UBER IN SYDNEY

In my last newsletter, I introduced you to Uber. Recently I used it in Sydney, where the operation is very different to Brisbane. In Sydney, the Uber app gives you a choice of UberX, UberBLACK, UberTAXI, UberLUX, or UberSUV.

UberX (which is all we have in Brisbane) is simply people driving private cars, and that is the cheapest. UberBLACK is usually a registered limousine, and UberTAXI is simply a taxi that you book through Uber. The bill then is what’s on the taxi meter, plus a Uber fee. Obviously it would be cheaper to hail a taxi in the street, but booking the tax through Uber, instead of by phone, means there is no booking fee and you can track the taxi and have the driver’s mobile number. Also, the payment is automatically debited to your credit card without the 10% surcharge.

The limo drivers tell me they love it. If a person books a limo to pick them up at the airport, the driver has to arrive on time then wait around for possibly an hour or more while the plane arrives and the person gets their luggage. With Uber, you hit the Request by Uber button once you are standing at the kerb with your luggage, and two minutes later a limo appears from the waiting pool. Obviously this is a much better deal for the limo driver – it’s also a good deal for the passenger as you’re getting a ride in a limo at a much cheaper price.