You Can Now Use Uber to Hail a Classic Taxi Cab in Portland

Three taxi companies—including Green Cab—have joined the Uber app.

If you can't beat 'em, join their app.

As of today, Portlanders can use the ride-hailing app Uber to hail a taxi from one of three local cab companies: New Rose City Cab Company, Portland Taxi Cab Company and Green Cab.

The ride-sharing app's partnership with the Portland companies went live today, allowing Portland users to hail taxis and pay for the rides using the Uber app.

"We're just proud and honored to be part of such a widely used platform," says Teal Abel of New Rose City Cab. "It's a great partnership."

The addition of three cab companies—which have a total of 244 taxi licenses—marks an unusual truce in the ongoing war between Portland's taxi companies and Silicon Valley companies Lyft and Uber.

That fight reached a fever pitch last summer, when Portland City Council legalized Uber, giving the tech giant much of what it wanted as cab companies howled.

The biggest objections came from the city's largest taxi companies: Radio Cab and Broadway Cab.

The three smaller cab companies are now a feature on Uber's app called UberTAXI.

Uber users can slide along the app's bottom bar to the "Taxi" option. Just like it would for a normal Uber ride, the app estimates how long the ride will take, allows the user to track the taxi's progress, lets riders rate their UberTAXI driver.

"The only difference now is that extra tab on there that says 'Taxi,' Abel said. "For users that don't feel comfortable using a traditional Uber ride, they can click over to taxi."

Related: Taxi drivers have been hit by the arrival of Uber and Lyft—including many who are Ethiopian immigrants.

Abel said the partnership is mutually beneficial: UberTAXI will provide Portland users with more transportation options, while Uber will provide his small cab company with a user-friendly, modern way to connect with riders.

"Uber's the logistical application king," Abel said. "Everybody recognizes their brand name, and a lot of people use that platform."

As many as 45 new cabs, including wheelchair-accessible vans, could be added to Portland's streets as a result of the partnerships, Uber Oregon general manager Bryce Bennett told KOIN News.

The base fare for using UberTAXI in Portland is $3.50, with an additional $.50 charged per minute or $2.60 charged per mile. There's also a $.50 City of Portland surcharge and a $5 cancellation fee. The app has a default tip of 20 percent, which users can adjust.

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