Since acquiring Associated Taxis in October 2025, Take Me Group has continued to demonstrate how investment, technology and operational expertise can transform an established independent private hire operator while preserving the local identity that customers and drivers know and trust.
The acquisition formed part of Take Me Group’s long-term strategy of supporting respected local taxi businesses, providing them with the infrastructure, commercial opportunities and specialist support required to thrive in an increasingly competitive and technology-driven industry.
Less than a year on from joining the Group, the results speak for themselves.
Following TakeMe’s acquisition of Associated Taxis, the business successfully migrated from Cab9 to iCabbi with minimal disruption. Since the migration Associated Taxis has experienced a 20% increase in active driver numbers, alongside an impressive circa 30% increase in passenger demand and completed journeys, creating greater earning opportunities for drivers while delivering an enhanced service to customers across the region.
These improvements have been achieved through significant investment across every area of the business—not only in technology and operations, but also through recruitment, marketing, finance, compliance and commercial development.
A Partnership Built on Support Rather Than Change
Unlike many acquisitions within the industry, Take Me Group’s philosophy has never been about removing local identity or centralising everything under one national brand.
Instead, the Group invests heavily behind the scenes, allowing local businesses to retain the reputation and relationships they have spent decades building, whilst benefiting from the expertise and buying power of a national organisation.
Associated Taxis continues to trade under its respected local name, but now benefits from the support of dedicated teams covering:
- National marketing and brand development
- Business-to-business sales and commercial growth
- Corporate account management
- Finance and accounts
- Human Resources
- Driver recruitment and retention
- Fleet support
- Compliance and licensing
- Customer service
- Operational performance
- Technology development
- Digital systems and reporting
This structure enables the local management team to remain focused on customers, drivers and operational excellence while Take Me Group provides the specialist resources that many independent operators simply cannot justify independently.
Driver Growth Through Investment
One of the earliest priorities following the acquisition was expanding the driver network.
Through sustained recruitment campaigns, improved onboarding, stronger driver engagement and enhanced operational support, Associated Taxis has increased its active driver base by 20% since becoming part of Take Me Group.
The additional drivers have significantly improved vehicle availability, reduced customer waiting times and created greater capacity to service both existing and newly secured contracts.
For drivers, the benefits have extended far beyond recruitment.
The increase in passenger demand has provided more consistent work, improved utilisation and greater earning potential, supported by access to national account work generated across Take Me Group’s wider network.
Passenger Numbers Continue to Climb
Alongside driver recruitment, customer demand has continued to grow at an exceptional rate.
Since the acquisition, passenger numbers and completed trips have increased by approximately 30%, driven by a combination of improved service levels, expanded business-to-business relationships, targeted marketing campaigns and increased brand visibility.
Take Me Group’s commercial development teams have introduced new corporate opportunities while strengthening relationships with existing clients, ensuring that drivers benefit from a steady flow of quality bookings throughout the day.
This balanced approach has allowed Associated Taxis to grow organically while maintaining the high service standards expected by both customers and corporate clients.
Significant Improvements Behind the Scenes
While customers see more vehicles on the road, much of the transformation has taken place behind the scenes.
Take Me Group has invested heavily in the infrastructure supporting Associated Taxis, including financial management, business intelligence, digital marketing, reporting systems, compliance procedures and operational performance monitoring.
These improvements have enabled faster decision-making, improved cost control and stronger profitability while creating a scalable platform for future growth.
The business has also benefited from Take Me Group’s continual investment in technology, ensuring that drivers, customers and dispatch teams all have access to modern systems capable of meeting the demands of today’s private hire market.
A General Manager’s Perspective
For Jack Doherty, General Manager of Associated Taxis, the transition from operating as a standalone local business to becoming part of Take Me Group has exceeded expectations.
Reflecting on the past several months, Jack explained that joining the Group has provided the business with a level of support that would have been extremely difficult to achieve independently.
“Naturally, whenever a long-established local operator joins a larger group, there can be uncertainty about what the future holds. However, the reality has been incredibly positive.
Becoming part of Take Me Group has allowed us to retain everything that makes Associated Taxis special while giving us access to an experienced team of specialists across every area of the business.
Instead of trying to manage marketing, recruitment, commercial development, finance, technology and compliance ourselves, we now have dedicated experts supporting us every day. That allows our local team to concentrate on what we do best—looking after our drivers, our customers and delivering a first-class service.
The growth we’ve achieved in both drivers and passenger numbers is testament to that support. The additional resources, investment and expertise have accelerated our development far beyond what we could realistically have achieved on our own, and it’s been refreshing to work with a group that genuinely values local businesses rather than trying to change them.”
Building a Stronger Future
Chris Thalha, Group Managing Director of Take Me Group, said the success of Associated Taxis perfectly illustrates the Group’s long-term vision.
“Our objective has always been simple—to invest in good local operators and help them become even stronger.
We don’t believe successful taxi businesses need to lose their identity to grow. Quite the opposite. Local knowledge, trusted brands and experienced management teams are incredibly valuable, and our role is to provide the infrastructure, technology, commercial opportunities and operational support that help those businesses reach the next level.
Seeing a 20% increase in driver numbers alongside approximately 30% growth in passenger journeys within such a short period demonstrates what can be achieved when local expertise is supported by national investment.
Jack and his team have embraced the opportunities that being part of Take Me Group has created, and we’re extremely proud of what has been achieved together. We’re excited to continue investing in Associated Taxis and supporting its long-term success for many years to come.”
The success of Associated Taxis reinforces Take Me Group’s belief that the future of the private hire industry lies in combining the strength of established local operators with the resources, technology and commercial capabilities of a forward-thinking national group. By preserving trusted local brands while investing heavily behind the scenes, Take Me Group is creating stronger, more resilient businesses that benefit drivers, passengers, employees and the communities they serve.
