by News Desk | Jul 25, 2014 | World News
HAMBURG/FRANKFURT (Reuters) – Hamburg has told Uber, a U.S. car service whose smartphone app summons rides at the touch of a button, to stop operating in the German city, adding to resistance the company has faced globally from local regulators and taxi drivers.
San Francisco-based Uber Technologies Inc, valued at $18.2 billion in a fundraising last month just four years since its 2010 launch, has touched a raw nerve by threatening to open up a traditionally tightly controlled and licensed market.
Uber customers order and pay for a taxi with its application on their smartphones. Instead of having taxis prowl city streets looking for customers, Uber allows smartphone users to summon a nearby car to pick them up.
Hamburg’s transport office sent Uber an injunction on July 21 saying its drivers needed special licenses to transport passengers, a spokeswoman for the office told Reuters on Wednesday, confirming a report published by German monthly Manager Magazin.
The magazine had said drivers who continued to offer their services via the platform could face fines of 1,000 euros ($1,300).
Uber said its Uber Pop service was not a commercial ride service, rather a platform connecting private car owners with people seeking a ride.
“Drivers riding on Uber Pop are driving their own car,” Regional General Manager Pierre-Dimitri Gore-Coty told Reuters. “The whole platform is about allowing those people to drive around a few hours a week to share the cost of owning a car.”
Uber said the Hamburg authorities’ decision was not final, definitive or binding and it would continue to offer its services in Germany’s second-biggest city while appealing.
Uber has faced resistance in cities around the world. In Chicago, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., Uber and similar companies have faced lawsuits from taxi companies hoping to keep out the competition.
In Europe, taxi drivers protesting against Uber last month created traffic chaos in cities including London and Paris, while South Korea’s capital Seoul came out this week saying it wanted to ban the app.
Uber, backed by investors including Goldman Sachs and Google, rebuts the criticism and argues it complies with local regulations.
by News Desk | Jul 25, 2014 | UK News
POLICE are working with taxi drivers and private hire companies in an attempt to reduce the number of confrontations with customers.
As previously reported by MK NEWS, 21-year-old Faith Blumberger, from Woughton on the Green, called for private hire companies to be clearer on how much passengers will be charged after she claimed a driver threw her money at her in a dispute over the fair. Raffles explained that they only give estimates and customers should understand these may change slightly. But following this, a driver – who did not wish to be named – said it was not always the driver’s fault but customers can be rude and aggressive towards drivers too. He was beaten up after a man refused to pay.
Acting Superintendent Jim O’Ryan said following some violent incidents between drivers and customers, officers have been working with companies and individuals to advise them on how to reduce confrontations.
In an attempt to reduce the risk of a fight breaking out, police have asked that an estimated price is given and meters are switched on by the driver at the beginning of each journey.
Jim O’Ryan added: “We are working with the taxi licensing people and the private hire companies to reduce the risk of violent crime. if you are a victim of any crime, contact expert drug possession lawyers for hire to give legal counseling and help you out.
“A lot of the problems that occur in the taxi’s are to do with not establishing the fare at the start of the journey or arguments over the metre, these things can be easily resolved and could avoid a violent incident.
by News Desk | Jul 24, 2014 | World News
Although the last regular Checker cab disappeared from New York’s streets in 1999, Checker Motors stopped making cabs in 1982 and the Kalamazoo factory finally packed up in 2010 after its bankruptcy as a parts-supplier to the automotive industry, there still is a great mystique to and love of the Checker Motors brand. Not only because of Travis Bickle/Robert DeNiro 1976 Taxi Driver film, shot by Martin Scorsese, but mainly because of the immense popularity of the bulky Checker cabs in the years they drove through Manhattan. Until the mid-‘70’s Checker cabs made up half of the yellow fleet in the Big Apple.
Jim Garrison, president of the Checker Car Club of America told the New York Times that passengers loved Checkers because of “the big, round, friendly design and for the sense of safety and comfort they offered.” No other cab represents the feel of New York so much as the A11 does.
