It's happening! Uber is coming to Hawke's Bay in October

Uber has 6500 registered drivers in New Zealand. Photo / Jason Oxenham

It's finally happening - Uber is coming to Hawke's Bay.

It's news that's music to the ears of Napier and Hastings residents who will get to trial the service from October, but a taxi company is warning the ridesharing giant might find it hard to survive.

The San Francisco-based company said it will launch its services in Rotorua, Taupō, Napier-Hastings, New Plymouth, Palmerston North and Nelson in October, taking its number of operating cities in this country to 14.

Hastings Taxis director Sunil Kumar said he was not worried about competing with the drop-off and pick-up service.

"We are not worried about the competition, competition is always welcome.

"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."