Cabify Barcelona faces significant challenges due to current VTC licence restrictions, says Alberto González, Cabify’s general manager in Spain. Cabify has operated in Barcelona since 2011. It currently works with around 1,100 vehicles in the metropolitan area.
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However, González notes a considerable imbalance between the growth of tourism, the economy.Public transport compared to the availability of on-demand mobility services.
Cabify Barcelona’s Licence Crisis
There are approximately 4,000 VTC licences in Catalonia. But only about 600 of these are urban licences for Barcelona. According to El Periódico Barcelona, González believes that removing licences is a mistake when demand requires double or triple the current amount. However, with just 600 licences, the service, as Barcelona residents know it, would simply disappear. So, during peak hours and months with high tourist activity, fulfilling requests becomes difficult.
Addressing Demand and Sustainability
González suggests that Barcelona needs between 4,000 and 8,000 more VTC licences to meet the actual demand. Given these limitations, Cabify has focused on enhancing the quality and sustainability of its fleet.
There’s been significant growth in the corporate segment in Catalonia. This involves developing bespoke mobility solutions for businesses, with revenue in this segment growing by over 50% in the last year. Moreover, compared to two years ago, the increase is nearly 300%.
Accessibility and Regulatory Concerns
Cabify is working to improve accessibility, including partnerships with associations like those linked to ALS, in order to adapt vehicles and create specific categories that meet the real needs of cities. In places like Barcelona, the volume of journeys with special requirements is high.
The potential new law affecting taxis and VTC services raises concerns for Cabify, affecting all segments, including corporate clients. It doesn’t matter if the user is an individual or a company; the service falls under the same regulatory framework.
Madrid and Barcelona are Cabify’s two main locations in Spain. Globally, Barcelona ranks among the top five to ten cities by revenue. It’s a key city, not only for business but also for innovation and product development.
Cabify has launched its ‘Cabify Love Barcelona’ campaign to engage with residents. Through this initiative, regular users who travel between home and work receive discounts and incentives via the app. While Cabify is open to sharing data and GPS with regulators to identify demand spikes and supply shortages, the aim should be to design more flexible policies.
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