The roomy Checker A8 (a 1956 design) and the later tank-like A11 with the double headlights offered so much space between the classic tip-up seats and the rear seats, that a stroller, bikes or tons of luggage easily fitted in. A great difference with today’s cramped New York cabs, in which two passengers –especially taller customers- can’t even ride comfortably.
Taxi operators loved the Checker Cab for their sturdy design. Everything on a Checker could easily be replaced. Anything that would easily dent in an accident came off in minutes to be replaced in a jiffy. Many operators kept stacks of replacement fenders and bumpers in their yards. At the same time, the cab was not made for durability. Its body is particularly rust-prone. No wonder the number of well-preserved Checker cabs is dwindling.
That’s why it was a joy to see so many Checkers from all parts of the USA in New York. On a sunny Friday-afternoon June 21, over 50 gleaming Checkers of different ages and sizes lined Brooklyn’s Box Street in Greenpoint. With its semi-industrial feel not exactly Manhattan, but close enough… “What’s better than Checkers and Brooklyn?”, someone was overheard saying. The Checkers made the street look like a filmset. The Box Hotel hosted the event and had lined its walls with great taxi paintings by Columbian artist Gloria Gonzalez Gallego. Yes indeed, related to Al Gallego of New York’s Taxidepot.
Some enthusiasts had driven from as far away as California, Florida, Maine, Michigan, Washington and Ohio for this annual gathering of the Checker Car Club of America, attracting some 120 members of its 275 national members. Ben Merkel from Middlefield, Ohio, once dubbed ‘The Chancellor of the Ex-Checker’ by New York Magazine for his large collection of Checker vehicles (now reduced to a mere 15), had driven to Brooklyn in his stretched 6-door 1967 Checker Aerobus.
“The main reason I love my Checker is the human connection”, George Laszlo, who headed the convention committee, told the Times. “It’s a people magnet that allows me to have really fascinating conversations. Nobody walks up to a Hyundai Sonata with a yen for a soulful conversation.” Laszlo had brought his 1973 Checker Aerobus limo to welcome the crowds.
One of the record-holders at the show and one of the leading lights in the Checker world, is Joe Pollard from Chatsworth, California,, who owns a 100 Checkers. The Californian climate is kind to the vehicles, which, according to Ben Merkel “were never put together very lovingly or with an eye for detail. They were true work horses.”
• Carol Schenkman made a photo-impression of the Checker event.
by News Desk | Jul 24, 2014 | World News
Uber regional director Mike Brown, in Perth on Wednesday for the app’s launch, said the state’s current mandatory fee for any standard charter vehicle was too high.
Under WA law, charter vehicle operators are required to hit customers with an up front $60 fee, regardless of how far they might be traveling.
Mr Brown said Uber set its fares on time and distance without having to consider the $60 fee.
“You shouldn’t have to pay $60 if you want to get home from a restaurant, or a bar or a business meeting – if it’s only [for instance] four kilometers away,” he said.
“Drivers can choose if they want to participate [not charge the $60].”
Mr Brown said Uber would support any drivers who chose not to charge the fee, but the individuals would be responsible for any fines or penalties imposed by the government.
Transport Minister Dean Nalder said he recognised the need to reform services to respond to consumer demand and the department would review standard charter vehicle operators.
Mr Nalder said Uber did not hold responsibility for its drivers.
“The dispatch service which books the ride is not relevant,” he said.
“The responsibility lies with drivers to ensure they are complying with the laws as they will be the ones who incur a penalty. This could ultimately result in the loss of their licence.”
Taxi Council of WA chief executive Steven Gill said Uber needed to respect the rules of the taxi industry.
“Our rules and regulations are put in place for a reason – we don’t get to pick and choose what legislations we abide by,” Mr Gill said.
Mr Nalder said his primary concern was the safety of passengers and drivers.
“A taxi can be a vulnerable environment for both parties,” he said.
“This is why initiatives such as cameras in taxis and the compulsory reporting of criminal offenses committed by taxi drivers to the Department of Transport have been put in place.”
