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Tag: taxi

  • Uber Dodges Lawsuit Filed by State Taxi Companies

    Uber Dodges Lawsuit Filed by State Taxi Companies

    Uber is, has, and will continue to face lawsuits in states across the country and countries across the world. Traditional taxi companies are less than thrilled with Uber (and other on-demand ride companies) over its business model – mainly the one that allows Uber drivers to operate without obtaining the same sort of permits as they do.

    One such lawsuit has gone in Uber’s favor.

    Earlier this year, 15 cab companies in Connecticut sued Uber in an attempt to block it from operating in the state. The cab companies also sued rival Lyft.

    Now, a US District judge has dismissed the lawsuit

    It’s a big win for Uber. From Reuters:

    U.S. District Judge Alvin Thompson in Hartford said the plaintiffs failed to show that Uber competed unfairly, tried to lure away their drivers, or misrepresented its services, fares and drivers’ insurance coverage to passengers.

     

    The judge also rejected the plaintiffs’ argument that Uber should follow the same licensing and safety regulations that they are required by law to observe.

     

    He said this was because it was only recently that Connecticut’s legislature even asked the state’s Department of Transportation to consider whether Uber should be covered.

    Uber’s argument in the lawsuit is that it’s merely a technology company, which owns no cars and employs no drivers. It’s just an app that allows those who need a ride to connect to those who wish to provide one.

    It’s the same argument Uber makes in disputes over whether its drivers are employees or contractors.

    “Because they are not regulated as we are, their cars are not properly inspected regularly to ensure they are maintained in safe operating condition. Their drivers have very little training, if any, do not possess the certification and driver’s licenses ours must have, nor are they subject to the rigorous criminal background checks we perform on our drivers,” said the lead plaintiff in the Connecticut case.

    Uber is pleased with the ruling, saying it allows the people of Connecticut to continue to receive the “economic and transportation benefits” its service provides.

  • Lyft Had a Rocky Start in NYC Over the Weekend

    Fresh off its kinda victory on Friday in New York City, Lyft launched in all five boroughs to much fanfare. Unfortunately, high demands coupled with an underwhelming workforce and newly-imposed regulations made getting a Lyft driver a real headache in the Big Apple.

    Folks took to Twitter to vent.

    There was also the issue of Lyft’s “Prime Time pricing”:

    Lyft has been fielding tweets like this since their Friday launch.

    According to an admittedly unscientific experiment by DNAinfo New York, there were “no more than two cars on the road at a time in the five boroughs — and most times, no car could be found at all.”

    NY Mag confirmed this shortage, saying that “no drivers were available” in all of Manhattan on multiple app checks.

    “We are working hard to grow our community of drivers as quickly as possible to meet this overwhelming demand,” said Lyft in a statement. “Tens of thousands of New York residents across all five boroughs opened the Lyft app to request a ride over the weekend, and we look forward to adding more drivers and giving all New Yorkers access to safe, friendly and reliable rides.”

    It could, in fact, be some pretty hard work ahead for Lyft. In order to be able to launch last Friday, Lyft had to make a major concession to the city’s Taxi and Limo Commission. Lyft had to give up a major aspect of what makes Lyft (and Uber and others like it) true peer-to-peer ride-sharing services – Lyft drivers in New York City will have to be licensed by the TLC.

    That clearly makes it harder to quickly populate the drivers pool.

    And a thin workforce is obviously not what you want in a city the size of New York.

    If you can get a ride in NYC, it’s going to be free for a while. All new users have received 50(!) free rides for the first two weeks. And you could have a fun experience…

    Image via @ashishsingal1, Twitter

  • Uber Driver Accused of Sexual Assault in DC

    Uber Driver Accused of Sexual Assault in DC

    Despite implementing a ‘safe rides fee’ earlier this year, stories about Uber passengers experiencing anything but safe rides continue to pop up.

    The latest comes from Washington DC, where a 32-year-old Uber driver has been charged with second degree sexual abuse after a passenger claimed that he molested her in the back of his car this past Sunday.

    From Washington City Paper:

    In the affadavit, the woman says she passed out in the cab and that when she woke, the driver was rubbing her breasts. She then fell back asleep, according to court documents, and woke up again to the sound of car doors locking. The cab had stopped and the driver was feeling her breasts and pulling down her underwear down to her knees. She says she asked the driver to be let out of the vehicle, but he refused and at one point asked if he could go back to her hotel with her. In a follow-up interview with authorities, she said Chakari briefly penetrated her with his finger or another thin object.

    Luckily, the woman somehow managed to send out a couple of texts to a friend (who had called the ride for her on his account). He was able to contact the driver, which appears to have ended the attack.

    Uber says the driver has been suspended and they are cooperating fully with the investigation.

