This week, a Common Pleas court judge in Philadelphia issued an order barring ridesharing services like Lyft and Uber’s UberX from operating in the city. This afternoon, an appeals court has overturned that order, allowing these companies to offer rides in Philly (which they hadn’t stopped doing anyway). [More]
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Uber Now Allows Riders To Schedule Trips In Advance
By 6.10.16
Less than two weeks after Lyft rolled out a new service that allows riders to book trips in advance — despite the fact that that action essentially defeats the purpose of an on-demand ride-hailing app — the company’s biggest rival is joining club: Uber will now let users schedule trips between 30 minutes and 30 days in advance. [More]
Uber Nudging Users Toward Carpooling With Test Of “Upfront Pricing” Feature
By 5.27.16
In some cities, Uber customers can choose to get a ride with UberPool, which allows users to share a car with strangers who are traveling along (or close to) their route. It looks like the ride-hailing company is trying to nudge folks toward selecting that option, with a new test of an “upfront pricing” feature that displays prices for both UberPool and the more expensive option, UberX. [More]
French Constitutional Court Upholds Law Banning Amateur Uber Drivers
By 9.22.15
Back in August, Uber stopped running its UberPop service. That’s the equivalent of the UberX service in the United States, where safe drivers who just have regular licenses, not livery licenses, hire themselves out to drive people around for a lower price than taxi service. The reason wasn’t the pending legal challenge: the company claims that it feared for the safety of its drivers and passengers. [More]
Uber Driver Claims Dog Urinated In Car, Sends Pictures Of Different Car
By 7.23.15
It’s not news that someone did something inappropriate in a hired car: that, unfortunately, has been happening for as long as taxis have existed. No, but one woman in Chicago disputed Uber’s claim that her dog relieved himself on the floor of an UberX vehicle and that she owed $200. [More]
When Is Taking A Yellow Cab Cheaper Than Using Uber?
By 3.18.15
Anyone who’s ever found themselves facing Uber’s surge rates has probably grumbled something along the lines of, “Well, at least cabs don’t charge more when it’s busy.” Which is true in most places with taxis licensed by the city where they operate. But what about other times when surge isn’t in effect — which service provides a cheaper ride? [More]
Uber Driver Accused Of Pulling Passenger From Car, Smashing Her Phone After Fight Over Directions
By 10.21.14
In the latest report of Uber driver versus passenger, police in San Francisco have cited an UberX driver with three misdemeanors for allegedly pulling a passenger out of his car and smashing her smartphone while she tried to record the showdown. [More]
Police Arrest 4 Uber Drivers In Amsterdam For Being Uber Drivers
By 10.14.14
Ride-sharing services Uber and Lyft encounter legal roadblocks in many of the cities and states where they try to set up business: from San Antonio to Berlin, governments and taxi driver unions alike have done their best to stop Lyft and UberX, services where prescreened amateurs drive around paying customers. Now a local government has made good on one of these threats, arresting four Uber drivers in Amsterdam. [More]
Should Uber Be Responsible If A Driver Attacks A Passenger?
By 10.8.14
When you think about things that could go wrong while paying an amateur cabdriver to drive you around, there aren’t a lot of possibilities. Maybe there could be a car crash, you could be bitten by a spider in the car, or the driver might grope you. One problem you may not have anticipated: the driver hitting you with a hammer. [More]
How Do Uber and Lyft Work And Why Should I Even Care?
By 9.18.14
Chances are you’ve heard the term “ridesharing” floating around lately, as rivals Uber and Lyft work themselves into a froth trying to outdo each other. But depending on where you live and what your transportation needs are — maybe you own a car or taxis are readily available on-demand through local services — you could have no clue what these companies actually do. And you might not care, but if you don’t have a car and need to where a car can take you, you should know your options. [More]
Lawsuit Claims Some Uber Drivers Discriminate Against The Blind, Put Service Dog In The Trunk
By 9.11.14
When you’ve got somewhere to go, it’s awfully convenient to have a car arrive to take you there. But the National Federation of the Blind says not everyone is enjoying the right to get where they’re going with Uber, claiming in a federal civil rights lawsuit that the company’s drivers have refused to pick up blind customers, and in one case, allegedly put a service dog in the car’s trunk. [More]
Uber To Tack On $1 “Safe Rides Fee”
By 4.18.14
Getting a ride via UberX, a service that pairs up those in need of a lift with pre-screened drivers in the area willing to give them that lift, is getting slightly more expensive, as the company adds a one dollar Safe Rides Fee. [More]
Uber And Lyft Expand Insurance, Now Cover Drivers Between Jobs
By 3.14.14
UberX and Lyft are services that let ordinary drivers ferry strangers around for extra cash. When there’s a crash or other disaster, there can be a gap between where the driver’s personal auto insurance coverage ends and the ride-sharing service’s coverage for drivers begins. Today, competitors UberX and Lyft announced extra insurance for drivers who are technically off-duty. [More]
True Confessions Of A Temporary UberX Driver
By 2.28.14
If you’re 23 or older, have a driver’s license and car insurance, and have a nice, clean late-model four-door car, you can sign up to drive strangers around for UberX. Should you? Well, it depends on your feelings about voyeurism, cash, and people eating in your car. [More]
Here’s Why Your Next UberX Ride Might Cost Less Than It Used To
By 1.10.14
Regular Uber customers likely know about how much their rides costs, so if you suddenly see a cheaper rate pop up on your phone for the UberX service, it’s not just that you look really nice that day or have a fairy cabmother. I mean, you might, but in reality Uber is lowering rates in some areas to get more customers. [More]
