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, 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. Visit the Archive to read previous editions.
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Internal Uber e-mails reflect company's brash reputation
Uber's brash reputation evidently extends to the way its managers talk about drivers. In forceful and sometimes crudely derisive language, Uber bosses discussed when to fire drivers for the on-demand ride service, according to internal company reports and e-mails. Uber was compelled to produce the documents as evidence for a class-action lawsuit by California drivers seeking to be considered Uber employees rather than independent contractors. The company sought to have them kept under seal but a federal judge ordered them made public.
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Airport limo, taxi drivers want Uber, Lyft on level playing field
Limousine company officials queued up inside Tampa International Airport to complain bitterly that rideshare companies Uber and Lyft are cutting into their business there and operating illegally curbside. They told the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority board that while their companies have to buy permits for each vehicle they use to pick up passengers at the airport and are required to have special insurance, rideshare drivers are skirting the rules and in big numbers. And, they added, the airport is simply turning a blind eye.
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| | City of Austin wants tougher regulations for transportation network companies |
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Some Uber and Lyft drivers want a union
Uber and Lyft are billion-dollar companies, but some drivers are complaining of poor pay and want the right to form a union. A Seattle City Councilmember moved to change the law. The proposal comes from City Councilmember Mike O'Brien, who stood with drivers from companies like Uber and Lyft. They told us that when it comes down to it, they don't make anything even close to the minimum.
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Late bill requires deeper background checks of Uber, Lyft drivers
In the latest attempt to impose tougher rules on companies like Uber and Lyft, an amended California Assembly bill would require drivers to undergo broader criminal background checks. Current standards aren't sufficient to protect riders, argued Assemblyman Jim Cooper, D-Elk Grove, pointing out that the companies' background checks only cover the seven-year window mandated by the California Public Utilities Commission.
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| | FSU Police: Man Claimed to be Uber Driver, Arrested for Kidnapping |
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Will Uber drivers turn on Uber?
Last week a judge decided that a legal case involving ex-Uber drivers could become a joint action - which simply means lots of people who have the same grievance can get together and sue at once. The disagreement is over how Uber's drivers are hired by the company.
Uber considers them contractors: they work when they want, for as long as they want. Drivers must pay for their cars, fuel, maintenance - everything. The alternative - and the one successfully argued in the case - is that Uber drivers should actually be employees.
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5 reasons you should download a taxi-hailing app
For people who live in cities like San Francisco and New York, this era of on-demand transportation wars can be a fantastic time to take a regular old cab. That's especially true because of apps like Flywheel and Arro-the latter launching in New York City on Wednesday-which allow riders to summon taxis from their smartphones and pay through the app just like they do when taking an Uber or Lyft. Here are five reasons you should download a taxi-hailing app.
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Uber will pay fine to state workers' compensation division
Ride-sharing service Uber has agreed to pay a $77,925 fine to the state of Alaska over unpaid workers' compensation insurance for its drivers. Uber operated in Anchorage for about six months before pulling out of Alaska. In the Aug. 25 settlement, Uber admitted no wrongdoing. The company agreed not to return to Alaska until it is in compliance with state workers' compensation laws.
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Uber trip information appears in Google search results after riders share their ETA publicly
Uber's "Share Your ETA" feature is helpful to let friends or family know you are en route. Just don't share that information publicly. ZDNet first reported that Uber trip information was appearing in Google search results after a user posted about it on Twitter. A search of the site "trip.uber.com" returns dozens of trips on the ride-hailing app. Each link pulls up a map of the trip along with the passenger's name. The driver's photo, name, license plate, and car model is also easily identifiable.
Read more from Business Insider
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| | Digital Hitchhiking: Think Before You App from Ride Responsibly |
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