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  Keeping a critical eye on Uber, 
Lyft, Sidecar, et al

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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Attorney suing Uber, Lyft in independent contractor case won similar fights for FedEx drivers, strippers (Video)

Shannon Liss-Riordan, the lead plaintiff attorney in a pivotal class-action lawsuit against Uber Technologies, has a long, colorful history of successfully suing companies accused of failing to pay wages, overtime, tips, minimum wage and other benefits. Now she is taking aim at San Francisco's behemoth on-demand ride service Uber and its rival Lyft. Plus, she's mulling plans for taking similar action against a rash of other young tech companies that classify workers as independent contractors.

Read more from San Francisco Business Times

Obama administration takes sides in disability suit against Uber

The Obama administration weighed on the side of advocates for the blind in a San Francisco federal court suit accusing ride-on-demand company Uber of discriminating against passengers with guide dogs. In its court filing, the Justice Department did not endorse the specific allegations of discrimination but said companies like Uber are covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act, which requires equal treatment and reasonable accommodations for disabled customers.

Read more from The San Francisco Chronicle

Uber rider takes terrifying trip

A woman is telling a terrifying story about a reckless ride in an Uber car. There's been a lot of debate in Nashville over regulating ride-share companies like Uber and Lyft. A Nashville passenger wants others to know how quickly things can go wrong if you get in the back seat with the wrong driver. Ride-sharing programs have put a serious dent in the local cab industry and, for the most part, people rave over them. Two weeks ago, Rebecca Seaver found herself in a frightening situation over the course of that ride, not once, but twice.

Read more from WSMV Nashville

Uber shows how not to do a privacy report

The Uber privacy report released last week is the perfect example of how not to handle a privacy PR disaster - or any privacy policy matters at all. Uber's particular privacy PR disaster arose from several clueless incidents. There was the Uber senior executive who said in a speech that the company should consider digging up dirt on a particular critical reporter. Shortly after that, a different Uber executive started off an interview with another journalist by citing her geolocation and travel records.

Read more from Computer World

Uber safety lawsuit: Lax ride-sharing model 'inherently dangerous,' class action claims

Uber is keen on boasting that it has the "safest rides on the road," but a lawsuit is looking to make a dent in that claim. The litigation, filed in U.S. District Court in Northern California, accuses Uber Technologies Inc., the popular ride-sharing firm based in San Francisco, of willfully misleading riders by pitching itself as a safe transportation option despite a litany of "negligible" security precautions. 

Read more from the International Business Times

South Korea vows 'strong crackdown' on Uber

The South Korean government rejected a regulatory compromise suggested by Uber and vowed a "strong crackdown" on its ride-hailing services. David Plouffe, a senior vice president of the San Francisco-based company, proposed Wednesday that South Korea register Uber drivers so the company could overcome legal challenges and continue to operate. On Thursday, however, the government's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport rejected the proposal, calling it tantamount to asking the government to register Uber vehicles as taxis.

Read more from The New York Times

Uber drivers face criminal charges

Victorian Taxi Services Commissioner Graeme Samuel is pushing ahead with criminal charges against a dozen drivers registered with controversial ride-sharing service UberX, in a test case on the legality of the popular service in Australia. The 12 drivers have been charged with operating a commercial passenger vehicle without a licence - a crime attracting a fine of up to $7500 - after a crackdown by the regulator. 

Read more from the Financial Review

Four Things About Uber You Wish You Never Knew
Four things about Uber you wish you never knew
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