Ridesharing is due to start in the Northern Territory in February 2018. One enterprising Australian company, Hi-Oscar, hopes to be the first to market following Uber’s retreat. Hi-Oscar will be an Uber alternative, with several differences it hopes will make the difference.
An Uber alternative
Uber has had a chequered history across the world and many people are concerned its practices are unethical. London has just refused to renew its licence. In Australia, taxi drivers everywhere have protested bitterly about Uber’s seeming disrespect for the rules.
Hi-Oscar is a Perth-based company with a goal to be ethical and fun. It describes itself as knowing “the value of a good hello and how-do-you-do”. Moreover, its drivers “aren’t just drivers, they are a healthy fruit salad of personalities (minus the honeydew)!”.
Users of Hi-Oscar can expect:
- Absolutely no surge pricing
- To choose a vehicle size, for no extra cost
- Choice of a male or female driver
- Help to choose using a thumbs up or down rating system
- Each driver to hold an omnibus licence.
NT regulations
When the new regulations come into effect, there will be a new online system. This will help potential providers carry out safety and compliance checks and accredit their services. The government expects ridesharing services to start on 1 February 2018.
The government is having discussions with a few ridesharing services. So it seems likely that people in the NT will finally be able to book a ride, early in the new year.