    This isn’t the first case of driver impropriety that’s hit Uber recently. In July, an Uber driver took riders on a high-speed chase, again in DC. Then in June, an Uber driver reportedly kidnapped a drunk woman and took her to a motel, where he slept with her in the room and “fondled her over her clothes and suggested he wanted to have sex, but didn’t force it.” Another Uber driver was accused of rape in Washington DC, but that case has since been dropped. In February, a woman claimed she was briefly kidnapped by an Uber driver over a fare dispute.

    Rides-sharing, on-demand car services – or whatever you want to call them – have a lot of potential and are clearly not going anywhere in the foreseeable future. But safety is a huge concern – especially for the most high-profile company in this field. Every time an Uber passenger is sexually assaulted, taken on a cop-evading joyride, or simply made to feel uncomfortable, we all should ask ourselves – exactly who’s car are we getting into?

    Uber, like Lyft and similar services, assure us that safety is of the utmost priority. But things like this keep happening. And for those who have fell victim to a predatory or off-their-rocker driver, best intentions aren’t really enough when it comes to safety.

    Then again, it’s not like this kind of thing is limited to Uber. Regular old taxi drivers don’t exactly have a clean sheet in this department. I think the emphasis on companies like Uber springs from the fact that Uber’s whole schtick is that it’s a cut above taking a Taxi. Time to put up or shut up, I’d say.

    Image via Uber, Facebook

  • Lyft Launching in NYC After Making Concessions

    The battle of Lyft vs. New York City – mainly its Taxi and Limo Commission – has finally produced a resolution. Lyft will launch in all five boroughs of NYC tonight, but only after making some pretty big concessions.

    “Tonight, after making positive progress with local and state leaders, Lyft will launch in all five boroughs of New York City. We’ve finalized an agreement to offer immediate access to our friendly, affordable rides through a TLC-licensed model beginning at 7 p.m.,” says Lyft.

    TLC-licensed model? Recode reports that Lyft had to give up a major aspect of what make Lyft (and Uber and others like it) true peer-to-peer ride-sharing services. Apparently, Lyft drivers in New York City will have to be licensed by the TLC.

    Lyft has also agreed to suspend their current operations in Buffalo and Rochester, while they “work with the Attorney General’s Office and Department of Financial Services to align New York State’s insurance laws and regulations with emerging technologies of the 21st century.”

    Lyft had planned to launch earlier this month, despite regulatory pushback. The TLC’s official rationale for opposing Lyft’s business was that the company had “not complied with TLC’s safety requirements and other licensing criteria to verify the integrity and qualifications of the drivers or vehicles used in their service, and Lyft does not hold a license to dispatch cars to pick up passengers.”

    Lyft’s response was that they didn’t think the TLC’s licensing and base station rules apply to their ridesharing model.

    Then, hours before Lyft’s scheduled launch, they were slapped with multiple restraining orders – from both the TLC and state Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman. That’s where we stood before today.

    Here’s what Schneiderman had to say about today’s ‘truce’:

    “We are pleased that our offices have reached an agreement today with Lyft. We are firmly committed to the notion that regulators can work constructively with companies so that new ideas can come to the market — and that smart regulation should create an environment where innovators can compete. Lyft’s launch in New York City — in full compliance with laws and regulations — is proof positive of this principle. We will continue to work with Lyft so that any future business it undertakes meets that standard and protects consumer safety. We look forward to exploring solutions that enable companies in the sharing economy to operate and thrive throughout New York State.”

    “This agreement is the first big step in finding a home for Lyft’s peer-to-peer model in New York,” says Lyft.

    Something tells me this isn’t the end of the battle.

    Image via Lyft, Facebook

  • Lyft Slapped with Restraining Orders Hours Before NYC Launch

    According to a report, both the New York City Taxi and Limo Commission and the state Attorney General have filed temporary restraining orders against on-demand car service Lyft, who is planning on launching in Brooklyn and Queens Friday evening.

    Earlier this week, Lyft announced their intentions to begin operations in NYC. That was immediately met with pushback from the city’s Taxi Commission, who said that the company “has not complied with TLC’s safety requirements and other licensing criteria to verify the integrity and qualifications of the drivers or vehicles used in their service, and Lyft does not hold a license to dispatch cars to pick up passengers” and that “unsuspecting drivers who sign-up with Lyft are at risk of losing their vehicles to TLC enforcement action, as well as being subject to fines of up to $2,000 upon conviction for unlicensed activity.”

    WNYC reporter Kate Hinds just tweeted this:

    Lyft confirmed the legal proceedings to The Verge, saying,

    “We are in a legal process with local regulators today and will proceed accordingly. We always seek to work collaboratively with leaders in the interests of public safety and the community, as we’ve done successfully in cities and states across the country, and hope to find a path forward for ridesharing in New York.”

