Uber Opens Up App Technology to Local Transportation Service Providers

Over the past four years, Uber has moved a million of people in Taiwan through options such as uberX, UberBlack and uberASSIST.  Today, we are announcing a new way to get around: uberTAXI.

Showing our commitment to helping Taiwan’s transportation industry, Uber is partnering with Crown Taxi and Ya Tai Taxi to allow riders to request a safe, affordable and reliable taxi. The feature will be live on the Uber App by mid-October, starting in Taipei city.

“The matching technology behind the Uber App is the best way for drivers to connect with riders, and we are thrilled to be giving rental car companies and taxis in Taipei city the opportunity to take advantage of it,” said Brooks Entwistle, Chief Business Officer, Asia Pacific. “Turning on the App for taxi will give drivers greater earning opportunities, while riders will get another option for a safe, affordable and reliable way to get around.”

All uberTAXI trips will be GPS-tracked from start to finish. Passengers will be able share details of their trips in real time with family or friends.  After every ride, you and your drivers will be asked to rate each other and provide feedback, ensuring quality service and allowing our safety team to investigate any issues. Riders will pay cash, according to the fare set by the taximeter.

According to MOTC data, there are 56,000 taxis in greater Taipei area with about 6 million people. The utilization rate, or the amount of time that taxis spend with a passenger in the back, is as low as 30%.    The Uber App will connect drivers with prospective riders directly, ensuring that taxis spend less time without a paying passenger in the car.

GM of Crown Taxi Jun De Wu said, “We are proud to establish a partnership with Uber, the global ridesharing company. Uber’s technology adds new layers of safety, service quality, accountability for uberTAXI riders, and will improve inefficiency of having taxi drivers driving around in empty cars.  We expect that this partnership will lead to more economic opportunities for our drivers.”

GM of Ya Tai Taxi Xin Jun Chen said, “This partnership with Uber will provide local and international passengers better and more convenient service.  For a small taxi fleet like us, this partnership will save us from heavy investment to build a new technology platform while being able to connect additional riders in addition to street hailing.  This is going to help improve taxi industry in Taiwan.  We are excited to get our taxis onto the Uber platform and harness the technology the company is bringing to Taiwan. With the Uber platform, uberTAXI drivers will be able to have more economic opportunities and provide a safe and quality ride service to passengers.”