SOUTH WALES

TAXI firm V Cars is apparently having trouble with its new app software since launching it nearly a month ago, which has resulted in a potential backlash against the company.

Since switching its bookings app to one called ‘icabbi’ there have been claims that customers are being overcharged. With the new app, the meter cannot be manually adjusted when a driver notices an error.

V Cars was last year taken over by a group owned by Veezu, a company which established itself in 2013.

A driver for the taxi firm, who wished to remain anonymous, commented: “With the new owners taking over it seems the drivers are being overlooked and it is us [the drivers] who are feeling the backlash from this.

“The app is screwing up everything. It is overcharging customers and even taking us to the wrong address on some occasions.

“If I am being honest it is sad to see a firm like this going that way.”

Now drivers from V Cars say they are planning a protest next week outside the company’s offices at Groundwell to show their dissatisfaction at how they are being treated.

It is alleged that several drivers have left the firm, and that others fear for their jobs.

A group called the The V Cars Driver Association has backed the idea of a protest.

Another driver who contacted the Adver, also wishing to remain anonymous, told of the preparations he has made ahead of the protest.

“To be ready for this I will need to get legal help and advice. I am already looking to contact other taxi associations around the UK. Any information I can get will help me greatly.”

When asked about problems with the app, Ryan Owen, managing director for South West and Wales at Veezu, replied: “V-Cars is committed to providing the best possible service for customers, and the drivers that work with us, and takes any allegations of over-charging extremely seriously.

“If a driver has a query on a specific fare, they can contact the call centre at any time to amend the job and rectify any issue.

“We have thoroughly tested the performance of the new app over the last three weeks and have not found any problems, nor have we received any direct complaints about this issue.

“If any customers feel that they may have been over-charged for their journey, we encourage them to call the main V-Cars number to allow us to look into their concern as a matter of priority.”

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ATHENS (Reuters) - Ride-hailing service Uber said on Thursday it would suspend its licensed service in Greece after the approval of local legislation which imposes stricter regulation on the sector.

Uber, which operates a licensed service in the Greek capital, has faced opposition from local taxi drivers who accuse it of taking their business.

“New local regulations were voted on recently with provisions that impact ride-sharing services,” Uber said in a blog post. “We have to assess if and how we can operate within this new framework and so will be suspending uberX in Athens from next Tuesday until we can find an appropriate solution.”

Uber operates two services in Athens: UberX, which uses professional licensed drivers, and UberTAXI, which uses taxi drivers.

The new regulations require each trip to start and end in the fleet partner’s designated headquarters or parking area, something Uber does not do. A digital registry of all ride-sharing platforms and their passengers will also be created.

The company launched in Europe in 2011, angering some local authorities and taxi drivers who said it did not abide by the same rules on insurance, licensing and safety.

Following widespread protests, court battles and bans, Uber has taken a more emollient stance under its new CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, suspending operations in various cities in order to comply with local regulations.

UberX launched in Athens in 2015 and more than 450,000 people have used its smartphone app to book a ride. News of the new regulation last year angered some Athenians and tens of thousands signed a petition launched by Beat - a local ride-sharing service - in favor of ride-hailing services.

UberX drivers have to be employed by fleet partners such as car rental companies or tourist agencies and their cars could not be more than seven years old.

The data registry and return-to-garage requirement will only apply to ride-hailing services like Uber and Beat, while taxi drivers will be able to use cars that are up to 22 years old.

https://reut.rs/2EnxBw1