is being given the price in both busy and quiet times, clicking accept and then waiting whilst it tries to find you a driver to accept your job. Not sure if it's the drivers refusing to take the jobs or there aren't enough drivers (drivers claim it's the lattern when I have asked). Not all Ubers are bangers, I have been in some very nice luxury cars, without even requesting it. I have found the fare I have been quoted is the fare I have paid, but then I haven't been caught up in lots of traffic. I have also used taxis and find in general they are great, reliable and do offer a level of service and are even better, especially if you can share the fare with some friends, and will often use them. There will always be plus and minus for both, the other day I ordered an Uber and it was with me within 2 mins, wheres as sometimes it looks like I can't see an orange light for ages. One last gripe about Uber is they seem to take the money when you ask for the job, then when it gets cancelled (can't find a driver for example) they immediately refund your money. Just take teh money once the fare is finished.
Uber has guranteed prices and a nicer way of getting a taxi than hailing, tbh idek how to hail a taxi but i can book an uber. And the known price isn't just less worry but it can help you plan your journey.
Have used Uber abroad in Amsterdam and Paris and drivers can cancel you before you get picked up, don't know if they look at jobs and see a better fare. I have even had the car i was waiting for drive past me, you then have to wait for another driver to take your fare. I had 2 drivers accept then cancel my job in Amsterdam before i finally got picked up, much better to hail a cab and know it's there.
Or in the states, where the Uber driver on the way to collecting a passenger will intentionally drive in the opposite direction... why? Because then it is the passenger who eventually has to cancel and not the driver!
when i was in London a regular cab was cheaper and more convenient; in London Uber fare is not fixed. In other words they quote 10 pounds but they can charge you 15 for various reasons.
Besides surge pricing, Uber bases its fares on what it’s algorithm thinks you’re willing to pay. They gather data about their users and make some assumptions. So if you regularly take surge priced trips, you’ll probably start seeing the average fares go up too.
The fear of "How much is it going to cost?" is a major killer for me - I do appreciate Cabs are probably way easier/quicker in London but it's worth it knowing the price
wrg, no fearx etc
I agree this is a massive deciding factor for me.
It's cheaper or the same as Uber in central London, but if say you want to go to Heathrow Uber is cheaper.
If London black cabs have an app then you guys need to promote it more extensively through social media. Also I would have stickers inside the cab with a QR CODE so the passengers can quickly and easily download the app. The smartphone generation are all about apps and convenience.
They've been plenty, it's just that you can't compete against vc backed money that allows your app to lose billions every year.
The certainty of the fixed prices in apps like Uber are also part of the attraction.
With little/no traffic, the meters are probably less expensive, but with traffic the fixed prices will usually be lower.
Surge prices aren't fun but they do serve a purpose to attract more drivers to the areas with demand, which for some folks could be better than not getting a ride at all.
In other cities/countries, taxis also have many surge-like prices e.g. peak-hour surcharges, which apps do not have.
The price before you order is definitely a big plus for some people. As a person that rarely uses taxis, I'm always very nervous that I don't know how much it would cost, which is why the few times I've gone with a black cab it was still through an app like Gett just for that peace of mind of knowing the cost.
I hate that Uber change their prices at random, the price goes up in the rain, in the heat, at busy times. It's not even a small amount the prices often double.
@@XLR8bg, every time I’ve asked a London cabbie for a rough estimate of the fare to a destination they have been pretty hot on the mark.
Its funny you say that, I tried to take an Uber from hounslow to Wimbledon the other day (mainly because there are no black cabs to flag down) and after multiple cancellations I decided to see what other apps there are. I tried Ola. No fixed price just ‘it will be between this and that’ but I needed to make the journey for work so I went for it. Got the invoice. Flat fee of £3.30 then stoppage fee and distance. It seems they are operating their prices similar to how a hackney carriage does their pricing
Not to mention the fact that Uber works in pretty much any major city. Landed in Germany and can't speak German? No problem, just copy in the address to the Uber app, and they'll get you there.
In the interests of fairness and balance I reckon you should have had someone with you who actually took the Uber rides whilst you took the black cabs and then compared the fares paid and route taken.
of course he wont do that, he knows how much cheaper uber, or local cab companies are
Yeah, though checking the fare at the exact time he takes a black cab isn’t a bad substitute. In the instance where he couldn’t find a cab it would be useful to see him use a black cab app. It was glossed over but that’s a benefit of the apps, they can get a taxi to you, even if you can’t find one on the streets.
