Gett ups Uber battle by acquiring Radio Taxis
Black taxi app Gett has upped its stake in the battle against Uber for supremacy on London’s roads by making a cash offer to acquire Radio Taxis, which has run on British roads since the 1950s. In addition to the main Radio Taxis brand, Gett will also acquire the group’s smaller firms, Xeta, and One Transport; the three firms have a combined total of 11.5k drivers, nearly half of all London cab drivers, on their books. Remo Gerber, managing director of Gett in western Europe, said the deal was worth “several million pounds,” and added: “We are delighted to bring such a great business as Radio Taxis into the Gett family. Our aspiration is to provide our technology to their corporate customers.” Financial details of the deal remain undisclosed. 

G ETT today upped the stakes in its battle with Uber by announcing a multi-million-pound buy-out of rival Radio Taxis to become Britain’s biggest black cab app.

The firm will have a combined total of 11,500 licensed taxi drivers, nearly half of all London’s cabbies, on its books.

Bitter “taxi wars” in the capital have seen black cab drivers protesting over the licensing of hundreds of new minicabs and the growth of Uber.

Cabbies have been fighting back by signing up with Gett, a free mobile app that lets passengers book or pre-book a licensed hackney carriage — with no minimum fare or surge pricing.

Remo Gerber, managing director of Gett in western Europe, said the deal was worth “several million pounds”.

He added: “We are delighted to bring such a great business as Radio Taxis into the Gett family. Our aspiration is to provide our technology to their corporate customers.”

The cash deal is subject to shareholder approval. Radio Taxis’ parent company, Barnet-based Mountview House Group, said: “Our board unanimously supports the move.”

The buy-out was welcomed by the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association.