Uber presses traditional taxis hard

Uber is a service linking customers with private tourism vehicles (VTCs or limousines) driven by professional chauffeur, using a smartphone app. On reaching destination, payment through Uber is billed to the customer’s credit card.

Uber was created in San Francisco by entrepreneurs Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp in 2009. They launched the app the following year. Today Uber is valued at some 36 billion euros. You’ll see it say online: “Uber is not a transportation provider. Flat rates apply to direct trips between specified locations.”

The drivers working with Uber in 250 cities in 57 countries are not its employees. They are driving their own cars, and have been infuriating French taxi owners since last summer. But as the French expression goes, some say: “C’est la guerre,” — “That’s life.”

Uber UK, Ireland & Nordics Regional General Manager Jo Bertram said: “Essentially, we are disrupting an industry that hasn’t been disrupted in many years — decades even — in many markets.