Good idea, but if he did that, I suspect Uber would look amazing. Prices and journey time, I suspect, would be comparable to a black cab so defeats the point of the video.
Tom the Taxi Passenger. Love it! Really shows how consistent and high quality the black cab service is compared to the Uber service.
You lads (and lasses) are part of the very fabric of London! NOTHING must ever change in regard to the way you train, drive, and generally conduct yourselves with the public. The black cab ... one of the capitals greatest assets! All the best. :)
I have actively boycotted Uber for a number of years. Anytime I am in London and need a cab I will always support the black cab trade. People that moan about the prices remind of the same types of people that moan about the cost food when they shop at Waitrose. A cab is a luxury and if if for a few extra pounds I am supporting an individual rather than a huge international corporation I will chose the black cab all day.
But if Uber are now 80% of the time now more expensive due to $30 billion in losses, does that still make a London cab a luxury.
Good attitude
Spot on.
Support individuals, not big corporations that want a monopoly 👏🏻
Thanks for your support!
Well said
I don't live in the UK but we have Uber here as well as normal taxis. I would say the biggest advantage for me is to know what the price is going to be ahead of time. You wouldn't buy anything else if you only knew what it cost once you're legally obliged to pay
god forbid there is an accident, or railway crossing lol
How Tom gestures with his head like he’s saying “yes get in” when the taxi driver says “yes” 😂 habit I guess haha
3:18
Some cabbies going round saying...I had that Tom in the back of my cab the other day.
Short journeys are always expensive. It's the longer journeys say Kings Road to the West End that black cabs make less sense, especially stuck in traffic. No prices do not change mid-journey. Airport run is also easier to plan the cost. I have compared black cab and it's much more expensive.
I think that the ‘black cab institute’ is hands down the best.
Just imagine the time (and money) a cabbie has spent doing the knowledge, just imagine the standard cabs with a very suitable layout, the standard pricing…
Not only is a black cab driver excellently trained in going from a to b as quick as possible he also knows details of important landmarks. A no-brainer if you ask me.
They should learn some manners on the road as well
Another random example: I was taking a cab at 4pm from Oxford Circus to Paddington because the tube was congested; Uber's price was 11-12 quid while the Black Cab ended up being 14. (15 w/ tip) - I could have saved the 2 pounds, but being in a rush it was great the black cab could wheeze past traffic without any issues
That said for longer durations (ie City - LHR) I'll still prefer Uber as it's cheaper (assuming I can expense either)
Five stops directly on the Bakerloo line. Likely quicker than a taxi and what 12 quid cheaper?
That was the original plan but it was 4pm and there was a queue to enter the station so didn't want to miss the train and then my flight later :)
I always found I was spending upwards of £20 whenever I used a black cab but with Uber it was only £10 each time
Just shows that UBER are crooks they should be terminated worldwide.
The security of a set price is what makes me prefer uber. I dont need to sit there watching the meter is money is tight.
also an added bonus to Uber is if I have a terrible experience with a driver, such as abuse or dangerous driving I almost always get a refund or £5 discount on next ride.
Being a private hire driver that only does fixed price long distance work, I sometimes check Uber prices out of interest,. They are normally higher, sometimes over double.
I was talking to a customer the other day (on a 3 hour drive), he was telling me that he had been trying to use Uber for rides between his hotel and office, only for the jobs to be cancelled a few minutes after booking.
Uber's predatory pricing has had an effect on the London Taxi trade, customers are flocking back to the London taxis.
Millions of people seduced by ride sharing past discounts, would have normally used public transport.
Recent price increases by Uber and availability has seen an exodus of customers returning to other suppliers.
Black cabs also don’t have to pay congestion charge, this cost hasn’t to be taken into consideration, also bus lane fines etc
I had an issue a month ago where the price they charged wasn't the price I accepted and for reasons beyond me Uber ended up charging me £4 extra. Maybe I didn't read the small print but I was very confused. I tried to find the root of the problem on Uber's website but I couldn't even contest it. Doesn't really fill me with faith to use it again.
My understanding is the fixed price quoted is adjusted for time and distance {time in traffic}.
