A Guildford taxi driver of 30 years questions his future due to the rise of Uber and decreasing fares in the city.
He says his trips are decreasing yearly. People now prefer app-based ride services. They are choosing these over traditional taxis. Paul Pearson shared his worries online. He wanted to show what taxi driving is like now. This was in Guildford in 2025, he noted.
He said he wonders why he still drives. He sits waiting for hours with no customers. He watches Ubers drive by and pick people up. One Monday, he made just £30.30. This was for six hours of work. Some days are even worse, he explained.
Uber started in London in 2012. It also expanded to areas like Guildford. It has since become the most popular ride app. A survey said 26% of Brits used Uber recently. 89% liked its convenient pick-up service. This convenience draws them to Uber, they said.
SurreyLive talked to Paul to understand taxi issues. They wanted to hear about his life driving in Guildford in 2025. Paul said his business dropped suddenly this year. He also said customer numbers decreased since COVID-19.
His grandfather drove the first taxi in Guildford. His brother also drove one. He is the only one left in his family doing it now. He said he now gets few fares. In 2023, ten fares was a good evening. One night in 2025, he got only three fares.
Paul blames Uber for the loss of customers. He also thinks the council issues too many licenses. This hurts when Uber operates in the town. He said the council reduced taxi spots at the station. This also hurt his income, as trains bring customers. He said some taxi ranks are badly placed. They lack nearby businesses for fares.
The council plans taxi rank changes this summer. Some ranks will close, others will be temporary. This is due to the town’s North Street project. A councilor spoke about the taxi driver’s claims. She said they license drivers for public safety. They cannot limit the number of licenses given. The law states if a driver is fit, they must get a license.
She said that Network Rail manages the station taxi rank. They decide how many permits to issue. They limited permits to 70. This prevents overcrowding and improves safety, they claim. The council also addressed Uber. They said Uber is licensed by London. Uber can operate throughout the country legally. Uber did not comment when contacted.
Paul said he would not become an Uber driver. This is despite the similarity of the work.