Uber not a threat to Blue Bird: Director

JAKARTA. Taxi operator Blue Bird did not see the Uber ride-booking app as a competitor, as the two companies had different business models, a company executive said on Thursday.

"Blue Bird is a transportation company. We also have our own app and our own supply of taxi units," PT Blue Bird director Adrianto Djokosoetono told a press roundtable in Jakarta.

"To be frank, if the regulations had been loosened, sorry to say, we could have bought and converted all cars into taxis with our existing system."

Uber has made a splash in Jakarta, as it enables customers to book rides at often cheaper prices than regular taxi fares through its promotional programs.

However, the company has sparked controversy, as it currently has no license from the Jakarta city administration to run as a public transportation firm and is deemed detrimental to regular taxi business by the Jakarta branch of the Organization of Land Transportation Owners (Organda).

The app has also been banned in countries such as Germany and Italy for operating without a permit and using a business model that is seen as unfair competition for regular taxi operators.

Adrianto also said that Organda Jakarta, in which he serves as a member of the General Advisor Council for taxis, had suggested the Jakarta city administration act in a similar way against Uber.

Meanwhile, he recognized the positive side of the existence of Uber, as it shed a light on the kind of mobile app favored by customers. (fsu/nvn)