Had a similar experience, paid more than the quoted price because I was charged for the fact there was traffic.
Another great video Tom one day I may bump into you in London anyway you take care. Keep the videos coming great work.
Yeah Uber is a fixed price within certain time and route assumptions, but if the traffic is particularly heavy such that your journey takes longer than “anticipated”, they charge you an increased amount. It’s never been entirely clear to me exactly how generous the flexibility on the “fixed” price is before you get stung for the extras.
Got in a cab at Holborn today after watching this video. Was the drivers 1st journey after 3 hours of looking. Going to St Pancras, Uber said £18, cab was £11.60. 1000% will get a cab in London now
Bull
BS
The only reason the price may go up after booking one is if you the passenger keeps the driver waiting more then 3 minutes i.e you pop to the shop on the way or you get in the car straight away when it turns up. Traffic will NOT affect the price after booking
Difference between booking a cab and hailing a cab is a hard comparison to make, think it's all down to what the individual is more comfortable with really.
I use Uber all the time in Bristol as my local Taxi firm are unreliable "He's just turning your corner" is thier favourite saying when you call after your ride hasnt turned up after 30 minutes of the time booked.
Urber price gauging can be brutal. I go to Temple Meads station quite a bit, prices can vary from £7 mid morning when the sun is shining to £28 during a rainy rush hour
Urber has never let me down. Fixed prices and prepayment are also massive part of the attraction.
Great video Tom I realy enjoy your channel keep them coming!! 🚕
Hey Tom I’ve got a question for you if you don’t mind answering. More of an observation on my behalf and I’m just wondering how you would go about doing it.
I’ve been delivering all this week to Buckingham Palace for the Queens Jubilee, i’ve noticed that a few taxis have liveries/wraps essentially being used as an advertising board for different companies.
My questions are, Who decides what liveries go on what taxis?
Is it down to the driver? Does the driver gets a salary or rewarded in anyway for having the livery?
Could you have a livery? Like for example Yfood?
Just curious :)
Hope you have a wonderful day mate
Thanks Luke! Sounds like you’ve got a sweet job there, would love to hear about that one!
It’s been requested quite a lot so I think I will have to make it
@@TomtheTaxiDriver I’d like to see that video mate 🤙🏻 nice one.
Yea I’ve done a video on it. I think it’s probably best to upload AFTER the jubilee though as it may be seen as a security risk as I’m behind the scenes
Have you covered "tipping" in your videos? (I looked, but could not find anything.) I'd be interested to know what the guidance is for Black Cabs and whether that affects their pricing versus Uber and Lyft. I'd be curious what you generally receive, and whether it varies with the nationality of the rider, time of day, getting the rider on time for a train or plane, etc. Thanks. ---Mike
Yeah Uber will put prices up. I used one in Bristol once, booked it 12 Hours in Advance as needed to go to a meeting. When it got dispatched it was double price. Never use Uber anywhere now let alone London.
Let’s be honest, nobody who has any regard for prices of things will take a taxi or Uber from Kings Cross to St Paul’s unless the cost isn’t important to them, either due to expenses or wealth, if they’re a tourist and not confident in using the public transport system, or else if they have some reason not to use public transport, such as a disability. So cost isn’t as much of an issue.
Getting back to expenses though, you can see that the trip to St Paul’s has resulted in a hand written docket for expenses claim, whereas an Uber will show much more detail in a clearer format, and may be preferable to some companies as it is less open to abuse.
There’s a lot more than prices which differentiate public transport, Uber and black cab.
May be you could do a collab with an Uber driver, with a similar challenge?!
Cabs are expensive, but they are a luxury. I have no right to complain if I have other options. If I don't have other options and I'm stranded, the cost is worth it. Happened to me at uni, went to Primrose Hill with some friends, lost them, and couldn't remember how to get back to the bus stop. The tube station was shut and I was wandering around for almost an hour, starting to think I might have to sleep behind a bush. Thank god a cab came along!
Thanks for this. I'll be making a more conscious decision to support black cab drivers, especially after all the work they have to do to be qualified
Unfortunately we suffer from bad PR....people just see a black cab and think expensive, I did a trip from Camden to Kew Gardens some months ago..£48.00 in a black cab and think Uber were quoting 42.00 for a standard car as we had a pushchair it was easier to take the cab, great video Tom..
