Why Uber’s One-Size-Fits All Approach Didn’t Work in Spain
Skift Take
As Uber dips its toes in the logistics and delivery industry it has to be careful of how thin it spreads itself as its core product faces scrutiny around the world.
Walking through Madrid's Puerta del Sol, the crossroads of the city and Spain, plenty of city taxi cabs line the square's side streets while ride-share giant Uber remains absent.
Following its ban in Spain in December, Uber faces a list of complaints and regulatory actions across Europe where new ride-sharing apps continuing flooding the transportation ecosystem. On the other hand, Uber operates in numerous cities in the UK, Italy, Switzerland and Ireland, for example.
Many Spanish taxi drivers vehemently oppose Uber but are somewhat more accepting toward other ride-share startups that have a "legal model" such as mytaxi and Hailo. These mobile ride-share apps, both popular in Spain and elsewhere in Europe, connect travelers with official city taxis that have Spanish taxi licenses.
Cabify, also popular in Spain, connects travelers with drivers using their own cars with private driver licenses. Uber used its own cars without its drivers having Spanish taxi licenses, which led
