Ben Hendry: Uber is everywhere, so why are there still so few in Aberdeen?

Uber has become the norm in most major cities; why is Aberdeen lagging behind with antiquated licensing rules that keep numbers to a minimum?

Whether everyone likes it or not, Uber has become the norm throughout the UK. During a recent weekend away in Liverpool with a group of friends, it became second nature to rely on one to get us from A to B.

We weren’t in as many Ubers as pubs, but it was close. What struck me the most, however, was how ubiquitous Uber has become. Visitors simply expect them now.

There are a lot of them. There is never any doubt that they are only a few minutes away at all times. This is where Aberdeen, despite granting the firm a licence last year, falls short.

And it made me concerned about our reputation when unwitting tourists arrive and discover we only have a small number of rooms available.

Despite ongoing efforts to address taxi shortages, can we really be taken seriously as a destination with outdated policies in place, such as our Street Knowledge Test, which keeps the Uber fleet to a minimum?

What is the current state of play with Uber in Aberdeen?

If you’re wondering, I was in Liverpool with three old friends to see Bruce Springsteen perform at Anfield.

With our Airbnb about a 10-minute drive from the city centre in one direction and the football stadium another drive away in the opposite direction, it’s easy to see why we rely on the app-based service.

He scheduled one in October, as soon as the licence was granted.

Several months after his journalistic adventure, I doubt he imagined himself still being a member of such an exclusive club of Aberdeen Uber users. I popped across the office to see if he had heard of any recent improvements.

He checked his phone. On Monday, August 25, at 3 p.m., there were none available for hire.

Uber has never been willing to reveal the exact number of drivers in this country, though it has been reported as a “small handful”.

Why does Aberdeen still have this Street Knowledge Test?

For the uninitiated, aspiring Aberdeen drivers must pass a strict test that demonstrates their knowledge of the city before being granted a licence.

I am aware of some of the arguments for it; some taxi drivers argue that it is more than just practical; passing it demonstrates a level of commitment and dedication to the craft.

But technology marches on. And the test is coming in for increasing dissatisfaction with satnav, which is so widely used to help people get around.

As Uber take-off stalls in Aberdeen, what are other cities doing?

And it’s not just Uber that believes this. Bristol is scrapping its version of the test, citing the fact that most journeys are already pre-booked, allowing drivers to look up the route on their satnav before picking up passengers.

Councillor Sarah Classick complained:

“The sections where they have to have that memory of where every pub, club and restaurant is in Bristol is a bit outdated, and seems to be a bit of a barrier to good drivers passing the knowledge test.”

This may resonate with readers who have followed our coverage of Aberdeen’s taxi shortages.

Meanwhile, there are mounting calls to do away with it in East Ayrshire too.

So where does this leave Aberdeen?

As Our Union Street leader Bob Keiller documented a few months ago, Aberdeen’s taxi shortages pose a risk to our performance on the big stage.

And, while we all eagerly await the next big tourism bonanza, such as the Tall Ships, we can only hope that things have progressed by now.

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We are rapidly approaching a future in which driverless cars will become available.

Aberdeen cannot waste time arguing about a test designed to locate obscure pubs while technology makes it appear more ridiculous with each passing year.

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