I’ve never used black cabs in my life cause I couldn’t afford them. Uber opened up the opportunity to use them when I need to. The fixed price for me is huge for budgeting with the cost of living crisis.
My Uncle was a Black cabbie from the 50s to the 90s.
I wouldn’t take an Uber but with a black cab you never know the price when you hail one as you don’t know the traffic. The difference with Uber is you agree the fair and it is set regardless of the traffic.
I emigrated to Sweden and in Stockholm it’s different. The official taxi drivers are also on an app to compete with Uber on the set price. I can hail a taxi which might cost £10 or £20 depending on traffic. If I use the app for the SAME taxi it would be somewhere in the middle, say £15.
I thought Uber pricing was an approximation depending on time. The actual fare is decided after your journey has stopped.
In Newcastle we do have some taxi companies that offer fixed fairs where its to the city centre or Airport they charge you a fixed rate.
if you have ever heard of bolt then I know that is a fixed fair.
I never have taken black cab due to one simple reason - I don`t know what journey will cost me. Compared to Uber, I can get estimated cost upfront which helps me decide if I`m willing to pay that or take public transport etc. With black cabs, you get in, they take you there and then you might get a shock.
Private hire drivers also grumble about Uber surge pricing if they don't have meters and quote a fixed fare. This is how it works in Birmingham. Their point is that at the same time Uber is on surge pricing, they are busy too but they can only charge the same fare as normal
Great video! When you were in the back of the cabs, did you ever think "why are you going this way?" or did they all pretty much take the routes you would have?
Only the second route. But as I wasn't working that day I had no idea where the traffic may have been. It's my day off I don't want to have to think haha!
@ Tom the taxi driver - Go steady on Uber, the drivers that work for them are just normal people and want their passengers to get from A to B in the safest way possible, and with every thing in life, things will go wrong on occasion, just like with any part of the taxi industry.
The choice is there for the public to use whichever service suits them at that given moment, and in that specific area of the country. I myself have used Black Cabs and Uber, never had a bad experience, always excellent service.
@@TomtheTaxiDriver well last month your videos saved me from paying eye watering fare on uber. Landed at Heathrow at 930pm looking for a ride to southhal. I needed mpv Coz of the luggage and uber was £64 with bolt at second position at £47.walked to rank got in the cab who took me n my luggage for £33 50 on tarrif 3.👌
@@TomtheTaxiDriver the second route in my opinion was taking the piss? I would have pulled him on that
Do a comparison on hailing a cab and using free-now black cab app?
Just as bad, they charge the customer on top of the metered rate!
@@TomtheTaxiDriver Exactly. I did the Apps at the very beginning, the thing is when it's busy on the streets it's busy on the apps and vice versa when it's quiet. Personally I don't need a "middle man" adding expense to my passenger and taking a percentage off me. I can ply for hire and the job in front of me is best for me, the passenger and the enviroment rather than chasing down an app job.
I took a black cab from the corner of Tooley st and tower bridge road to Paddington station last week and it was £8 less to take a black cab.
This was an excuse to uber-bash and in reality it showed how the fixed price of app journey can help in situations of heavy traffic. But let's be honest, nobody who cares about money will get either an uber or black cab in Central London for a 5 minute trip.
From my experience, uber and other apps are incredibly useful in the suburbs and especially helpful when getting home at night when there are fewer trains. A good test would be to do a uber vs black cab from central out 10/15 miles without price surges
a black cab would cost alot more most in london zones 1-4 would refuse such a journey anyway
I think it's unfair to say he was Uber bashing. if you've previously watched his videos you would no that's not his intentions it's obvious he's just trying out new video ideas.
You also have to remember that customers are only paying 40% of the fare in an Uber, the other 60% is investors money hence the huge losses by Uber $30billion and counting to entice customers to use Uber.
You are now seeing huge hikes from Uber to appease worried investors and taking an Uber out of London can be staggering and more expensive than a cab.
Uber after raising prices by 80% still cannot show a profit.
I keep getting this bloody Vinted advert when I watch you but I have downloaded and even created account - I still get it.
yes depending on how long a uber sits in traffic etc would also up your price from what your quoted
The whole point behind Uber is to be cheaper than Taxis, make the taxis go bankrupt and then raise prices
This. 100x this. They try it with stuff like Uber eats as well. First it was cheaper and now they take a huge chunk out of a restaurants profit.
