This happens all the time in black cabs. My wife and I rely on uber all the time. It feels right for a city like London. This is a step backwards in my opinion
I’d like to add that most black cab drivers make out like their card machine doesn’t work. It’s a total cash scam to avoid VAT. I’ve had a black cab deny picking me up before because I didn’t want taking very far (I had a twisted ankle and just wanted to shorten my walk home)
They're required to accept cards and can't make you pay with cash. Just tell them you don't have cash, and they'll make sure their card reader starts working.
If they want any paying at all, presumably they will.
They are required by TFL to have a working contactless and Chip'n'Pin device mounted in the customer compartment. I have a feeling we're talking about things that happened in the past.
What's required and reality are sometimes very different. I know I've been told the card machine doesn't work, then magically after saying I have no cash it'll start working a minute later...
Mini cabs are just as bad. I had one last week that was ordered by a top hotel, the hotel told me the guy accepts cards, the guy had card logos on the window, then when we arrive at the airport he tells me he'll add £10 to the bill if I want to pay with cards. I was this close to telling to go fuck himself and charge me the right amount on the card, but had a plane to catch and didn't want to waste time fighting so I went to an ATM and went back with the cash.
Uber may not be a perfect regulator, but it's apparently "good enough" and that's what the existing incumbent regulator can't stand - their own efforts to make cab drivers behave appear to be worse than what the private sector can provide.
But hey, what do Londoners expect when they voted in a Labour (left wing) mayor whose first act was to freeze the cost of public transport, thus gutting TfL's budget. Londoners also elected Jeremy Corbyn and Diane Abbott. They don't get to turn around now and complain about excessive regulation killing off businesses they don't like!
It doesn't need to be connected to a server if the meter is periodically attached to a computer that downloads the data.
That said I have no idea if that's something they do. I am now going to try to find out.
--edit-- it's not easy to find data on this. So far I have found out that most taxi meters have to be taken in to an office or depot to get the fare-structures updated...
There's no requirement to log information (let alone store it for future upload), only that the taximeter is audited (for distance accuracy) every 12 months or so, and that it has updated fare structures (which modern ones do over GSM/GPRS).
"Every driver must accept card and contactless payments and provide receipts for those payments upon request.
All taxis must have a fully working TfL-approved fixed card payment device fitted within the passenger compartment - a handheld-only device will not be sufficient to meet the licensing requirements. Any taxi found not to meet the requirement will be issued with an unfit notice, which will remain in place until the requirement is fulfilled and the vehicle is presented for inspection."
So it looks like either the story was a little old, or the cab was in violation of the rules.
I’d like to add that most black cab drivers make out like their card machine doesn’t work. It’s a total cash scam to avoid VAT. I’ve had a black cab deny picking me up before because I didn’t want taking very far (I had a twisted ankle and just wanted to shorten my walk home)