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  Keeping a critical eye on Uber, 
Lyft and other transportation
network companies
Uber driver with 8-page criminal record raped teen, prosecutor says
An Uber driver from Boston with a lengthy criminal record is accused of raping a teenage girl in July. Darnell Booth, 34, of Dorchester, was arrested by Everett police on Wednesday night. Prosecutors allege Booth met the 16-year-old victim on June 30 when he drove her home to Everett. On July 4, the victim noticed that she had been added to a Snapchat account she believed was Booth's, prosecutors said.
Boston police commissioner decries lack of fingerprinting for Uber, Lyft drivers
The Massachusetts House and Senate have approved new legislation concerning the certification of Uber and Lyft drivers, and Boston Police Commissioner William Evans has gone public with his concerns about their lack of any requirement for a fingerprint-based background check. The regulations don't mandate the kind of biometric background checks required for cab drivers in the state.
Uber's terms and conditions don't guarantee your safety
Uber is relatively new to the Fargo area, but if you've traveled you've probably used it. But you probably never thought you'd be taking your life in your hands every time you buckle in. You download the app, hail a ride and that's it. But tucked away in the Uber app is the terms and conditions; it reads, "Uber does not guarantee the safety of third party providers. You agree that the entire risk of your use of the services remains solely with you."
Who's Driving You? The Truth About Rideshare Safety
In April, an altercation during which a Lyft driver slashed a passenger's arm with a box cutter happened less than 20 miles from ASU's Tempe campus. According to whosdrivingyou.org, a site dedicated to spreading rideshare safety awareness, there have been 121 reported sexual assaults, six alleged kidnappings and 15 deaths in the rideshare community to date. Uber and Lyft are also no strangers to DUIs, negligent background checks and other nefarious behavior that puts drivers and passengers in increasingly dangerous situations every day.
Taxi driver killed in multi-car DUI crash involving Uber driver in West Hollywood
A taxi cab driver was killed in a suspected DUI crash involving an Uber driver and another vehicle in West Hollywood, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Saturday. The fatal crash was reported shortly before 2 a.m. on La Brea Avenue near Fountain Avenue. Sheriff's officials said the driver of a red Hyundai was traveling southbound on La Brea Avenue and failed to stop at a red light, according to Sgt. Enrique Mandujan of the West Hollywood Sheriff Station. 
Uber driver 'attacks customer because the volume on his phone was too loud'
A recent video showing a Uber driver allegedly hitting a client has led to the company terminating his contract. The clip was shot in Guadalajara, Mexico, by Jesus Leonardo Aponte Gomez. The young man got into a Uber car to reach a destination in town. On the way, he accessed his social media accounts and started watching videos on the phone . According to him, the driver told him to lower the volume and he complied immediately.
Even with an Uber drivers' 'union,' little has changed in their fight for in-app tipping
As part of a five-year labor agreement with Uber, the New York arm of the International Association of Machinists has been working to help independent drivers get their voices and concerns heard by Uber management. Under the agreement, the group - called the Independent Drivers Guild (IDG) - is guaranteed a once-a-month meeting with Uber management, and a right to appeal driver deactivations.
Uber's never-ending stream of lawsuits
Since its launch in 2009, Uber has been juggling a nonstop barrage of lawsuits from governments, drivers, passengers and competitors. Some have been settled out of court while others have dragged on indeterminably. In the U.S., there are more than 70 pending federal suits against the company and many more in state courts. There are also battles taking places in governments and courts around the world.
Uber driver in custody after allegedly assaulting 2 people
Toronto police have an Uber driver in custody after he allegedly assaulted a female passenger in front of a downtown hotel Saturday night. The incident happened at around 7.30 p.m. in the Harbour Square and Yonge Street area. The woman is being treated for minor injuries. Police told CBC News the driver reportedly assaulted another person, but don't know if that second person was a passenger or bystander.
Uber slammed in lawsuit over accessibility by Brooklyn woman who uses wheelchair
A new lawsuit against Uber filed by a Brooklyn woman who uses a motorized wheelchair calls the ride-sharing app's service linking people in wheelchairs to accessible yellow and green taxis "a paltry smokescreen." Elizabeth Ramos, 54, who belongs to disability rights groups and has used a wheelchair since she was 12 due to scoliosis, tested out the service twice - once outside her Brooklyn apartment building and again in Midtown.
Will Uber go under
Uber, the huge taxi service, is undoubtedly still reeling from its defeat in China. After investing $2 billion to get a foothold in the Chinese market, Uber sold out to its competitor, Didi Chuxing, and agreed to be a junior partner in China. While this is a dramatic story that made headlines across the country, a less covered story could have far more impact on Uber's future. This is the story of Uber's departure from Austin, Texas.  
Uber's car leasing program turns its drivers into modern-day sharecroppers
Behind the shiny veneer of Uber's venture capital-backed technological innovation lies a time-tested business model: labor exploitation. Uber's latest scheme is a new spin on the age-old practice of sharecropping. Struggling to find enough drivers willing to put miles on their own cars, Uber recently began offering subprime auto loans to would-be drivers, conveniently extracting payments directly from their paychecks, or (because Uber insists its drivers aren't its employees) their "Uber earnings." 
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