There's another reason for Uber in France and the French government needs to pay attention. It's customer service with taxi drivers. Just like in San Francisco where Uber was born there's a pattern of behavior that exists with taxi drivers that causes great frustration with the regular traveler. It's called being declined a ride because your destination isn't far.
Today, after dropping off my rental car at the Montpellier train station I did what I have done for years, walked to the taxi rank, hailed a cab and asked to be taken to the same hotel as in the past. This time the driver said "you can walk, it's only ten minutes." While that may be true the option to walk or not should be mine, not the driver's and his outright refusal to take the fare never would happen in London. This type of behavior is not far different from the SF taxi drivers who chose to pass hotels for pickups because the hotels have house cars or favorite car services they use for their guests' airport runs.
Uber, France's SNAPCAR and the UK's Hailo solve these issues. First the drivers are eager for the business and second, there's no worry about who they are picking up as they already know. Lastly though is the safe and secure feeling I get when I take Uber or one of the other services. I know I have recourse vs. trying to deal with a taxi commission which works solely in its own selfish interest.
Uber On..
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Montpellier,France
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