Ireland’s taxi and transport regulations are driving Kieran Harte, general manager of Uber Ireland, up the wall. The US ride-sharing company officially launched in Dublin in 2014 and cut the ribbon on its European call centre in Limerick in January 2016, where 300 people will be employed by the end of the year.

Harte is one of the speakers lining up to discuss the theme of ‘disruption’ in business at the Sales Institute’s Sales Leaders Summit on May 24. But Uber is finding it hard to disrupt the status quo in Ireland.

Harte argues that regulations around transport are framed around protecting the incumbent taxi industry than facilitating ride-sharing models using smart technology.

“The success of Uber around the world has been around the simple premise of trying to make cars that are already out there on the roads part of our transportation solutions,” says Harte.

The problem for Uber in Ireland is that regulations don’t allow non-taxi drivers to provide people with lifts for money, which significantly restricts the company’s business.

In Association with

Fantastic Service

Uber has come in for criticism for enabling untrained drivers to sign up and provide transport services to the public. However Harte insists that Uber’s vetting system is robust. In cities like Washington DC, Uber is now part of the transport landscape, providing a fantastic service for customers and handy income for people prepared to hit the road.

In Ireland, Uber operates only in Dublin, where it runs taxi and limo services. Harte says that that his ultimate aim is to provide everyone who owns their own car in Ireland, and who wants to drive people around, the opportunity to do so.

“Ride-sharing is a movement that is happening around the world,” Harte adds. “We challenge people’s need to own their own cars and we can help with congestion.”

Limerick Trial

Uber is hoping to trial peer-to-peer ride-sharing in Limerick this year. According to Harte, local councils are supportive of the trial though the pilot scheme remains parked until a new government is in place.

“We have a platform here that doesn’t require any investment from the government – all it requires is a flourish of the pen and a relook at some of the regulations that were written before the concept of ride-sharing came to mind.”

Photo: Kieran Harte, general manager of Uber Ireland