"It gives us more boost to provide a better service."
He said Hastings Taxis was a well-established service and had regular clientele.
"We've been established for 70 years, and we have regulars who keep coming to us because we provide a good service."
He was curious about how Uber would survive in a small area like Hastings.
"I don't know how they will survive because Hastings is a small area and sometimes it is a struggle even for us."
The fact that Uber will be a new service will serve as an attraction for some of the "younger generations", he said.
"People will definitely try it because it is new, but we are not worried."
Uber already operates in Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Wellington, Christchurch, Queenstown and Dunedin. It first launched in New Zealand in May 2014.
Uber New Zealand country manager Amanda Gilmore said the launch into the new cities would give more Kiwis access to "convenient and affordable transport".
"Uber is nearly doubling our city portfolio overnight. It's a bold but well-researched move designed to create more transport choice while deepening the earning opportunities for New Zealanders on both the North and South islands."
Gilmore said the company had "faith in NZ as a market that can succeed in the world of ridesharing".
"We've already got 6500 partners in New Zealand, most of them supplementing their income with part-time work on the platform.
"We anticipate more will follow, extending further opportunities to even more New Zealanders who are looking for another way to support their families by driving on weekends and in peak tourist seasons."
She added that New Zealand was already leading the way in new transport options with Wellington the first city in the Asia Pacific to embrace JUMP e-scooters.
"Now more Kiwis will get the chance to get around their cities in a safe and cost effective way."
