Rod Chester, PerthNow
April 30, 2017 1:30am
PERTH is the first city in Australia where Uber is now more popular than
taxis, new research reveals.
Research by Roy Morgan found one in four people (24 per cent) in Perth
have taken an Uber in the past three months, compared with 22 per cent
who have caught a cab.
Melbourne is close behind, with 22 per cent of people having recently
booked an Uber, ahead of 16 per cent in Brisbane, 14 per cent in Sydney
and Adelaide on 10 per cent.
The number of Uber trips taken across the country has rocketed to 3.8
million trips per month.
While Uber is ahead of the taxi industry in Perth, nationally taxis are
still more popular.
In the past three months, 22 per cent of Aussies have caught a cab
compared with 14 per cent who have taken an Uber.
The number of Aussies using Uber has more than doubled in a year, from
1.16 million, or 6 per cent of the population, a year ago to 2.69
million, or 14 per cent, now.
Uber, which has 400,000 users in Perth, is against a proposal being
considered by Transport Minister Rita Saffioti to impose a $2 a trip fee
paid by passengers to fund compensation for taxi plate owners.
