The company’s Taiwan business is still growing despite being in regulatory limbo and facing mounting opposition from lawmakers and the taxi industry.

The News Lens
Date: 2016/12/09
By: Matthew Fulco

Brittany Holtsinger swears by Uber. The Taipei-based digital marketing strategist uses the ride-hailing app four to five times a week, opting for a taxi only when Uber’s rush-hour surcharges make its prices less competitive. “Uber is my preferred transportation method,” she says. Citing the ability to rate Uber’s drivers in online reviews, she says the app “offers more accountability than taxis,” noting that “the drivers are motivated to offer better service, and the company doesn’t hesitate to reimburse you for the cost of a ride if something goes wrong.”

Holtsinger is one of the many Taiwan residents embracing Uber and by extension the sharing economy – an umbrella term for an economic model in which individuals borrow or rent assets owned by someone else. Drivers are as enthusiastic about Uber as the passengers, says Likai Gu (顧立楷), Uber Taiwan’s general manager. “People feel like income levels are low in Taiwan,” he says. Driving for Uber, Gu adds, “is a great way to increase income” and make better use of an existing asset – a car.    [FULL  STORY]