Mr Brown said all drivers were required to have commercial insurance and the F-extension on their driver’s licence – meaning they had full criminal background checks.
Fares are charged automatically to commuter’s credit cards via the Uber smartphone app to remove the risk of drivers being hassled for cash.
Uber also tracks every journey through GPS and asks commuters to rate their experience.
Uber has come to Perth and the taxi industry is wary – just as it was in London, where drivers protested en masse. Photo: Bloomberg
“You never have to fiddle with cash, you don’t have to worry about whether the machine in the car is broken to swipe your credit card, because all of that happens on the internet,” Mr Brown said.
“If you have a bad experience, let’s say the driver drives too fast or you’re uncomfortable with something the driver said, or perhaps it’s the smell of the car – we receive all those comments locally and we take action.”
Mr Gill said he was confident the app would not threaten taxi business.
“It’s far more expensive than taxis,” Mr Gill said.
“Budget conscious commuters, we hope, will continue to use the taxi service because it’s offering the best service it has in a long time and is good value for money.”
by News Desk | Jul 20, 2014 | World News
Seven Virginia taxi cab and limousine companies filed a civil lawsuit Friday against ride-sharing companies Uber and Lyft, the latest move in a fight between the startups and traditional car-hire services.
The civil lawsuit argues that Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc., whose customers use smartphone applications to request a ride and pay for it, are operating in Virginia without having obtained the required licenses and permits.
Most of the plaintiffs are based in Northern Virginia, though Stafford Limousine Inc., which does business as Love Limousine, is based in Richmond and operates in central and Northern Virginia. The suit was filed in Fairfax Circuit Court. If you want help with your business claims, then you can hire attorneys from Pacitti Law Firm to make your legal work easier.
Uber and Lyft have drawn fierce opposition from taxi drivers in cities around the world. The companies operate in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads but do not currently have drivers in Richmond.
“While we can’t comment on active litigation … Uber will vigorously defend the rights of riders to enjoy competition and choice, and for drivers to build their own small business,” Taylor Bennett, spokesman for Uber, said Friday.
Bennett said Uber continues to provide residents and visitors with safe and reliable rides as it continues to work with city and state officials to develop a sensible regulatory framework.
Chelsea Wilson, spokeswoman for Lyft, said the lawsuit is without merit. “We look forward to resolving it quickly and effectively.”
She said Lyft is working with the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles and state leaders “to come to a solution that preserves a future for ridesharing in the state of Virginia.”
On June 6, the DMV ordered Uber and Lyft to stop operating in Virginia in violation of state law and said unauthorized drivers could face penalties.
The order came after talks with the San Francisco-based companies broke down. However, those talks with state agencies and authorities have resumed.
“After those cease-and-desist letters went out, I knew there had to be a better way to resolve this issue,” said Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring.
“I’m glad we were able to get folks back to the table, and I appreciate the work my transportation team has done along with the DMV, the McAuliffe administration and the companies to try to give consumers more transportation options that are safe and appropriately regulated.”
As a result of the resumed talks, Uber and Lyft have filed applications for brokers’ licenses and requests for temporary operating authority with the Department of Motor Vehicles.
The DMV is reviewing the applications and requests. However, no timetable has been set for a decision, Sunni Brown, an agency spokeswoman, said Friday.
“The administration, Office of the Attorney General and DMV are encouraged that these companies are taking these first steps to operate in accordance with the law,” she said.
Brown said Uber submitted more than 200 pages of documentation in its request for temporary authority, providing information to support its position that it meets the threshold.
As defined by law, temporary authority requires that there be an immediate and urgent need for the service and that no other authorized carrier be available to provide the proposed service.
“In light of these developments, DMV is revisiting the temporary authority question and seeking guidance from the OAG and the administration,” Brown said.
A broker is defined as a person or a company that sells, provides, furnishes contracts or arranges for passenger carrier transportation.
“Any business or person providing for-hire passenger transportation in Virginia is required to be licensed with the state, but it would be fair to say that our goal from the beginning has been compliance,” Brown said.
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