The ride-sharing experience of the future is coming to Pittsburgh this month, when Uber will launch a fleet of autonomous cars — custom Volvo XC90s — that come with a human being to supervise in the driver’s seat. [More]
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Uber Driver Accused Of Raping A Passenger In Atlanta
By 8.16.16
All too often we find ourselves writing about another occasion where an Uber driver is accused of assaulting a passenger, and here we are again, unfortunately: a woman in Atlanta says her driver sexually assaulted her after picking her up early Saturday morning. [More]
Uber Driver Arrested, Accused Of Raping 16-Year-Old Passenger
By 8.11.16
Uber says that it puts all new drivers through checks of their criminal and driving history, and none of what happened in a Boston suburb should have taken place. The prosecutor in Malden, MA says that a local driver had a long and sometimes violent criminal history, and he is accused of tracking down, offering extra rides to, and raping a 16-year-old passenger earlier this summer. [More]
Uber Passenger Claims Driver Attacked Her After Dropping Her Off
By 8.5.16
A Los Angeles woman says she doesn’t feel safe alone with Uber drivers at night, after a driver allegedly attacked her after taking her to her destination. [More]
Judge Shreds Uber; Says Company Can’t Prove Riders Are Giving Up Right To Sue
By 8.2.16
Uber, like a large and growing number of companies, has a clause in its terms of use that prohibits customers from suing the company or joining together in any sort of class action against the ride-hailing service. However, a federal judge recently scolded Uber over this contractual gamesmanship and deemed this particular clause unenforceable because the company can’t prove that users actually agreed to these terms. [More]
Uber Sells Its China Business To Competitor Didi For $35 Billion
By 8.1.16
It’s easy to think of Uber as belonging squarely American millennials, but the ride-hailing app, and the ecosystem attached to it, are truly global enterprises. The service operates and competes in dozens of nations worldwide… except with one less, now that it’s having to give up on one of the most populated countries on Earth. [More]
Uber Drivers Say That When They Turn Down Ride Requests, They Get Timeouts
By 7.28.16
Just like when your mom told you to go sit in the corner for refusing to pick up your toys, Uber drivers say that when they repeatedly turn down ride requests, they’re given timeouts. [More]
Uber, Lyft, & Philly Cabs Have Showdown Of Their Own At The DNC
By 7.27.16
Do you remember the scene in Anchorman when all the different news teams have a giant, lethal street fight? We imagine the showdown between Uber, Lyft, and Philadelphia cab drivers over access to the Democratic National Convention to be similar. Okay, it’s not physical, but the accusations are flying between the three ride-providing groups related to where and when they can pick up and drop off passengers headed to the event. [More]
10 National Ice Cream Day Deals To Help Beat The Heat
By 7.15.16
National Ice Cream Day is officially July 17, or so the ice cream gods have proclaimed, but many businesses are either starting the festivities early or extending the sweet treat deals beyond Sunday. Here’s what you’ll need to know to get your brain freeze on. [More]
PA Governor Signs Bill Authorizing Temporary Truce Between Uber & Philadelphia
By 7.13.16
Not even 24 hours after a Philadelphia judge repeated her previous stance that the UberX car service is operating illegally in the city, the governor of Pennsylvania signed into a law a bill that authorizes a 90-day truce between Uber and the city’s Parking Authority. [More]
Judge Rules Uber Is Still Illegal In Philadelphia, Despite Temporary Truce
By 7.13.16
In response to a petition from taxi drivers, advocates for disabled riders — and even some Uber Black drivers — a Philadelphia judge has said that Uber’s UberX car service is operating illegally in the city, regardless of a deal reached last week to allow UberX to temporarily operate in Philly without threat of legal action. [More]
Taxis Still Provide More Rides Than Uber In New York City
By 7.12.16
Since bursting onto the transportation scene, Uber has served as a contentious rival for traditional taxis, with the industry arguing that the ride-hailing service has taken away business and depleted driver’s take-home pay. But a new report suggests that simply isn’t the case, at least in New York City, where traditional cabs continue to dominate the streets. [More]
Lyft Launches “Premier” Luxury Ride Service To Rival Uber Black
By 7.7.16
What’s a luxury-loving customer to do when they want to ride in style? Uber has its “Black” tier of service offering trips in more luxurious vehicles, and now Lyft is launching a new offering called Premier to compete for those customers willing to pay for the privilege of a fancier car. [More]
Police: Uber Driver Arrested For Refusing To Transport Group Of Blind People With Service Dogs
By 7.7.16
Uber has been called out in the past by blind customers and advocacy groups for the blind for drivers who refused to transport service animals, settling a lawsuit over that issue in May with the company promising to take steps to prevent such discrimination. But it seems some drivers still don’t understand that they’re required to accept service animals, with police in Orlando arresting an Uber driver who allegedly drove away from blind passengers with guide dogs. [More]
Uber Can Operate Legally In Philly During Public Transportation Snafu
By 7.7.16
Even though Uber vehicles are readily available throughout Philadelphia, many of the ride-hailing company’s services are still illegal in the city. But with more than 115 regional rail cars pulled from service last weekend over safety concerns, a temporary truce will allow Uber to operate without threat of fines or arrest in the City of Brotherly Love.
[More]
Uber Will Start Tracking Driver Behavior Through Its App
By 6.29.16
The next time your Uber driver takes a turn too fast or slams the brakes at the last second, Uber will know. The company says driver behavior will start to be tracked through its app soon. [More]
Uber Adding Pandora Integration For Drivers; Offers Six Months Of Ad-Free Service
By 6.27.16
Uber drivers looking to jam out with their riders now have another option. On top of allowing passengers to use Spotify on their journey, Uber has added Pandora integration to its drivers’ app, and will offer drivers six months of ad-free service at no cost. [More]
Uber Switching To Upfront Pricing Model, Ditching Surge Icon (While Keeping Surge Prices)
By 6.24.16
While Uber is changing its app to make it easier for customers to see what they’ll pay for a ride upfront, the new version will make it harder to know when “surge pricing” has taken hold. [More]