I think Uber is a bit like flight websites, the site recognises your IP address so every time you do a search the price rises to make you think there’s a high demand for that service…. 🤔
Fare jacking on Uber has happened to me several times. Usually to increase the fare by about a tenner. Uber has a system in place, you complain and the software has a look at the route and time of your journey and from my experience usually makes a decision in the customers favour to refund the extra charge. It’s a pretty instant refund as a rule.
I’m not 100% if it’s the same in London but a bit further up north here in Yorkshire, the prince shown on the Uber app is what you pay and sometimes in cities you can actually book a black cab through Uber (did this in Blackpool) which usually gives you a range which you would be charged. This is because Uber sometimes offer to book a taxi with a local company but through them which helps if you’re in an area you don’t know.
It definitely makes things easier for me as a student since I can factor it into my weekly budget and decide whether or not to just walk it. It’s also a lot harder to spontaneously hail a cab on the street here which definitely makes a difference😅
I don't quite understand this. You always say that when you are stuck in traffic you actually end up earning less, so how was the traffic a problem in the second one?
The price doesn’t change even if the journey takes longer… they set the price at the start and that’s it
Taxis are not that expensive, and sometimes you need to pay premium for a higher quality.
Great vid as always, informative. Also loved seeing a pedestrian Tom for a change instead of behind the wheel haha.
With a black cab you are getting consistency - safe driving, hygienic seating and guaranteed space for passengers and luggage. Ive been in Ubers that I'm sure have not passed MOT, have had bundles of stuff in the boot meaning luggage has to go on the seat with me and some of the worst driving I've ever seen. Black cabs can be more expensive, but are totally worth it.
Every Private Hire/Hackney Carriage Vehicle has to be inspected by the licensing authority every year, some are inspected twice a year. They have to have an in date MOT at all times, and are regularly inspected by licensing officers at check points in cities in the UK.
All cars driven by Uber drivers, are private hire/hackney carriage vehicles, and the drivers are all licensed as private hire/hackney carriage drivers.
This is the law in the UK.
@@matthewfrancis9830 yea but what if a Uber driver uses another car or shared their Uber credentials with someone else? I’ve seen that happen first case before.
@ Jim Banks - The vehicle registration plate is provided to every passenger on the app and they are encouraged to check it, before getting in the vehicle and report it to Uber if it is not correct, and not to get in the vehicle, as is the licence number of the driver. Also, Uber regularly carry out facial recognition checks on drivers through the app at random intervals, if the driver doesn't match the facial recognition check, the driver is automatically suspended pending further verification checks in person. If they repeatedly fail, they can be deactivated permanently and reported to their licensing authority.
Uber is about as safe as you can get in the taxi industry, and their policies and procedures are second to none.
I visit London a couple of times a year. When I do I prefer Uber. I agree the cost upfont and know what I am paying. In a taxi the cost is fluid. It could be anything. Traffic, closed roads etc.. all mean the cost can jus go up and up. I prefer to pay a quid or two extra to to not have to be looking at a meter the entire journey.
I'd be curious to see the difference in routes drivers would take. These were all reasonably short trips, but you've explained before how sometimes you pretty much have to go around the most obvious route just because of traffic. Any chance you could show off some of those in this same style, proving that a taxi driver is really never looking to waste your time (or theirs)?
A taxi driver won't try to take a slower route, but with computers crunching realtime traffic data they can't be as all-knowing as Waze etc. Some places they can use bus lanes so maybe they do work out quicker anyway, and navigation apps don't always have the perfect data, but I'd be shocked if the computer weren't faster on average.
I've never seen a price change mid-trip with uber, however, if a surge is about to start soon it is very difficult to book an uber with a non-surge fare. The drivers can see the price before they accept a fare. This has meant on many occasions I've had every driver around reject my non-surge fare because a surge has just begun, and they know not only will everyone else's fare will be higher, but that in 5 minutes they can accept the same journey from me for sometimes double the money
That's smart business by those driver's.
Great video Tom, would love to see an update for 2024.
