Man-driven car service that allows customers to book by their smartphone app is to launch from another center.
Uber Taxi is being used in Dubai for a couple of months now and due to demands from the capital residents, the company fixed upon expanding this service there.
As in Dubai, the minimum fare will be Dh35. If the car is travelling at above 18kph the ride will be charged at Dh2.5 per kilometre or, if it is going below that speed, the rate is Dh1.5 per minute.
According to some decision makers, they declared that the company would not comment on the number of cars which were in their Abu Dhabi fleet acknowledging that it will increase over time.
In principle, the range of cars will include an Audi A6 and BMW 5 and 7 Series, with other luxury vehicles to be added.
To book a car, customers have to download the Uber app, which is currently available on iPhone or Android and some versions of Blackberry in a short procedure that ask the customer to add his/her name, email address, mobile phone number and some details in the credit card through which every tour charged.
Following the whole processes done by the driver, the customer would have the option to rate the driver who took him/her on a scale of 1 to 5.
For instance, if the driver gets between one and three stars or the passenger didn’t like their journey for whatever reason, they can let the company know and it will take action concerning that.
“We make sure anyone applying to become one of our drivers has the relevant qualifications.”
Uber now has a presence in more than 35 cities in 17 countries around the world but has attracted controversy, with some transport regulators in the United States and Canada claiming the company was operating an unlicensed taxi and limousine service.
But the company says it does not own the cars, only the app used to keep drivers and customers in touch.
It has been also declared that this company is a mere technology company, not a transportation company – in another word, this company connects users to RTA licensed drivers for Dubai.
In future, the company may also plan to set up UberX, an equally controversial service, that undercuts normal city cab fares.
For an Indian businessman, who did not wish to be named, it would be a service he would use if normal taxis were not available.
“Rush hour in the morning and after work in the evenings are the worst times to get a taxi, so I would probably use it if I couldn’t get a normal cab,” he said.