    And the Taxi and Limo Commission had this to say to Business Insider:

    “We are in state supreme court seeking a TRO, as is the AG.”

    Lyft responded to the Commission’s protests by saying that they “differ with the TLC is that [they] do not believe its licensing and base station rules apply to the Lyft ridesharing model.”

    Lyft is scheduled to throw a launch party in Brooklyn this evening to celebrate their two-borough launch.

    WNYC’s Kate Hinds via The Verge
    Image via Lyft, Facebook

  • Lyft Launches Friday in NYC Despite Regulatory Pushback

    Lyft is not backing down in its quest to bring its on-demand car service to the Big Apple, despite warnings from the city’s Taxi and Limo Commission that they will not hesitate to take legal action.

    Earlier this week, Lyft announced that it was finally launching in New York City – not all of NYC, but in two boroughs to start. On Friday at 7pm EST, Lyft will begin operation in Brooklyn and Queens. Lyft has offered all new passengers in the city two free weeks worth of rides, saying that “the people of New York deserve more transportation options.”

    Lyft, no stranger to regulatory backlash, is now facing a formidable opponent in New York’s Taxi and Limo Commission.

    “Lyft has not complied with TLC’s safety requirements and other licensing criteria to verify the integrity and qualifications of the drivers or vehicles used in their service, and Lyft does not hold a license to dispatch cars to pick up passengers,” said the TLC in a statement. “Unsuspecting drivers who sign-up with Lyft are at risk of losing their vehicles to TLC enforcement action, as well as being subject to fines of up to $2,000 upon conviction for unlicensed activity.”

    TLC head Meera Joshi expounded on that statement, warning Lyft and its drivers that the commission will take any and all actions necessary to thwart its efforts.

    “Every rider deserves the safety and consumer protections our rules provide, and we have a long track record of working successfully with innovative companies to help them start out the right way,” she said. “We’re still hopeful that Lyft will accept our offer to help them do the right thing for New York City passengers as they should, but New Yorkers can rest assured that the TLC will do its job and take the actions necessary to protect them,” she said.

    Lyft, of course, scoffs at any suggestion that safety is an issue.

    “As always, safety is our top priority and every driver has undergone a screening process that is more stringent than what’s required for NYC taxis, including a strict background check, vehicle inspection and $1,000,000 insurance that provides more than three times the $300,000 minimum for taxis,” says Lyft.

    It isn’t safety, but a simple difference of opinion between it and the TLC, says Lyft. In a statement, Lyft suggested that it will launch as planned, as it doesn’t believe the TLC’s licensing and base station rules apply to the Lyft ride-sharing model:

    Lyft will offer a new and much needed transportation option for New Yorkers in the areas of the city where existing options are lacking. This improvement in transportation will provide important opportunities that New Yorkers want and deserve. We’ll continue to work with all stakeholders to create a path forward. Our focus remains on the community, who will be the ultimate beneficiaries.

    Where we differ with the TLC is that we do not believe its licensing and base station rules apply to the Lyft ridesharing model. It’s important to clarify that our differences of opinion are not about safety standards, and that’s because we put safety first. In new markets when we begin conversation with local regulators, we always find a way to ensure that communities have Lyft. We’re certainly different from the status quo, but that is our strength.

    Today we’re releasing our Safety Commitment. We will never waver in keeping our drivers and passengers safe. This is Lyft’s commitment to our community and yours.

    Here’s that Safety commitment Lyft mentions:

    Lyft NYC Safety Commitment

    Though it’s not Lyft, stories like this about similar service Uber fail to help the company’s cause. Lyft has fought with regulators in cities all across the country, but it’s likely never seen an entity as massive as the New York Taxi commission.

    Image via Lyft, Facebook

  • Uber Driver Takes Riders on High-Speed Chase in DC

    Uber Driver Takes Riders on High-Speed Chase in DC

    A New Yorker says he was kidnapped by an Uber driver in Washington DC and taken on a high-speed chase.

    The D.C. Taxicab Commission has confirmed an incident did occur and they are investigating. Official details aren’t yet available, but according to frequent Uber user Ryan Simonetti it was one hell of a wild ride.

    According to Simonetti, he and two colleagues called an Uber ride around 1:15. When the car arrived and they made their way to it, he noticed that a DC taxi inspector was talking to the Uber driver. They got in anyway.

    Before they knew it, the Uber driver had taken off and the taxi inspector was following close behind, lights on.

    According to Simonetti, the driver then began to speed and run red lights. He sideswiped cars. The driver apparently claimed that the taxi inspector “wasn’t a real cop” and that if he stopped, he’d be leveled with a $2,000 fine.

    The ride lasted around 10 minutes, until the taxi inspector was somehow able to block the Uber driver’s path on an off-ramp. This gave Simonetti time to jump out of the car before the driver turned around and drove the wrong way down the ramp.