Amazing video Tom, the issue I have personally that I live in Bromley and if I have a night out a black cab from/near greek street to bromley will be in excess of £70 but a uber around £40-£50 I feel with distance black cabs greatly increase plus they havent wanted to go that far south sometimes
That's provided an Uber will accept to take you there.
I had many customers asking me "Why isn't my Uber picking up?" in tears, as they'd been waiting half hours trying to get someone to accept.
The cost you pay helps the cabbie to cover the cost of dead time, having to come back in town.
Bromley is not really round the corner from central London.
Moreover you could fit 6 passengers in a TX, and share the price
Many Uber still allow only 3 passengers, as you probably know.
All I can think is maybe customers like to know how much they will be paying in advance, even if the fare does sometimes cost more.
Uber does increase prices when traffic increases. We got an Uber in Edinburgh and it started heavily raining. The bill jumped from £7.86 to £20.54. We had no clue the price changed until we checked the money that had come out of my account.
As far as I understand, it doesn't surge whilst you are actually in the vehicle. The price you pay is the price you were shown upfront, unless there are significant deviations or a destination change, or stops added.
10% off the 10% off price is only 19% off total ((p*0.9)*0.9=p*0.81) - if it was 20% off it would be 41p cheaper. It’s a common mistake (and marketing tactic) but makes a significant difference when you get to higher prices 😀
I can’t help but think that if I choose a taxi, a significant amount of the profits will stay in the London economy, and if I choose and Uber that money gets distributed to international investors. To me it makes more sense to support local economies. But that’s just me.
On my last visit in London I took an Uber Ole time , and never again. While it might be cheaper than a black cab, you have to think about that black cab drivers do this everyday for a living and therefore know the best routes and how to navigate the London traffic. The uber ride i went on the driver simply couldn't handle the traffic very well and was stuck in traffic for way to long, resulting in that it took twice as long as it would have with an black cab. The Uber drivers are for the most part not as used to drive and therefore less "aggressive" in traffic and thous using mutch longer getting from A to B. In my opinion
Heathrow. £75 home in taxi. Another time via Uber £45. Yeah massive saving.
That second route seemed a bit iffy to be honest, maybe heavy traffic around Pall Mall/Aldwych is all I can think?
uber work on a surge system . i know a guy who went from liverpool to birmingham on new years morning . cost £600 . 5x fare . also liverpool to southport £150 . that is about 6x .
At least with Uber you can order a car anywhere in London in an area where cabs aren’t so prevelant
i'm a cabbie in sunderland, spoke to a couple who went out last bank holiday to newcastle. of course it's busy, queue for the hacks at the station to get back home, wife had new shoes on...ear bending ensues, husband whips out the phone and see's through bleary eyes that he could get an uber in about half an hour.... pops into the boozer opposite the station for a quick half and then away home when mr uber turns up. next day, rough as badgers, hubbie checks his phone...so instead of a what would normally be a 42-ish quid fair it tells him that it cost him £184.00 of the queens finest. that's some expensive shoes was my reply 😂
On top of uber price will be £1.50 for the congestion charge and now maybe extra 20% VAT
Great video, Tom! Bit of an eye opener for me I have to say, black cabs for the win!
Your a credit to the taxi trade 👏
I use both, but will say that price isn’t the main attraction for me to services like Uber, I think it’s swings and roundabouts on which is cheapest.
The benefits for Uber for me are related to ease of booking and starting the journey. in your example you gave up hailing a cab and took the train instead, with Uber you know how long it will take and can plan accordingly. Being able to schedule journeys at a specific time/location is also a benefit.
Aside from that, Uber receipts linking in automatically with corporate expense systems makes it a very easy process for travelling on business compared to faffing around with paper receipts.
I could have pressed the Uber button but there's plenty of examples where they just cancel jobs because a more attractive one comes up. Not the same reliability of seeing a taxi there and then.
There are pros and cons to both. In the end, I'd probably go with a black cab unless I was desperate, for the moral reasons.
Personally, I very rarely use a Taxi or PHV, and the few times I do use them is usually because I either have bulky luggage, am in a hurry, or have someone with mobility problems with me. In all these cases, being able to just hail an easily accessible cab there and then is far more important than the price (especially since unless you're travelling with multiple passengers, bus or tube would be cheaper than either PHV or Taxi regardless).
I can see the appeal of Uber for people who live in the suburbs though, where you can't rely on the stream of taxis going by you get in central.
