A consumer trends study in Portugal shows that 11% of those companies surveyed already use Uber, the controversial app that has caused Portugal’s taxi drivers to protest en masse.
The study showed also that "49% of companies surveyed consider they would use Uber.”
This left 40% of companies saying they would not use Uber as they saw the transport system as unfair competition to Portugal’s traditional taxi service providers.
The taxi drivers’ association has been protesting in Lisbon, Oporto and Faro against Uber which, according to the taxi drivers, continues to operate in Portugal despite an adverse court ruling that prevents its continuation.
Comments
What is happening in the advanced countries to meet the Uber phenomena half way is particularly interesting. Such as taxi drivers having their own apps to show when they are free and whether they are near the punter.
Virgin's Branson has invested in one version Hailo and he justified it by saying once the genies out of the bottle there is no putting it back. And that he had misread the threat from internet music downloading which finished off his record stores. He had seen it as no more than 'illegal' so nothing to worry about. - Not that it was a technology driven demand.
http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/sep/05/london-black-cab-drivers-app-uber-taxi
Uber is a great idea, but fundamentally unfair to the existing business.
Either regulate uber cars, or loosen the fees for taxis.
Taxis are treated as if they're a luxury for persons with too much money and who are too lazy to drive themselves, but the reality is that people with no car, or who are unable to drive have to use them sometimes.
The punishing cost of taxi cabs here [and most other places] is a result of these policies.
Make them cheaper and more people will use them, generating employment and revenue all around.
The court ruling was against Uber Inc in the US and had nothing to do with Uber Portugal. The Bank of Portugal realised this and when instructed to block all Uber payments in the Portuguese banking system, quite rightly refused to do so as there was no legal reason for this action.