Manchester, The Battle of the Apps

Manchester has three Apps, Uber, HailO and Gettaxi.

HailO and GeTTaxi are for Hackney use only (at this moment in time).

Are they worth the trouble ?. Here are two statements from the same hackney driver for the week ended 15 March. He has two phones each running one App each. They are both on for the same amount of time, 40 Hours, spread over 7 days.

1. Gettaxi supplies 2 jobs which net £14.64 (£7.32 av each) Gettaxi also pays a £5 bonus for one recommendation.

2. HailO supply 5 jobs which pay £25.44 net (£5.08 av  each).

Are Apps worth the trouble ? On this showing I would say no. Gettaxi is poor, but HailO is even more dismal.

One thing noticeable is the amount of stress you are under when servicing the Apps, a clock is ticking in the background whilst you are running, trying to find the customer. It is necessary to ring the customer, for location or time update at some point in every job. The App locates you as the crow flies, the time-scale given the customer cannot account for temporary traffic conditions. You are always late, in the Customers eyes. 

The phone calls to the customer and their cost are no problem, unless the Customer has an off shore registered mobile phone (as do the Irish, here in Manchester for every United match). Calls to off shore mobiles are charged extra from standard mobile tariff's. A further cost to consider.

A major factor  here Manchester is that the public are pretty simple. Many have old Nokia Mobiles on PAYG, many cannot access the Internet.

Will the Apps be the salvation of the Cab trade ?

Give over, dont make me P*ss.