Uber Enters Croatia Despite Vows To Revolt

The American high-tech cab company would offer its ride- sharing service in Croatia despite taxi drivers' vow to revolt.

Commuters in Croatia’s capital city would now be able to use another travel option launching on Thursday – an Uber ride-sharing service. Launching at noon, the service would only be offered in its UberX version at first. As per the company’s official webpage, the ride would cost eight HRK ($1.20) with each extra kilometer offered for four HRK ($0.60) and minute 0.5 HRK ($0.07). The minimum fare for a ride is 10 HRK ($1.5), and the cancellation charge is 15 HRK ($2.20)

Uber news exclaimed that the introduction of the most highly valued startups in the EU member state has been whispered since April, with discussion strengthening after the organization listed jobs for various executive posts in Zagreb in July. Still, its launch is quite surprising, as many natives held the belief that the ride-sharing platform would be given a tough time by the state’s disreputably challenging bureaucracy and professed opposition from local cab companies.

Tportal.hr reported that Radio Taxi Zagreb Association’s president, Jozo Kovačević, pledged in April to “fight with all we can” against the transporter’s entrance. The company seems to have shunned those issues by working carefully and silently to legalize its service in Croatia. 

Uber technologies informed that UberPop – a service known for letting almost anyone owning a car to become an Uber operator – is not being offered in the Croatian region, as it would probably be declared illegitimate.

However, UberX, which only hires authorized motorists, is justified. As per reports of Netokracija, the transporter was cooperating with Zagreb, the Croatian Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Transport prior to the introduction of the service.

The organization might face some difficulties ahead. Uber news today revealed that a Croatian industrialist, Saša Cvetojević, who would be the firm’s first rider, told Mashable, "Uber has grown beyond merely transporting people from place A to B. To be for or against Uber today means to be for or against new business models or preserving the status quo. This is why Uber is a thorn in the side of everyone who wants to keep existing, often obsolete business models."

Saša also indicated that the transporter’s media push in the capital would be of less importance than anticipated due to Uber operators’ fear of rebel from local cabs. "I'm not sure if it (the first ride) will be televised", he stated. Still, its launch in the country is a significant move for the whole region, where a lot of cities and states are not only waiting for it, but for an inexpensive cab service in general.