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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Austin police investigating alleged sex assaults by Uber, Lyft drivers
Seven sexual assault claims. That's how many cases Austin police say they're investigating involving Uber and Lyft drivers accused of sexually assaulting their passenger over the past few months. This new information comes out as a heated debate continues at city hall over whether the City of Austin should impose more regulations on ride-share companies, also known as Transportation Network Companies (TNCs).
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Uber work by man who dragged officers raises concerns
A driver accused of dragging two Boston police officers during a traffic stop last weekend has a long driving and criminal record, but also recently drove for Uber. That connection to the ride service is raising concerns about Uber's driver screening process. Bryant Gilbert, 45, is accused of putting his car in gear during a Mattapan traffic stop on Sunday and dragging two police officers for about 100 yards before the car crashed.
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Chicago woman describes Uber nightmare
The ride-sharing service Uber is a popular way to get around, but a Chicago woman says she sat through a terrifying ordeal when a driver would not let her out of his car. For ten terrifying minutes, Gia Favia says she was locked in a stranger's car. "Your first instinct is, is this a joke? Let me out of the car," Favia said. Favia requested an Uber to travel about a mile from a bank to work in Chicago. The Uber app charged her about $5, but Favia said her driver thought the ride should cost more.
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Don't waste your money: Woman stunned by $189 Uber ride bill
More and more of us are using Uber to get a ride around town. You don't have to worry about parking fees or drinking too much and then driving home. But one Northern Kentucky woman got a big surprise in her Uber bill, and it's something you need to know about, if you haven't used the service before. Stephanie Korte didn't want to drive downtown. So she and two friends opted for Uber. Their ride downtown cost $30. But when the bill for her ride home popped up on her phone, "I almost fell over," she said. The return trip was more than 5 times higher.
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Uber driver takes on Uber advisor over pay
A driver for the ride-hailing service confronted the company publicly about his earnings, highlighting the tension in the industry over pay. Ride-hailing company Uber often brags about how it helps drivers make a living with lots of flexibility. But Eric Barajas, a full-time driver for the company in San Francisco, is still struggling to make ends meet. So he took out his frustration publicly on Uber advisor David Plouffe, while he appeared on stage at a technology conference.
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Uber is punishing drivers for following the law
Uber drivers attempting to follow the law are getting screwed by Uber in California. A Buzzfeed investigation revealed that Uber suspended at least 12 drivers last month for properly registering their cars as commercial vehicles. To get their jobs back, Uber said the drivers had to re-register the cars as personal vehicles, which is a clear violation of DMV rules.
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Uber charging users 'processing fee' for their generous Veterans Day donations
Uber has a habit of launching backhanded feel-good campaigns. Recently, for example, the company promised an entire city free rides to a celebrate a football win-which had literally zero chance of happening. It was seriously a fat chance, and we called them out on it. They've also launched puppy delivery campaigns, which conveniently shifted the media attention from condemning the company for relaunching a driver who kidnapped and raped a passenger (and other egregious behavior), to "AWW puppies!"
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Uber & Lyft aren't among 'gig economy' companies pledging to treat workers well
"Gig economy" workers get second-class treatment. Many of today's workers don't work a typical job with a typical employer, but instead make money as freelance contractors for companies like Uber or TaskRabbit. Thanks to the rise of such Silicon Valley "disruptors," it's easy for people to pick up short- or longer-term gigs that fall short of full-time employment. But if you're a worker in this "gig economy," it's likely you don't enjoy traditional employee benefits like health insurance.
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Uber And Lyft will be part of the study on the environmental impact of ridesharing services
The yearlong climate analysis of Uber and Lyft will study the claims that they have a positive impact on the environment by reducing pollution, despite the backlash they have received over the fact that their expansion has led to more cars on the road. The environmental effects caused by these companies have not yet been studied. The researchers will gather activity data from both Uber and Lyft for their independent study, as well as conduct a survey on rideshare users.
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