Onboarding for taxi drivers will begin this week, and once they’re fully integrated they’ll be eligible to receive Uber trip referrals, the company said.“Uber’s ride referrals are going to help fill in our slower times and keep the drivers busy making money,” he said. “Drivers are going to benefit from this partnership for a long time to come.”
Riders will always be notified if they’re matched with a taxi, Uber said, and they’ll have the option to decline the match and get re-matched with a driver who’s not in a taxi — or they can simply cancel their ride. Passenger fares will be the same whether the customer rides in an Uber or a taxi, Uber said, and cab drivers can choose not to participate in the program if they wish., said many taxi drivers will likely opt out of the program once they see the kind of wages Uber drivers earn.
“Most Uber drivers have reported a 50% drop in pay over the past two years,” she said. “Drivers who have been with the company for a long time started out making $1.20 to $1.80 a mile, plus surge bonuses. But over the past five years that has dropped to 60 cents a mile.” William Rouse, CEO of the taxi operations, called the Southern California partnership a “win-win” for drivers and riders.