(Bloomberg) -- Uber Technologies Inc. has started offering taxi rides in New York, a long-awaited effort to help ease a driver shortage and pressure on fares.
As of last month, the Big Apple's iconic yellow cabs have started to appear on the ride-hailing platform for a randomized majority of active New York City riders, allowing them to book trips in taxis through the Uber app.
The rollout, will “continue expanding the offering to all consumers in the coming weeks and months, as more taxi drivers sign up,” said Paul Picinich, Uber's general manager of US taxis & fleets, in a statement.
In March, the San Francisco-based company reached a deal with the New York Taxi & Limousine Commission's technology partners, Creative Mobile Technologies and Curb Mobility, whose apps power the city's yellow taxis. Uber had initially expected to roll out the new feature in the spring.
Under the agreement, Uber customers can hail a taxi at the same price as an UberX and can see the fare upfront before requesting a trip. Driver earnings will initially be based on the TLC mandated rates, which are close to $32 an hour according to Uber's estimates. Drivers will also be able to see upfront pricing before accepting a trip request.
Uber already has partnerships with taxi companies in countries from Spain to Colombia. In some markets, like Hong Kong and Turkey, cabs represent the company's primary market. In April, Uber partnered with San Francisco's Flywheel and Yellow Cab SF, operator of the YoTaxi app, and will launch service to riders in the near future, the company said.
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