Belleville cab companies brace themselves for the possibility of Uber
Upon the potential arrival of Uber into the city, household cab service Blue Bird Taxi is poised for new competition on the road. Photo by Allen Steinberg, QNet News
BELLEVILLE – With Belleville council now taking measures to welcome the possibility of Uber into the city, mainstay cab company Blue Bird Taxi is taking note of potentially sharing the streets with a new transportation service.
This past March, Belleville resident Rob Mason launched a petition in hopes of bringing the ride-share service to the city with the support of fellow concerned community members on his side. As of Friday, the petition had over 1,300 signatures; Mason said his goal was 1,000.
Mason told QNet News that bringing Uber to Belleville would do nothing but good for the city and its people: “It would bring jobs, would make people spend money and would get people to where they need to be. It’s basic economics.”
His campaign for Uber to reach Belleville was inspired by the inability to get a cab consistently, Mason said:
“It was the service as a whole the city provides us with … I knew so many people that felt like it was impossible to get a cab when they needed one.”
On his official petition page online, several people voiced their displeasure at the current state of taxi services in the area. Charles St. George, owner of nightlife hotspot Little Texas on North Front Street, says, “It’s a monopoly to run cab businesses in Belleville. Only three to six (cabs) can operate while there are 600 people trying to get home. They need a competitor.”
QNet News went to Blue Bird about the public criticism on local taxi service. The main dispatcher, Wanda, who declined to provide her last name, said cab drivers would rather stay away from customers calling for a ride from bars. “They go in there, then the fights break out. So – the drivers don’t want any part of it. Once the fights break out, the cab drivers are responsible for the cars.”
But Mason said the bars become more chaotic if people waiting for rides are just left to simmer: “The fights break out because people don’t get to go home. It’s inevitable.”
“I’m not 100-per-cent sure it’d be in Uber’s best interest to come here, to tell you the truth.” Kevin Wood, a driver with Blue Bird for over a year, says the cab companies already experience slow business days. Photo by Allen Steinberg, QNet News
Kevin Wood, a cab driver for Blue Bird and lifelong city resident, acknowledged that there is truth in St. George’s comments, but said there’s more to the story.
“I get that people don’t like long wait times. However, what people don’t understand is how difficult it is sometimes to make a living running a cab. The unfortunate thing is that we don’t have enough drivers at night.”
When asked if the presence of Uber would make his job any harder, Wood said every transportation service in the area would experience difficulties.
“There are slow times that would make it hard for both (of Belleville’s taxi companies). Yes, we’d have a hard time, Central (Taxi) would have a hard time, and Uber would have a hard time.
Blue Bird owner Colleen Sine told QNet News that her family-owned company will come out all right if Uber comes to Belleville.
Colleen Sine, who has more than 10 years of experience as owner of Blue Bird Taxi, says there’s plenty of room for competition in the area. Photo by Allen Steinberg, QNet News
In the more than 10 years she’s owned the company, she’s built trust with her clients, especially elderly people, she said.
“I think older people will back away from Uber. They’d be nervous to get in with someone they don’t know.”
Young people and students, however, might opt for Uber over her company, she admitted.
Mason’s petition ends with “I will diligently keep pushing this cause until I am successful. Uber will be in the city of Belleville, it’s only a matter of time.”
QNet News attempted to speak to Central Taxi about the Uber issue, but was told the company was too busy for an interview.
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