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Uber is cracking down on users who give bad ratings just to get refunds
Uber has announced a string of updates for drivers and couriers, including measures to make things safer and fairer for them.
Uber's updated app makes it easier for drivers to pick you up
They'll also be able to choose alternate routes to help complete trips faster.
Uber says March was its biggest month ever
According to The Wall Street Journal, Uber had a record March, with gross bookings hitting their highest-ever level in the company's history. Uber also said that demand has recovered faster than driver availability — something that means you might be paying a surge price or waiting a little bit for a car when you need one.
UK will investigate Uber’s plan to buy British rival Autocab
The UK wants to take a look at Uber's plan to buy its major rival, Autocab.
Uber's EV ride service comes to 1,400 more North American cities
Uber is greatly expanding Uber Green to 1,400 new North American cities and towns, including Calgary, New York City, Miami and Houston.
Uber will require riders and drivers to wear face masks starting May 18th
Until at least the end of June, Uber will require both drivers and riders to wear face masks.
Lyft makes face masks mandatory for drivers and riders
Face masks will be required when riding or driving for Lyft. Rule-breakers could have their account suspended.
Lime now owns Uber's Jump bike and scooter service
Uber is leading a $170 million investment in scooter sharing company Lime, and is handing over its Jump bike division.
Lyft extends free scooter rides for critical workers through May
Lyft is giving healthcare workers and other vital staff another month of free rides to help during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lyft will provide free scooter rides to critical workers
Lyft will provide free 30-minute scooter rides to frontline workers during the coronavirus pandemic.
Judge strikes down NYC law limiting Uber and Lyft driver cruising time
Uber and Lyft have won a major legal battle in one of their most important US markets. On Monday, a state judge ruled that a New York City law designed to control how much time ride-hailing drivers can spend looking for passengers was "arbitrary and capricious," reports Reuters.
German court bans Uber’s ride-hailing service
Uber has suffered another major setback in Europe. According to Reuters, a court in Germany ruled on Thursday that the company doesn't have the necessary license to operate a business that employs for-hire drivers.
Uber loses London license over 'a pattern of failures'
Uber could soon be banned from London. The city's ride-hailing regulator, Transport for London (TfL), has denied the company a new license because it's "not fit and proper" and allowed a number of uninsured and suspended drivers to operate in the city. "While we recognise Uber has made improvements, it is unacceptable that Uber has allowed passengers to get into minicabs with drivers who are potentially unlicensed and uninsured," Helen Chapman, director of licensing, regulation and charging at TfL said. The decision is a critical blow in a long-running legal tussle between Uber and the city of London. The company was stripped of its license in 2017 because TfL believed leadership had shown "a lack of corporate responsibility." In particular, the regulator wasn't impressed with its approach to reporting serious criminal offences, obtaining Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks, and its usage of 'Greyball' software to stop transportation officers from booking rides in the city. The ride-hailing giant appealed the decision and was given a 15-month window to clean up its act. The temporary license forced Uber to produce a bi-yearly assurance report, appoint three non-executive directors to its board, and give at least one month's notice for any major changes to its business model. Last September, Uber was granted another two-month license to further improve its processes and safety standards. The extension threw in additional conditions, too, designed to "ensure passenger safety." TfL acknowledged Uber's improved "culture and governance" but asked for more time to scrutinize "information that we are requesting ahead of consideration of any potential further licensing." Today, we have clarity on that information request and why TfL has been so hesitant to grant Uber a long-term license. In a press release, the transport regulator said it had identified "a pattern of failures" and "several breaches." The biggest problem was a loophole in Uber's systems that allowed unauthorised drivers to upload their photo to another driver's account. That meant they could quietly work through another driver's profile without insurance or prior vetting by Uber. TfL said "at least 14,000 trips" were carried out this way. "Another failure" allowed dismissed and suspended drivers to create an Uber account and work. "TfL's decision not to renew Uber's licence in London is extraordinary and wrong, and we will appeal." "Over the last two months we have audited every driver in London and further strengthened our