Uber looks forward to working with the Ministry of Transport and NZTA to put partners through a revamped driver endorsement.

In Blue Bubble chief executive Bob Wilkinson's perfect world, ride-sharing app Uber never would have come to New Zealand.

But he didn't see it as a perfect world.

Instead, Wilkinson saw a world where this revolutionary digital competitor was not really a competitor at all.

SUPPLIED Uber passengers in Wellington have not hit Wellington Combined taxis too badly, instead choosing Uber over public transport.

Wilkinson, the boss of the country's largest largest taxi group of about 3000 drivers across 16 cities, doesn't hold back when it comes to talking about the industry.

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Wilkinson claimed taxi companies all hate each other, that drivers need to work 14 hours a day, six days a week, just to make a living, and that given the choice of how he would come into the Auckland CBD for a meeting, he would take an Uber.

SUPPLIED Blue Bubble chief executive Bob Wilkinson has a strong suspicion about why Uber is cheaper than taxis.

But it was with the same uncompromising vigour the taxi boss, who happily conceded he has used Uber before, took on the sometimes controversial technology company from the United States which has turned the taxi world on its head.

It all comes back to his point about whether Uber was actually a competitor.

"They've got our customers, but they're not doing what we do," Wilkinson said.

"If they've got the P [Passenger] endorsement and they've got the camera and they're paying tax and paying GST, they're a competitor."

Wilkinson started with the big one, his "very, very strong suspicion" about Uber and tax - stressing it was just a suspicion.

Blue Bubble was a marketing company owned mostly by Auckland Co-op and Wellington Combined, which together with Blue Star in Christchurch got together and decided to operate under one top light.

There were 3000 drivers across 2000 taxis, and Wilkinson said in Wellington the taxi-Uber split was about 70 to 30, while in Auckland it was closer to even.

A big part of Uber's popularity has been how much cheaper it was than taxis: Wilkinson thought they were about 30 to 35 per cent cheaper.

This was when he said the taxi companies hated each other, because it was an "ultra-competitive" environment where prices were mostly the same and any price advantage would readily be taken up.

"So when you see somebody coming out and doing it 30, 35 per cent cheaper than you, forget the cost of entry into the industry, because that's a cost you're going to have to make … how are they able to do that?"

"If you look at the income tax the drivers pay, plus GST the drivers pay, there's your 35 per cent."

Uber's latest New Zealand accounts showed the company paid tax of about $9300 in 2014.

The company has always maintained it paid tax where applicable and its transactions were all electronically recorded, transparent and traceable.

Wilkinson also quickly noted that 20 years ago, a lot of people got into the cash-heavy taxi business because they did not have to pay tax.

He said taxi fares were where they were because that was what was needed for drivers to make a living - earned over six days a week, 14 hours a day.

"Yeah it's long hours, I mean it's sitting around a lot. That's what it is, that's the job."

Wilkinson said how much Uber had hurt its business varied by town.

In Wellington, for instance, some people had turned to taking Uber rather than getting a bus, so there was no real difference, but Christchurch taxis thought their business was down nearly 30 per cent.

Wilkinson said he had nothing bad to say about Uber drivers or vehicles, and conceded he had used the app himself, and probably would use it in Auckland.

"If I was coming into the city for a couple of hours and had the choice of driving in, finding somewhere to park, then going to a meeting, or grabbing an Uber, I'd grab an Uber.

"Would I grab a taxi? Oh maybe, maybe not."

A report on the Land Transport Amendment Bill, which was before the select committee and would shape the outdated legislation in this area, was due next week.

Wilkinson's claims were all put to Uber.

An Uber spokesperson said it supported the Government's work to fast-track regulatory change which would reduce compliance costs and simplify requirements to make ride sharing accessible for people.

They said nearly 300,000 New Zealanders used Uber. All transactions with Uber were electronically recorded, transparent and traceable.

"We look forward to working with the Ministry of Transport and NZTA to put partners through an accessible revamped endorsement as soon as possible.

"In the meantime, we'll continue providing our safe, fast and affordable screening process that delivers the safety outcomes the travelling public want and expect."

Wilkinson said the "nuclear option" for Blue Bubble was to move offshore.

"We do not want to go there. That is an absolute last gasp, we've got nowhere else to go."