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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Uber hit with lawsuit over alleged sexual assaults
Uber has been struck with a new lawsuit alleging the ride-hailing company knowingly neglects the safety of its female customers. The suit, filed in US District Court in San Francisco, claims Uber aims its marketing at young women who have been drinking but doesn't conduct adequate background checks on its drivers. That lapse has led to a number of sexual assaults, according to the 52-page complaint filed on behalf of two "Jane Does" who allege their Uber drivers sexually assaulted them.
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Airbnb and Uber executives sued for sexual harassment and wage theft by former live-in domestic worker
A former live-in domestic worker for two San Francisco tech executives filed suit against her former employers, alleging sexual harassment and wage theft. A complaint filed in San Francisco Superior Court alleges that Cameron Poetzscher, the head of corporate development for Uber, and Varsha Rao, the head of global operations for Airbnb, subjected Julieta Yang to a "sexually hostile work and home environment" and failed to pay her the minimum wage and overtime.
Read more from SF Weekly
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Uber, Lyft shun fingerprint requirements for drivers
Houston, San Antonio and Austin currently take different approaches to a key regulatory issue: whether vehicle-for-hire app drivers must undergo fingerprint background checks. The issue has proven pivotal to Uber and Lyft in Texas. Lyft refuses to operate in Houston, where fingerprint checks are required. Uber isn't currently available in San Antonio, which has a voluntary fingerprinting program. And both companies are worried that Austin is about to become a lot less hospitable.
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Uber driver assessed $2,500 fine for ride solicitation
The first transportation network company driver to be disciplined by the Nevada Transportation Authority was assessed a $2,500 fine at a hearing for offering a ride to a plainclothes enforcement officer while not operating on the Uber platform. Transportation Authority Commissioner Keith Sakelhide, serving as hearing officer in the matter, assessed the fine to Kelil Ebrahim, who spoke through an interpreter for most of the hourlong hearing.
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Here's Uber's plan to screw over drivers who have a complaint
Not only are some "full-time" drivers not given health benefits, paid vacations, or other benefits, it also turns out they are hit with huge fees if they try to file legal action against Uber. In a September 1 decision US District Court Judge Edward Chen in San Francisco granted class-action status to a lawsuit brought by two Uber drivers seeking reclassification as employees. They are seeking reimbursement for expenses and tips, which would open the door to a minimum wage, meal breaks, workers' compensation, and unionization.
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Even Uber drivers are now protesting against Uber in France
A group of Uber drivers staged a protest outside the company's Paris office over a recent reduction in rates across the French capital. As the French newspaper L'Express reports, the group of about 50 chauffeurs were demonstrating against a 20 percent fare reduction for the company's UberX service and a 25 percent cut for UberPool. The protesters were eventually dispersed by police in riot gear.
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Uber's probe of data breach focuses on Lyft executive
Investigators looking into last year's data breach and theft of drivers' records from Uber Technologies Inc. have found indications implicating an executive at rival ride-hailing app Lyft Inc., said people familiar with the matter. The Uber investigators believe the intruder used a company security key accessible on a public website to access as many as 50,000 driver records in May 2014, Uber said in court records in a lawsuit related to the breach.
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Crunching the painful Uber numbers
Uber is on fire. It has a $50 billion market cap and countless happy riders who can readily articulate why using Uber is better than taking a cab or driving their own car, or maybe even owning their own car. And the Uber drivers get to be their own boss and choose the hours when they want to drive. What's not to like? But things start to look differently when you begin to ask some questions: Who is better compensated - an Uber driver or a crew member at McDonald's? How much does an Uber driver earn?
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How safe is that Uber you're hailing?
The rise of ride-sharing services means that people are opting to be chauffeured instead of taking the driver's seat. And a company called Zendrive wants to make sure we're in safe hands. The startup collects data on drivers using sensors on their smartphones. The sensors can detect everything from when a driver is speeding, to when they're talking on the phone or slamming on the brakes. Ride-sharing companies like Shuddle have integrated the technology into their apps to track their fleets.
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| | Four things about Uber you wish you never knew |
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