The taxi apps Uber and MyTaxi with multi-million dollar and euro financing are currently fiddling with new commission models.
According to matching media reports from the USA, Uber has been testing a graded system since April by which the commission reduces when Uber drivers accept more orders. Therefore the driver should give up 30% of the revenue for the first 20 tours. Uber then takes 25% for the next 20 trips and after that 20%. During a test phase the model only applied to newly acquired drivers in San Francisco and San Diego.
This means that Uber reaches the 30% barrier for the first time. Only a few months ago the trip agent, by which most passengers are transported in many US cities, increased the percentage from 20 to 25, causing hefty protests from drivers – which were however finally unsuccessful.
30% agency commission – this number was also discussed at MyTaxi at the start of 2014. The German company, which is now active in many European cities, also introduced a graded commission system in its home market. In contrast to Uber, MyTaxi works with licensed tax companies and their drivers. The new system envisaged that each individual driver could personally set their commission to between 3 and 30%. The higher the commission rate, the more likely it was that they would receive a fare. Hefty protests among MyTaxi drivers and terminations did not hinder the model from being introduced. But the maximum rate was reduced to 15%. Up to 2014 a fixed price of 79 cents was paid for each tour.
MyTaxi has now announced another change. From 1st July the commission fee for all trips arranged via the MyTaxi app will be 7% of the price. No individual adjustment is possible any more. „The trip is now assigned by who is close to the passenger – no longer by grade, willingness to pay or external advertising,“ explains a company notification to the drivers it uses. jh
