Uber challenges buses in two cities

摘要

Uber, the ride sharing app that is already challenging the established taxi trade across the world, is piloting a fixed route version in two major North American cities, prompting the transit workers' trade union in one of them - Toronto - to accuse government of 'shamelessly surrendering to a gypsy-taxi service'. The pilots of the UberHOP service began in Seattle on 10 December and Toronto four days later, offering peak hour services (inbound morning, outbound evening) on three routes in Seattle and four in Toronto, picking up and setting down at fixed stops and charging set fares. There is a US$5 (£3.40) one-way fere in Seattle, while in Toronto they range between C$3.50 and C$4.50 (£1.70 to £2.20). The Seattle fare is around double that by bus on the same corridors.