Uber will be launching from December in 15 regional locations including Port Macquarie.

The Port Macquarie start date will be confirmed in the coming weeks.

The head of cities across Australia and New Zealand at Uber, Natalie Malligan, said Uber selected cities for expansion based on where demand for trips was high and where it could complement existing transport options.

“We also wanted to be up and running in Port Macquarie to help locals get around in the busy end of year period,” she said.

Uber is a technology platform with the Uber app connecting driver-partners and riders.

Ms Malligan said more than 3.8 million Australians had embraced ride-sharing as a safe, reliable and affordable way to get around their city from A to B. 

“We’re excited to bring ride-sharing to Port Macquarie, providing another safe and affordable option for locals to get around,” she said.

“Locals can get a ride with the push of a button, matching them with the nearest car, often only a few minutes away.”

Ms Malligan said this also represented a great opportunity for members of the community who wanted to sign up to earn some extra money as drivers, while maintaining flexibility.

Uber will host a driver information session on Friday, November 2 at 2pm at Rydges Port Macquarie.

The session will provide an opportunity for people to learn more about becoming an Uber driver and ask questions.

There are no current plans to introduce food delivery platform Uber Eats in Port Macquarie.

“For Uber Eats, we are always monitoring demand, however, we don't have any current plans for these [new] locations,” Ms Malligan said.

“We are focused on launching UberX to begin with and delivering a great experience for riders and drivers in these communities.”

NSW Taxi Council deputy chief executive officer Nick Abrahim said the NSW Taxi Council didn’t have any issue with competition.

He said anybody who wanted to enter the point-to-point market needed to play by the rules.

Mr Abrahim said the taxi business was the livelihood for drivers and operators and taxis were also there for  customers during the quiet times.

“We are talking about local businesses servicing the local communities and supporting the local economy,” he said.

Mr Abrahim said the taxi businesses had been operating over many years in most of these regional towns and had built up a strong customer base.

“We are confident those customers will remain loyal to taxis,” he said.

Meanwhile, ride-sharing service Go Buggy launched in Port Macquarie in late 2017.

The Port News contacted Go Buggy and Port Macquarie Taxis for comment.

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