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Uber hits Leeds and courts Spotify

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Uber is the revolutionary taxi service that's taken the US by storm and is set to make a similar impression over here as it moves into its third English City; Leeds, following successful debuts in London and Manchester. The Uber technology platform cuts out the middleman when it comes to taxi hire by putting users in touch with professional, licensed private hire drivers at the touch of a button via the San Francisco firm's bespoke app. It currently operates in over 225 cities in 45 countries worldwide, and its arrival in Leeds has sparked something of a debate amongst traditional cabbies, who fear that the app could (pardon the pun) quit literally drive them out of business.

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The company, which is backed by big name investors such as Google, has sparked no small degree of ire amongst taxi drivers in Leeds, who staged a protest last month against the plans to launch Uber in the city, with Leeds Cab Union chairman, Paul Landau, remarking that he felt Uber was not offering a “Legitimate service” with their app. He said the technology was “Simply an app,” and questioned how users would be able to complain if they experienced poor service through a driver booked on Uber. Jo Bertram, UK regional sales manager for Uber, responded by stating that they “Believe technology should be a key driver in the changing way people move around their cities, improving the experience for both riders as well as drivers on the platform.” He adds that Uber's mission is to “Keep people moving in the safest, most efficient way possible,” and that they will “Continue to prioritise consumer choice and safety, as well as driver opportunity” as they grow in the UK, despite the detractors. He also added that all Uber's UK drivers have passed the licensing authority's background checks, are licensed by the relevant regulator and insured as private hire drivers.

The Uber technology platform cuts out the middleman when it comes to taxi hire by putting users in touch with professional, licensed private hire drivers at the touch of a button

The deal appears to already be finalised, as Leeds City Council recently granted Uber's private hire operator license, and UberX, the low-cost service that offers users a completely cashless service, is already available in the city. Using the app is very intuitive indeed, users simply order a car via a GPS-enabled map and can even watch the driver's progress in real-time, with an estimate of how much their proposed journey will cost. The trip is charged directly to the user's credit or debit card and once the ride is finished, they are encouraged to leave a rating and review for other users. Tom Elvidge, general manager for Uber Leeds, said “Leeds is a city embracing technology,” so they saw it as a natural fit for Uber. He said they are now able “To respond to consumers with a safe, affordable and reliable addition to the transportation system in this city, all at the touch of a button.” It all sounds pretty good to me!

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Uber + Spotify

Speaking of sounds, Uber also announced recently that their cars will soon be able to stream passenger-controlled music due to a partnership with streaming service, Spotify. Last Friday, Uber sent out invites for a Monday conference call involving a “Special partner guest” and a “First-of-its-kind partnership,” as well as a graphic including musical notes. Adding fuel to the fire's of speculation is a French video ad (above) launched 10 months ago that shows an Uber passenger listening to his own Spotify playlist through the car's sound system. Whether this feature will be controlled through the Uber app, the Spotify app or an entirely new app is not yet known, but either way, it will surely be a blessing to never again have to put up with your cab driver's questionable musical selections.

Benjamin Hiorns is a freelance writer and struggling musician from Kidderminster in the UK. He used Uber in Manchester last month and couldn't possibly recommend it more highly!

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