Uber Australia has updated its vehicle eligibility requirements in Victoria, allowing taxi vehicles onto the platform and giving taxi drivers the ability to complete trips with Uber. This change is part of a global effort to create a better experience for riders while providing new, flexible earnings opportunities for taxi drivers.

What this means for riders, simply, is that your next Uber ride in Victoria could happen in a taxi. Everything else remains the same, with the Uber app experience you’re used to: upfront and transparent pricing, Uber’s leading safety features, in-app payment and trip support. Allowing taxis to perform trips with Uber will increase reliability on the platform and reduce wait times for riders. Riders will always be notified in their app if they are matched with a taxi.

Uber trips are already taking place in taxi vehicles in cities around the world, from New York to Mexico City, San Francisco to Auckland. 

For taxi drivers, this change means that if your taxi meets Uber’s updated eligibility requirements, you can be onboarded to the Uber platform and begin completing trips. With the Uber platform, drivers will be able to access: trip demand across Uber’s rider base, dynamic earnings opportunities, driver safety features and exclusive fuel discounts, among other benefits.

Note to editors: 

  • While taxi vehicles are now eligible to complete trips via Uber in Victoria, these trips do not constitute taxi services (e.g., no metered fares, can’t be hailed from the street or taxi rank). 
  • Uber has updated its vehicle eligibility requirements in Victoria and will be exploring whether the same can be done in additional states over the coming months.