Uber is offering a partnership with D.C. taxi drivers to provide them with 100% access to Uber trip referrals.
D.C. taxi drivers are being notified of the program and details about how to sign up. Once a driver is activated, they will be eligible to receive and respond to Uber pickup requests.
The program applies to ride hailing for a Uber X. It means Uber customers might be picked up by a taxi driver if they are nearby. Riders will pay the Uber X rate and get upfront pricing in the Uber app. They will also be notified in the app if they have been matched with a taxi and have the option to be re-matched with a driver who is not a taxi or to cancel their ride.
The taxi option includes Uber’s driver identification by vehicle and tag, driver name and GPS tracking of the vehicle’s location
Taxi drivers’ payments will be the same as the split between Uber X drivers and Uber.
Riders can also choose the taxi option in the app to be automatically matched with a D.C. taxi. Upfront fares are based on a far range on the taxi meter.
Uber piloted the program in San Francisco last year and in Los Angeles earlier this year.
The tech company cites a report from the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency that estimated taxi drivers who use the referrals earned an average 23.8% more than taxi drivers who were not participating in the Uber program.
“We are grateful for the support of the Department of For-Hire Vehicles and local leaders, and are excited to bring the benefits of this program to more taxi drivers in the District and beyond,” said Camiel Irving, general manager of US & Canada Mobility at Uber.
It is somewhat of a truce between taxis and Uber, which set out to disrupt the taxi model when the app launched more than a decade ago. It also gives riders access to a lot more drivers.
There are currently more than 1,500 active taxis operating in D.C., according to the D.C. Department of Vehicles for Hire.
Uber does not disclose how many driver it has in any jurisdiction.
