Uber Technologies Inc announced on Tuesday that it has reached an agreement to connect its ride-hailing app with Italy’s top taxi dispatcher in order to expand its footprint in the eurozone’s third-largest economy.
The move is part of Uber’s aim of partnering with established cab companies to capitalize on a rebound in demand following the pandemic’s impact.
Over 12,000 taxi drivers in Italy will have access to the Uber platform thanks to an arrangement with IT Taxi. It will expand Uber’s existing business in major cities including as Rome, Milan, Turin, and Bologna by making the app available in over 80 additional cities.
The June alliance follows similar agreements in Spain, Germany, Austria, Turkey, South Korea, Hong Kong, and New York and San Francisco. By 2025, the business hopes to make every cab available on its app.
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi remarked, “This is a genuinely historic acquisition in one of our most strategically significant areas globally.”
“We strongly think that taxis and Uber are better together, and we’re dedicated to building a long-term collaboration based on trust and cooperation,” he continued.
Following legal challenges by taxi groups, Italy, like other European nations, banned the use of the Uber service, which depended on drivers without professional licenses.
Uber presently operates in eight Italian cities, including Rome and Milan, where it provides professional drivers in luxury automobiles through its Uber Black service.