processes," Jamie Heywood, Uber's regional manager for Northern and Eastern Europe said. "We have robust systems and checks in place to confirm the identity of drivers and will soon be introducing a new facial matching process, which we believe is a first in London taxi and private hire." In a blog post, Uber pointed to a Safety Toolkit -- a suite of in-app tools that included an emergency assistance button and ride-tracking for Trusted Contacts -- it launched in October 2018. The company also highlighted a driver insurance package and various culture changes, such as the introduction of security and privacy training for all UK-based employees. "TfL recognises the steps that Uber has put in place to prevent this type of activity," the regulator said in a press release. "However, it is a concern that Uber's systems seem to have been comparatively easily manipulated." Uber has 21 days to launch an appeal and can operate while its appeal is considered. "We understand we're held to a high bar, as we should be. But this TfL decision is just wrong," Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber tweeted. "Over the last two years we have fundamentally changed how we operate in London. We have come very far — and we will keep going, for the millions of drivers and riders who rely on us." Heywood added: TfL's decision not to renew Uber's licence in London is extraordinary and wrong, and we will appeal." Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, supported TfL's decision today. "I know this decision may be unpopular with Uber users but their safety is the paramount concern," he tweeted. "Regulations are there to keep Londoners safe, and fully complying with TfL's strict standards is essential if private hire operators want a license to operate in London."
Lyft is collaborating with Uber, Ford and Toyota on self-driving safety
Self-driving technology has the potential to increase road safety, as some dramatic video from Tesla and others has shown. However, the dark side of it has made bigger headlines thanks to notorious accidents during autonomous operations in Uber and Tesla vehicles that resulted in fatalities. As such, Lyft has joined Ford, GM, Toyota and Uber as a core member of the Automated Vehicle Safety Consortium (AVSC), created in April 2019 with the goal of boosting self-driving vehicle safety. Membership in the group will allow Lyft to "align [with industry leaders] on frameworks for safety, share best practices and foster cross-sector collaboration," it wrote in a Medium post.
Lyft loses NYC lawsuit over minimum wage for drivers
The New York Supreme Court ruled today to uphold New York City's minimum wage for drivers working for ride-sharing services, shooting down a challenge to the rule from Lyft. The ruling will maintain the New York Taxi and Limousine Commission's (TLC) minimum wage requirement of $17.22 per hour after expenses, which is one of the first wage floors for ride-share drivers in the country.
Lyft hopes free banking and cheap repairs will lure drivers away from Uber
Lyft has introduced free banking and deeply discounted repair services for drivers, perhaps in an effort to persuade the best of them to choose its company over Uber's. The ride-hailing service has officially launched Lyft Driver Services, and it includes access to free bank accounts and debit cards called Lyft Direct.
Waymo is building a new service center for its self-driving fleet
Waymo announced plans to open a new technical service center in Mesa, Arizona. There, it will service and maintain its Waymo One cars -- the vehicles that make up its self-driving car service. Waymo launched the on-demand, autonomous rides (with human backup) in December. And, by the looks of this expansion, things are going well for the company.
Uber expands its Rewards program to all US cities
Since November, Uber users in nine US cities have been able to earn points and claim incentives through the company's loyalty program, Uber Rewards. Now, customers across the country can earn the ability to, say, jump the line of people waiting for rides home from the airport, which may frustrate everyone else just enough to get them to sign up.
Lyft's Shared Saver rides save you money if you're willing to walk more
Lyft has announced a new ride option called Shared Saver. The budget-friendly option expands the company's existing ride sharing options puts commuters in the same vehicle to split the cost of the ride and will not be subject to surge pricing. The catch: you'll have to do some walking. Shared Saver requires riders to walk to a designated pick-up spot and may drop them off within walking distances of their final destination rather than taking them directly to it.
US federal judge rules that UberBlack drivers are not employees
Uber has been fighting the perception that its drivers should be employees for quite some time. Both the UK and the state of California have concluded that drivers should be considered employees and entitled to silly things like minimum wage, holiday pay and other benefits. Now, however, a US judge in Philadelphia has ruled that UberBlack drivers are not, in fact, employees under federal law.
