After the year that Uber announced a unilateral lower prices. Which provoked a mobilization of drivers. This Thursday, the booking platform for pre booked cars with driver (VTC), Uber has announced it will increase prices by 10 to 15% in France. A decision that will have an impact on passengers, but also the drivers.
Uber The resolution comes at a time when Parliament is preparing to adopt the Grandguillaume law that aims to “pacify” the relationships in the public transport of the person (especially between taxis and VTC). The law also wants to fight against the power of platforms drivers and tighten access to the latter profession.
Uber, in a statement posted on its website, said that the action is taken “after several months of discussion with individually drivers, with drivers and associations with unions such as the CFDT” .
“For 2017, our priority is to improve conditions for drivers (…) In France, the ongoing reflection on particular developments in the self-employed status and improvement of their social protection” , says the American company.
A moderate impact on passengers
Specifically, “from 8 December 2016, the prices offered via (the classic service) UberX will increase by 10 to 15%” with shades depending on the speed of travel.
“In parallel, the service fees charged by Uber drivers in return for linking with passengers increased by 5 points, from 20% to 25%,” says Uber, stressing that it is “already happening in almost all cities of the world where UberX is present ” .
“The impact for passengers will moderate, but it will allow their drivers to cope with the increased costs in recent months, particularly related to new VTC sector regulations” , argued Uber.
Considered by the National Assembly
On 7 October 2015, Uber was reduced by 20% the rates of shopping in Paris. At the time, in a context of price war between rival platforms but also with taxis, the company had assured that drivers would find it a mechanical increase in the number of races.
But the decision provoked a wave of protest among the drivers, noting a deterioration in their working conditions, had multiplied strikes and snail operations.
For MP (PS) Laurent Granguillaume, the challenge of its law “is to re-balance the relationship between the drivers, and the applications”.
