Amsterdam Taxi Drivers Launch Rival App NLCabs: What It Means for Expats and Uber’s Future in the City

If you’ve ever waited 15 minutes for an Uber in Amsterdam only to see the price surge by the time you confirm, you’re not alone. A group of local taxi drivers has decided they’ve had enough — and they’ve built their own app to compete.

On September 1, 2026, a coalition of Amsterdam drivers launched NLCabs, a ride-hailing platform that aims to break Uber’s grip on the city’s cab market. The app works exactly like Uber: you order a ride, a nearby driver picks you up, and you pay through the app. The difference is the commission. NLCabs takes just 3% from drivers, compared to Uber’s variable fee that drivers say can climb past 50% of the fare. Source: DutchNews.nl

Nearly 1,300 drivers have already signed up, according to co-founder Mostapha Ahidar. “We are treated like children by Uber,” one driver told Het Parool. “We have absolutely no room for negotiation.”

Why this matters for expats

For internationals living in the Netherlands, this isn’t just a tech story — it’s about how you get home at night and how much it costs. Uber has been the default for many expats because it’s easy, English-friendly, and doesn’t require cash. But the ongoing disputes over driver classification and wages have led to unpredictable service and price swings.

NLCabs promises lower fares because drivers keep more of the fare. If the app gains traction, you could see cheaper rides and more available cars — especially during peak hours when Uber’s surge pricing kicks in. The founders say the app is built for transparency: no hidden algorithms, no automated driver deactivations without explanation.

That last point is crucial. In August 2026, the Dutch data protection authority (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens, AP) fined Uber €825 million for using automated systems to deactivate driver accounts without proper human review — the second-largest GDPR fine ever. Uber is appealing, but the ruling underscores the friction between the company and its drivers. Source: DutchNews.nl

Uber’s bigger picture: layoffs and robotaxis

Just one day after NLCabs launched, Uber announced it would lay off 3,300 employees — 10% of its workforce — in the largest cuts since the pandemic. CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said the layoffs aim to “streamline management layers” and “simplify team structures” as the company pivots toward autonomous driving. Source: Al Jazeera

For Amsterdam drivers, this signals that Uber’s long-term focus is not on improving the human driver experience, but on replacing them with robotaxis. The company plans to invest $10 billion into autonomous vehicles. Meanwhile, local drivers are fighting for basic worker rights — a battle that went to the Amsterdam appeal court in January 2026, which ruled that Uber drivers cannot all be treated as employees, overturning a 2021 judgment that had put them on the payroll. The FNV trade union has vowed to continue the fight. [Source: DutchNews.nl]

A changing city: fewer business travelers, more day-trippers

A separate report from ABN Amro, published September 8, 2026, shows that Amsterdam has lost 38% of its business travelers compared to 2019. Business overnight stays dropped from 32% to 18% of total hotel bookings. Researcher Stef Driessen told Het Parool that the decline “hits hotels directly” because business guests book on weekdays and outside vacation periods. Source: NL Times

What does this have to do with taxis? Fewer business travelers means fewer high-value rides for Uber and traditional cabs. The city has long courted “quality visitors” who spend more and cause less nuisance. But with those visitors staying away, the taxi market becomes more dependent on tourists and residents — exactly the users NLCabs is targeting.

The practical takeaway for expats

NLCabs is available now in Amsterdam. You download the app, register, and order a ride. The founders say they’ll expand to other Dutch cities if the model works. For now, it’s a test of whether a driver-owned cooperative can survive against a global tech giant with deep pockets.

If you’re an expat who relies on ride-hailing, it’s worth keeping NLCabs on your phone as a backup — or a primary option. Lower commissions mean drivers earn more, which could translate to better service and lower prices. And given the regulatory heat on Uber, having a local alternative might be the smartest ride in town.

What to watch: Will Uber respond with lower commissions or legal action? Will the gemeente Amsterdam (municipality) step in to regulate the market? And most importantly, will enough passengers download NLCabs to make it viable? The next few months will tell.