
NewsWatch
Keeping a critical eye on Uber,
Lyft, Sidecar, et al
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Welcome to the latest edition of AFT NewsWatch, a weekly service of Advocates for Fairness in Transportation. Visit the Archive to read previous editions.
AFT is an ad hoc group of regulated transportation service companies dedicated to informing and educating the public on threats to public safety from new so-called ride-sharing or ride-booking services such as Uber, Lyft and Sidecar.
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 | Uber drivers targeted in stings |
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Uber's been suspending Southern California drivers for getting commercial licenses
Uber, why can't you just be a benevolent force for cheap rides? Because it's apparently impossible to be both. To keep its rides less expensive than taxis, Uber has had to cut all kinds of corners-both San Francisco and Los Angeles have sued the company for allegedly cutting corners on background checks, along with other violations, and their drivers have accused them of terrible labor practices.
Read more from Curbed Los Angeles
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Uber driver indicted in alleged kidnapping, rape
A Boston Uber driver was indicted Thursday on charges that he allegedly kidnapped and raped a female passenger in December, according to authorities. Alejandro Done, 46, is charged with kidnapping, three counts of aggravated rape, and two counts of assault and battery, the office of Middlesex District Attorney Marian T. Ryan said.
Read more from The Boston Globe
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Uber slams Orlando, but some drivers like city's new rules
Uber is waging a campaign to discredit the city of Orlando for new regulations that would more than triple its minimum fares, claiming the changes will hurt the company's drivers. But some of Uber's own drivers welcome the higher rates. Orlando's new rules, set to take effect Feb. 1, include a controversial plan to force so-called rideshare companies such as Uber and Lyft to charge a minimum fare of $2.40, the same per-mile rate charged by traditional taxicabs.
Read more from the Orlando Sentinel
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Uber's privacy woes should serve as a cautionary tale for all companies
Revelations from the Washington Post and others are bringing to light growing concern that every Uber employee, and apparently interviewee, is allowed unlimited access to customer data. For instance, one article described how the company's employees use a feature called "God View" that allows tracking of all Uber customers in real time; that information has then been displayed as entertainment at company parties.
Read more from Wired
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Uber restarts service in Delhi; government says company still banned
Uber, the U.S.-based online taxi-hailing company, has restarted services in India's capital after a ban following rape allegations against one of its drivers, but a government official said the company remains blacklisted. Uber's app showed taxis available for booking in New Delhi on Friday. A company spokesman said Uber had applied for a radio taxi license. Last month, the company had said such traditional radio taxi regulations were incompatible with its business model.
Read more from Reuters
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Banned service Uber cabs emails rape victim, says we are back in Delhi; offers 25% discount
Uber cabs, one of whose drivers is under investigation for raping a woman in Delhi, has allegedly emailed the victim announcing that they back in operation in the city. Uber sent copies of the email to its past customers, which also included the victim. Uber claimed in the mail that, "We're back, to serve you and get you moving once again." Whether it was a faux pas on the part of Uber to send such a mail to the victim remains unknown.
Read more from DNA India
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6 reasons Ubernomics could be fatal to itself, its customers, and mass transit
Each time Uber angers customers with another surge pricing incident, or angers a city by ignoring its laws, an army of fans jump to its defense (as if Uber needs the help) and cry "free market." Then, self-congratulatory insults at stupid consumers or old fart city leaders are hurled, along with an easy, breezy explanation of supply and demand. The New York Times went so far recently as to run a headline saying, "Uber improves life, economists agree."
Read more from GeekWire
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 | Four things about Uber you wish you never knew |
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