Depends on the type of uber as well
I live in Reading, and Uber service is quite poor here with very few cars so high wait times, not only that it is also often 1.5-2x the price of a black cab or other ride sharing apps, I think Uber is generally quite poor in the UK
I think Uber is best for medium - long journey's out of surge pricing. Especially outside of London. Tbh i used to leave clubs 15 mins before closing to get cheaper uber rates to get home for the cheapest rate.
Your not including the congestion charge Uber add £1.50 to each pick/drop in a cc area and that’s not shown in the price
I booked an Uber 4 days in advance for Heathrow. £28 from mine at 5:30 in the morning.
I get a text 5 mins before pick up. It’s now £42 because ‘increased demand’ because it’s raining.
(They refunded that in the end but a p-take for a pre pre PRE booked cab)
I would guess its more because no driver was accepting the job and they had to "surge price" to get a driver to accept the job. Unlike a black cab were if you book with them it'd already assigned to a specific driver who has accepted to do the job.
Why use taxis/uber when you have the Underground...
Id say taxi is better as they normally take the best route as for uber they follow their GPS which is always taking bad routes and the price always changes on the app
Alot of the time now especially with the cost of living people will choose price over anything else. Ive just been quoted on uber paddington station-Heathrow T4. £47.50 i mean how can a black cab driver compete with those prices.
great video tom the london eye journey is what worries me about black cabs seeing the meter go up but not moving much if uber booking prices are fixed when booked and dont change they are not going to be going away any time soon.
Uber/pre booked cab is better than taxis from Heathrow for example. I actually had a horrible experience with a black cab from
Heathrow a couple of weeks ago. He misjudged how long it would take to get to ealing and dropped me off in a completely different place so he could get back to the rank at Heathrow. And it was insanely expensive.
I’m on the fence. I am pretty split 50/50 between my use of black cabs and Ubers and between 7-8 out of 10 times, black cans are more expensive. On the side note, one thing that really draws me toward Uber is knowing exactly how much I’ll pay before I even order the ride whereas black cabs are very on the whim. This means that people with less disposable income or students are less inclined to take them as they never really know how much they’ll pay in the end
I don’t use either in London, but I’ve always been slightly wary of cabs because you don’t know how much a journey is going to cost you whereas the tube is cheap (and has a daily cap). I suppose you could ask the driver before you get in but then I feel like I’m committing to taking the journey by hailing them down
Uber price consists of 1.50 congestion charge which black cabs don't pay. Plus,price is not the only issue. Lots of black cabs don't want to take card payment. Furthermore, you have to hail a taxi whereas you can get Uber on your door. You had your days Cabbies but with the younger generations they like things fast,convenient and hassle free.
Black cabs are London, it's a tradition of our capital city, its something very special, you can't put a price on it.
I live just outside of London on a Friday night about 2am I’ve just finished work and was looking to get home it’s about 15 minute journey and I looked at Uber and they were charging £54 this was surged normally it’s about £11 which seems fair so I just booked with the local taxi company which cost me £12.If Uber knows your trying to get home at like 2/3am and they’re busy they massively surge the price because they know you can’t another way home. There app learns your journeys I’ve found out.
I was trying to hail down a black cab around Fulham Broadway station last week.
Took me over half an hour to find one....
A few occupied ones drove past, one driver was paying no attention to any potential passengers and only looking at the road (very busy junction to be fair to him) and ages standing around with a single cab in sight...
Then I finally do find one, I tell the cabbie I need to get to Steventon Road in White City, and he tells me he's never heard of it...
I get in the cab (boiling hot in there) and check Google Maps if I can find a bigger road or landmark in close vicinity to Steventon Rd that the cabbie might know.
Tell him another road (can't remember it now) he doesn't know it again (or didnt hear me properly), then I tell him a park which is pretty close to where I had to go, he didnt know that either..!
Only when I told him "near Old Oak Road" did he have a clue where I was talking about other than very broadly "White City"
And Old Oak Rd wasn't even that close to where I had to go, so in the end I had to direct the cabbie via Google Maps on my own phone!
And then to top things off, the flippin card machine only worked on the 5th try (of 2 different cards and both cards had worked before that day and worked again later that day).
Very disappointed by the whole black cab experience...
