Kiwi companies take on Uber

Cashmanager | 8 years ago

A homegrown ride sharing company is expanding to Nelson in the latest attempt to take on Uber.

The company, Takeme, has been operating in Queenstown for six months and moved into Wellington last month.

 

Takeme founder and managing director Luis Kreische told Stuff.co.nz that the idea of establishing Takeme in smaller centres like Nelson was to offer an alternative transport option in places where taxi companies previously had the market to themselves.

He said the company's goal was to reach 19 locations around the country within the next three months.

"You currently have about one or two taxi companies and they can charge whatever they want really, in other cities there is a monopoly and people don't really have a choice," he said.

 

Takeme’s Nelson expansion comes along with other companies around the country taking aim at Uber.

Taxi companies in both Auckland and Invercargill have turned to technology to gain an edge and wrest business back.

Invercargill’s EzyCab promises low-cost rides for people who book taxis via text message.

And the Ezygo app is uniting drivers from different companies to offer cheaper fares than Uber in Auckland.

 

Stuff.co.nz reported that other taxi ordering apps already operate in New Zealand but Ezygo was different in that it connected with registered taxi drivers from a range of companies and allowed passengers to specify before a journey whether they would like to pay using cash, taxi voucher, eftpos, credit card, or through the app.

During the ride the app ticked over much like a taxi meter.

Ezygo took a 7% commission from the driver but none from the customer, and there were no registration fees.

The app was designed for taxi drivers and its creator estimated between 500 to 700 drivers would register to use the app.

Nearly 200 drivers had already signed up, he said.

"Our app is mainly designed for taxi drivers from any taxi company.

"We are basically a work provider."

 

Whether these ride-sharing and taxi-booking companies can make a dent in Uber’s hold on the market remains to be seen. But with more drivers becoming disillusioned at Uber’s policy, these local businesses are at least in a position to offer those drivers an alternative.