    “It was like an episode of ‘Cops,’” Simonetti said.

    Uber was quick to respond to Simonetti’s tweet for help, so there’s that.

    The ride-sharing company has also issued a statement:

    Uber became aware of a potential incident involving an UberBLACK trip in Washington, DC [Tuesday] afternoon. Rider safety is our #1 priority. We will cooperate with authorities in their investigation and have deactivated the driver pending the outcome.

    This isn’t the first case of driver impropriety that’s put Uber on the defensive. In June, an Uber driver reportedly kidnapped a drunk woman and took her to a motel, where he slept with her in the room and “fondled her over her clothes and suggested he wanted to have sex, but didn’t force it.” Another Uber driver was accused of rape in Washington DC, but that case has since been dropped. In February, a woman claimed she was briefly kidnapped by an Uber driver over fare.

    And then there’s the wrongful death lawsuit that Uber currently finds itself embroiled in.

    All of these incidents, as they pile up, are leading people to ask just who the hell is driving me around when I use Uber or Lyft, or a similar on-demand car service?

    Everything turned out ok for Simonetti and crew, as law enforcement is now on the case.

    Image via Uber, Facebook

  • Cab Vomit Fee: Blowing Chunks Could Cost You Big Bucks

    A cab vomit fee doesn’t seem all that far-fetched to me. Given the amount of folks who probably spew copious amounts of puke all over the inside of taxis on a regular basis, I’m surprise more cities aren’t adopting some sort payment system. You defile the back seat, you have to pay extra. That should include any bodily fluids, as I’m sure drivers are forced to contend with a wide variety of expulsions during their careers.

    The next time you’re feeling woozy in Chicago and decide to empty the contents of your stomach onto the floorboard of a cab, you may find yourself staring down a $50 fine, courtesy of the city itself. On July 1st, your uncouth, uncivilized behavior, which is usually the result of too much alcohol, will take a small chunk out of your wallet. Honestly, if they want to really drive the point home, they’ll charge these clowns more than just $50. Anyone who thinks they can barf profusely into a cab and not have to deal with the consequences deserves to have their bank account drained. In my opinion, the fine should be based on weight and volume.

    “As a retired Chicago cabbie, this tax is a good thing,” said Stan Schulz. “Since I mostly drove nights and dealt with a lot of drunks, I had to clean up passengers vomit many times.. you have to get the smell out of your cab immediately or other people will refuse to get in the car.”

    If you think a $50 cab vomit fee is unfair, then perhaps you should take R.L. Stine’s advice and just roll down the window and blow chunks onto the poor schmoes standing on the sidewalk. By the time they realize what they’re covered in, chances are you’ll be blocks away from the scene of the crime. Unless, of course, you’re stuck in traffic. If that’s the case, then, again, you deserve whatever repercussions lie ahead.

    How do folks on Twitter feel about the fine? You can sample some of their reactions in the space provided below. Unless you’re just an insensitive alcoholic with a serious chip on your shoulder about the right to puke while intoxicated, chances are you’ll be amused.

  • Marilu Henner’s Amazing Memory Inspired New Book

    In her book “Total Memory Makeover”, Marilu Henner talks about what it’s like to call up any memory from any given day in her life–something she’s been doing for as long…well, as long as she can remember.

    In an amazing feat of the mind, Henner was born with a super-memory, able to flip through any date you give her like a photo album in her brain and recall specific things, like the day she found out she got the part of Elaine Nardo on “Taxi”.

    “It was June 4 of 1978. It was a Sunday and I found out at the ‘Grease’ premiere party,” Henner said. “‘Taxi’ is so vivid to my mind. The very first rehearsal was July the 5th of 1978. That was a Wednesday and our first show was shot the 14th, a Friday.”

    And it’s not just that she has memorized particular dates and facts; she can rattle off seemingly inane details about a random day on the spot. She says it’s like having mini-movies playing in her head all the time, a revolving reel of images she associates with certain days.

    As someone who has recollection issues–I was in a near-fatal car accident in 2001 which splintered my short-term memory–it amazes me that the human brain is capable of such things. It’s hard enough for me to remember what happened last week, let alone last year; I am a feverish documentarian, always anxious to capture on film or disk the cherished moments of my life with my husband and daughter because I know they won’t stay in my mind very long.

    For Henner, those moments will forever be encapsulated, available to flip through the way most of us look through photos on our phones. She says the gift of memory has certainly helped her as an actress, as she can call up a particular emotion she may have felt years ago that relates to the character she’s reading for. It also, she says, gives her life an extra bit of meaning.

    “It’s that defense against meaninglessness,” she said. “I’m not just occupying time. There’s some significance to what I’m doing and how I’m living my life.”

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