Cabbie was a lovely chap in his late 60s or even early 70s, at least he seemed that old considering he was telling me cabbie stories from the 1970s...
Aren't you clever with your phone and Google maps. He would have got you there even if he needed A-Z to look that road up.
Ask 100 cab drivers if they know that road, you're be lucky to find five who know it right away.
Old Oak Road not close to Stevenson Road you say ? Your road is off the other.
He probably headed towards White City to save time and asked you to look up the last bit to help out.
Yet all you've done is moan..
Great comparison Tom. I'm in my 50s and always though Black Cabs were expensive hence i use Minicabs and Uber. The trouble I have with Uber is their drivers cancelling you whilst your waiting for pickup. it happens a lot! I live in Eltham and my recent Uber trip was to the dogs at Crayford at 18:00, Price was £14.33, good. I pre-booked on the app to be picked up for the return at 22:45, Price quoted £16.00 but with 5 minutes to go Uber Cancelled the pick up advising lack of drivers in the area. absolute rubbish as I went for a live booking and picked up a driver within 5 minutes who took me home and the cost? £14:00. Its the unreliability that gets me. And don't get me started on BOLT with double charging
I’m amazed that surge pricing is legal. What other businesses are allowed to do that? BTW: from Berkeley Square, there’s a Piccolo not that far away. Plus, at the north side of Berkeley Square and through the alleyway, there’s a great deli.
Hi Tom
Do you take private bookings ? I’m going to coldplay in Wembley in august and will need a taxi to and from the gig if you are interested or can you recommend the best form of transport to and from event from central London and would they need pre booking?
Tom you missed out probably the biggest advantage, the drivers got the knowledge and can use bus lanes etc to get you there quicker!
My company forbids us to take an uber. This is caused to a accident happened with a coworker of mine in a uber car. He got hurt. The driver had the wrong insurance, with a lot of problems in the aftermath. Since then we are only allowed to take official regulated taxi's.
Interesting video, I think cabs are great for convenience if you can put your arm up and get a ride right on the kerbside but having used a lot of both cabs and uber's it always seems a fair bit cheaper using the Uber app but it does stand to reason.
Another issue lately with Uber is being given the price in both busy and quiet times, clicking accept and then waiting whilst it tries to find you a driver to accept your job. Not sure if it's the drivers refusing to take the jobs or there aren't enough drivers (drivers claim it's the lattern when I have asked). Not all Ubers are bangers, I have been in some very nice luxury cars, without even requesting it. I have found the fare I have been quoted is the fare I have paid, but then I haven't been caught up in lots of traffic. I have also used taxis and find in general they are great, reliable and do offer a level of service and are even better, especially if you can share the fare with some friends, and will often use them. There will always be plus and minus for both, the other day I ordered an Uber and it was with me within 2 mins, wheres as sometimes it looks like I can't see an orange light for ages.
One last gripe about Uber is they seem to take the money when you ask for the job, then when it gets cancelled (can't find a driver for example) they immediately refund your money. Just take teh money once the fare is finished.
You do know London cabbies have apps as well, in fact London cabbies had apps years before Uber. Hail
Uber has guranteed prices and a nicer way of getting a taxi than hailing, tbh idek how to hail a taxi but i can book an uber. And the known price isn't just less worry but it can help you plan your journey.
Have used Uber abroad in Amsterdam and Paris and drivers can cancel you before you get picked up, don't know if they look at jobs and see a better fare. I have even had the car i was waiting for drive past me, you then have to wait for another driver to take your fare. I had 2 drivers accept then cancel my job in Amsterdam before i finally got picked up, much better to hail a cab and know it's there.
Or in the states, where the Uber driver on the way to collecting a passenger will intentionally drive in the opposite direction... why? Because then it is the passenger who eventually has to cancel and not the driver!
Love that man black cab all day long
when i was in London a regular cab was cheaper and more convenient; in London Uber fare is not fixed. In other words they quote 10 pounds but they can charge you 15 for various reasons.
Besides surge pricing, Uber bases its fares on what it’s algorithm thinks you’re willing to pay. They gather data about their users and make some assumptions. So if you regularly take surge priced trips, you’ll probably start seeing the average fares go up too.
This is very interesting, makes a lot of sense when you say it 👍🏻
Excellent as always!