Uber General Manager has ‘huge respect’ for taxi drivers completing the Knowledge of London

Uber's UK General Manager, Andrew Brem, has expressed ‘huge respect‘ for London taxi drivers completing the Knowledge of London test.

This sentiment comes as Uber prepares to launch a new service, 'Black Cabs', on its app in early 2024.

The Knowledge of London is an extensive training process that black cab drivers undergo to navigate the city. It requires memorising every street, landmark, and route within a six-mile radius of Charing Cross, demanding an average of three to four years of study. Passing the Knowledge is a remarkable achievement, demonstrating a driver’s comprehensive understanding of the city's geography.

Integrating black cab drivers onto the Uber platform is seen as a bold move given the historical relationship between the two parties. To attract their participation, Uber has rolled out a series of incentives. Central to their marketing strategy is the offer to allow black cab drivers to use the Uber platform with no service fee for the first six months. This approach aims to increase the drivers’ earnings during the early stages of the partnership.

Uber's vast customer base in London, with millions of passengers using the app weekly, also aims to attract black cab drivers. Uber assures that fares for rides booked through the app will be based on the standard metered pricing.

Andrew Brem of Uber, speaking to NPR, expressed admiration for the Knowledge and the iconic black cabs themselves, calling the iconic black cabs "beautiful." He views this partnership as a valuable opportunity for drivers to earn additional fares and stay busy, acknowledging their role as business people who seek to maximise their working hours.

According to NPR, Brem said: “The Knowledge that the London cab drivers pass - huge respect for that. And the physical vehicles - they're beautiful. So that's all great stuff. But I would say this is absolutely an opportunity for drivers to earn additional fares. They're business people, and they want to be busy.”