Uber launched its professional driving service UberX in Brussels Thursday, despite threats from taxi drivers to protest the company’s expansion in Belgium.
The California-based company said it was introducing its higher-priced UberX service, staffed by full-time drivers who have a private-hire license and commercial insurance. UberX has a minimum fare of €5 — €1 more than UberPop, which has part-time, self-employed drivers. The average price for a ride is expected to be €11 on UberX, versus €8 on Pop. Uber claims that its X-service will still be cheaper than taxis.
The Brussels government is working to legalize the ride-sharing service, while the European Union has said it will launch a study this month to determine whether Uber should be regulated as a technology or transportation company within the 28-member bloc.
“We are [complying] with the legislation. Will that appease the taxi drivers? I cannot answer that question,” said Filip Nuytemans, general manager of Uber Belgium.
As fast as Uber has attracted drivers, customers and funding, it has been targeted by lawsuits and violent protests worldwide. Just this week, a lawsuit in California was granted class-action status on behalf of drivers who want to be classified and treated as employees, instead of as independent contractors. Meanwhile, drivers in Mumbai went on strike, and in China Uber is locking horns with national rival Didi Dache.
In response to Thursday’s announcement, the GTL taxi union in Brussels told POLITICO they will hold a press conference Friday at 10:30 a.m. local time; offer half-price fares on the 13th; and stage a protest against Uber on the 16th, according to Peter Steenberghen, the secretary-general.
Taxi drivers in Belgium claim Uber is operating illegally and authorities are doing nothing. In August, GTL issued an ultimatum to the government: start arresting Uber drivers within 10 days and release the results of an inquiry into the firm for fraud, or face a strike. GTL told POLITICO that their demands have not been met.
“I really hope that we will not end up having some violent protests, we don’t want violence, we just want Uber to obey the law,” Steenberghen said. “You need to understand the huge frustration, taxi drivers are now driving more while earning less, the situation is simply dramatic.”
Belgian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander De Croo told POLITICO he expects protests.
“There’s a right to protest. But obviously there’s no right to violence,” he said. “And I think that if you block mobility in Brussels, that’s obviously not going to make you popular as a provider of mobility.”
Uber’s growth in Brussels has been dramatic and disruptive.
“In recent months we have expanded from two drivers to over 1,000 drivers and over 50,000 users [for UberPop] in Brussels,” said Nuytemans.
UberPop operates in a legal gray area in Belgium, as in other countries around the EU. Last year, a Brussels court ruled that the ride-sharing service was illegal and mandated fining drivers €10,000 per passenger.
“There are discussions going on between Uber and other similar services and the federal government,” De Croo explained. “We’re making sure that from a fiscal and social law perspective everything is fine and making sure that there is no fiscal fraud.”
Both Pop and X will operate concurrently, with Uber assuring users that the cheaper option will not be cut in favor of the pricier one.
Outside the U.S., the biggest markets for Uber include European cities such as Paris, and almost without exception the company has been met with strikes and clashes as the startup destabilizes a business model with deep traditions and heavy regulations.