Uber, which has upended London’s incumbent black cab industry by allowing users to hail a minicab at the touch of a button from their smartphone, had been criticised by the taxi trade since most of the cars its drivers use are not wheelchair-accessible, unlike Hackney carriages.
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Accessibility charities were involved with planning the logistics, costs, insurances, and development of the new service. The vehicles themselves will be kitted out with a rear-entry ramp, winch and restraints, allowing for one other person accompanying the wheelchair user.
Disabled passengers in London would find it much easier to get around the city soon, as Uber announced that it is launching a fleet of special vehicles that are specifically created to cater to people with disabilities.
The BBC further reports that Uber will initially provide 55 vehicles, according to a spokesman, but plans to expand the available fleet to more than 100 wheelchair-friendly vehicles in the next few months.
In the weeks prior to the complete establishment of the product, Uber announced wait times of “around 25 minutes” in Zones 1-2 and “some 40 minutes” in Zones 3-4.
“London [black] cabs have always been easier to access due to their big doors and the space where seats flap up at the back”, said Prof Tony Travers, at the London School of Economics. It’s a surprise Transport for London permitted Uber to operate in the capital.
Karhoo has already signed up hundreds of thousands of licensed taxis and private hire cabs across the world.
Black cab drivers have previously said that their ability to cater for wheelchair users was one of the reasons why their services were more expensive.
A rival, Karhoo, also launched in London this week.
Having a large number of vehicles on its app is one thing, but Uber has managed to squeeze its traditional counterparts by offering good service at a low price.
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“Karhoo gives passengers more choice and transparency when booking a cab and, with our ever-growing network of local operators, Karhoo will make it easier to book a ride outside central London than ever before”, said Karhoo chief executive and founder Daniel Ishag.
