Ride-hailing services aren’t very asset-heavy businesses. They don’t need to invest in fleets of cars or etxensive real estate: all they need is a functioning app, a critical mass of drivers, and some customers to hail rides. That’s why it was perhaps inevitable that frustrated drivers for Uber and Lyft would band together and create their own services that compete with the big names in the business. [More]
ride-hailing apps
Couple Says Uber Driver Left Woman Stranded On NYC Sidewalk While She Was In Labor, Still Charged Her $13
By 1.12.16
If there’s one time in your life when you could really use a lift somewhere, it’s got to be when you’re preparing to birth a human being. But can an Uber driver who may be adverse to transporting a person in labor just leave you hanging? That’s what happened to one couple in New York City, who say that after the pregnant woman vomited on the sidewalk, their driver refused to give them a ride to the hospital… and charged $13 for the privilege of being stranded. [More]
Uber Settles With NY Attorney General Over 2014 Data Breach
By 1.7.16
Ride-hailing services have vital information about both their drivers and their readers on file. For drivers, they have license and vehicle information, as well as personal information used for payment. For passengers, a location-based app knows where users are, creating a Marauder’s Map of cars and people in a city. NeW York State has settled with ride-hailing company Uber for $20,000 over a 2014 breach, and the company also agreed to encrypt and limit access to passenger location information. [More]
Final Decision In Uber Driver Class Action Won’t Come Until Appeals Court Decides On Arbitration
By 12.23.15
The trial in the case of California Uber drivers against the ride-hailing app is still going forward, scheduled for June 20, 2016. However, a few weeks ago, the judge allowed all of the drivers taking part to sue for mileage and phone bill reimbursement. Uber is appealing that ruling, and the appeal may not be resolved before the trial. This week, the judge ruled that he won’t make a final ruling until that case is resolved. [More]
Man Accused Of Drunkenly Attacking His Uber Driver Gets A Face Full Of Mace
By 11.2.15
UPDATE: As it turns out, the passenger who alleged assault the Uber driver in California is a Taco Bell marketing executive. At least, he used to be: the company says it’s fired the suspect after the accusations were made public yesterday. [More]
Uber Testing Bus-Like Feature That Gives Passengers A Discount For Getting Picked Up Along “Smart Routes”
By 8.24.15
While some folks might prefer the privacy of their own car and driver, others are totally willing to share a ride in order to save a few bucks. Uber is testing a new feature for its UberPool option — which allows drivers to pick up multiple passengers along a common route — that works similar to bus routes. [More]
Charleston Uber Driver Accused Of Kidnapping, Rape
By 8.12.15
A Charleston, S.C. Uber driver has been charged with kidnapping and forcible rape, after a female passenger accused him of demanding sexual favors as payment for her trip. She told police he then sexually assaulted her and kicked her out of the vehicle. [More]
NYC Car Service Companies Launching Their Own Smartphone Apps To Compete With Uber
By 8.11.15
In the pre-Uber days of New York City, if you needed a ride to show up at a certain time and location, you’d call a car service in your neighborhood (everyone had their favorites) and arrange for a livery driver to pick you up, instead of risking it and trying to find an available yellow cab. Some of those local car service companies are now turning to their own new technology, introducing smartphone apps to try to compete with the growing presence of Uber. [More]
Uber Launches Car Leasing Program To Attract More Drivers
By 7.30.15
There’s one big obstacle for anyone who wants to sign up as an Uber driver and hit the road — if you don’t have a car, you’ve got nowhere to put any passengers. Uber wants to make it easier to attract potential drivers, launching its own auto leasing subsidiary unit that will bring the ride-hailing company into the financial services industry. [More]
Uber Pushing Back On New York City’s Plans To Put Limits On For-Hire Vehicle Fleet Expansion
By 7.20.15
In Uber’s quest to take over the world, expansion is key — the more drivers it has on the roads picking up passengers, the better its business will do. But in New York City, the company will have to fight to grow its fleet as local authorities consider putting limits on just how many for-hire vehicles will be cruising the streets. [More]
SideCar Launching Medical Marijuana Delivery Service In San Francisco
By 5.12.15
Call it whatever you want, but SideCar probably won’t be calling its new medical marijuana delivery service in California the “Uber” of pot delivery. In a bid to compete against its rivals in the ride-sharing business as well as take advantage of state marijuana laws, SideCar is launching its service in San Francisco to bring medicinal weed from dispensaries to patients. [More]
Brazil Suspends Uber, Uber Keeps Driving
By 4.30.15
Car-hailing app Uber has racked up another municipality on its list of places where the service has been banned, yet drivers remain on the roads anyway. That distinction belongs to the entire nation of Brazil, where a judge has ruled that providing rides to strangers is the exclusive right of licensed taxi services. [More]
Uber May Re-Emerge In Portland Under Pilot Program Next Month
By 3.25.15
After agreeing to suspend its service in Portland, OR last December, Uber could be back on the road in the city by April 15 if officials approve a proposed pilot program. [More]
Amsterdam Uber Driver: Mysterious Masked Men Threatened Me
By 3.19.15
From the point of view of Uber, a service that summons cars and drivers over the Internet, maybe the fines imposed on the company by governments are a relatively cheap marketing expense instead of a nuisance. Yesterday, we shared that Germany has banned the company yet again. Authorities in the Netherlands have imposed a fine of $107,000 on the company for violating the laws that regulate taxis. [More]
Uber, Lyft Trying To Convince Courts That Drivers Are Not Employees
By 3.12.15
What’s the difference between a contractor working for you and an employee? Often, an employee will receive benefits like health insurance and workers compensation if something goes awry, among other things, while a contractor is hired to do one job and that is it. Uber and Lyft don’t want their drivers to fall into the employee category and be responsible for all that entails, but thus far they haven’t been able to sway the courts to see it their way. [More]
Uber Passengers Can Now Earn Starwood Hotels Points With Each Trip
By 2.25.15
Uber and Starwood Hotels are teaming up in an effort to get more passengers to choose Uber over regular taxis, with a new partnership that gives riders Starwood rewards points every time they take a ride using the car-hailing mobile app. [More]
Why Can’t You Tip Your Uber Driver From Within The App?
By 2.16.15 — Updated: 3.22.17
Uber’s goal is to make the process of hailing a cab seamless and easy, without requiring users to carry cash or even have any idea what street address they’re at. The company’s success shows how much people like this integrated pricing model, but as the company lowers fares, drivers earn less money. Yet asking for tips, even with a sign in the backseat, can get a driver in trouble. [More]
Ride-Hailing App Sidecar Expands Into Package Deliveries
By 2.9.15
The ability to multi-task isn’t just a time management boon, so why stick to shuttling around either people or packages? Following past ride-share companies’ efforts to expand into same-day deliveries, car-hailing app Sidecar says it’s going to start dropping off hot food, groceries and other packages along with human beings. [More]
