UNIFY LONDON: Taxi driver launches free cab hailing app which raises funds for taxi charities
London cab driver and Taxi Charity volunteer Micky Harris has used an unexpected legacy from his late wife Barbara to create the Unify London App.
Barbara regularly joined Micky on Taxi Charity trips to the continent before her death and she left instructions that Micky was to use the legacy to support the cab trade and help charities run by taxi drivers.
The Unify London App is different to anything else that is currently available to London cab drivers. There is no surge pricing, no hidden fees, no cancellations, hired from the hail, light off-meter on and unlike other Apps the Unify London App will give cab drivers the full metered fare. In addition, charities including the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans, The London Taxi Drivers’ Charity for Children, The Albany Taxi Charity and the Magical Taxi Tour will benefit every time the app is used.
Micky Harris, London cab driver and Taxi Charity volunteer, said: “Adjusting to life without Barbara has been incredibly difficult. However, when Barbara passed, she left me a wonderful legacy, asking me to use the money to unify the cab trade. Understanding and formulating how best to use her legacy has undoubtedly given me something to get up for every day; I knew that I wanted to combine Barbara’s love of the Taxi Charity with her wishes to support the cab trade and the result is the Unify London App.
“While I was developing the App it was very important to me that the driver received the full metered fare and that the customer is never charged more than the TfL regulated booking fee. What the trade needed was a fair App where the drivers got all the fare. This isn’t a commercial venture, this idea for the app, has come from the heart of someone who cares for the trade made possible by the wonderful and unexpected legacy from Barbara.”
Brian Heffernan, London Cab driver and Chairman of the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans, said: “Micky has been a wonderful volunteer for the Taxi Charity and we have recently asked him to join the committee. His late wife Barbara was an important part of our trips with veterans to the Netherlands and Normandy and I know how very proud she would be of Micky creating this cab app which will benefit drivers and support the Taxi Charity and other trade charities.”
