Uber could be launching in Oxford

Uber may be coming to Oxford due to massive demand.

The app, which allows users to book a taxi and be driven by the nearest available Uber driver, was accessed in Oxford more than 50,000 times in the past year, despite not actually being available in the region.

In response, Uber issued a statement saying “The number of people who have been opening our app in Oxford is larger than average so that means there is certainly demand for our service and we are excited about that.”

Brookes students using the app would no longer have to worry about having taxi fare on them or yelling incoherently into their phone after MNB or Fuzzies, as the system is entirely operated from within the app, linked to your bank account.

The service is massively popular in the USA, Europe and London, but several concerns are raised wherever the app launches.

Uber also operates a controversial system of “Surge pricing” whereby fares are more expensive at busy periods, sometimes several times more than the base rate.

It can be as much as x10+

Uber drivers are not expected to have a full and practical knowledge of the area they operate in, relying on GPS to guide them back to Cowley or Headington.

They are fully licenced however, and background checks are carried out, despite the safety concerns some hold about the drivers. The concern of others drivers coming to Oxford due to the app was also raised, but Oxford city council told the Oxford Mail they were “Doing what they can about it.”

Until we have a confirmed launch from Uber everything is still up in the air, but the possibility of its arrival could mean big changes for student nights out in the near future.