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San Francisco airport can now record all visitors' license plates
When you drive to the airport, you expect a certain amount of tracking, if just from security cameras. However, San Francisco International Airport might be taking things a step too far. The travel hub recently received approval from the Airport Commission to collect the license plate info for everyone who uses its roads and garages, storing that data for over 4 years. It's ostensibly meant for collecting revenue from parking and commercial drivers like taxis, but SFO has permission to release that info to both local law enforcement and the FBI.
LA and San Francisco sue Uber, but settle with Lyft for $500k
Wonder how Uber's week could get worse? Today the district attorneys for Los Angeles and San Francisco announced they're following through on their threat to sue the company, and that they have reached a settlement with its competitor Lyft. According to the DAs (PDF), the lawsuit against Uber is because of "false and misleading statements to consumers." Specifically they take issue with the quality of the background checks Uber claims it uses on drivers and its $1 "Safe Rides" fee, a failure to have authorization to work at airports, and a practice of collecting but not passing on a $4 "airport fee toll" at SFO. SF DA George Gascón and LA DA Jackie Lacey are looking for an injunction to shut Uber's service, penalties and restitution. For its part, Lyft agreed to stop making misleading statements about its background checks, seek authorization from any airports where it offers service and pay $500k in civil penalties. But hey, at least Uber has a Spotify tie-in. Update: Uber spokesperson Eva Behrend said "We will continue to engage in discussions with the District Attorneys" and that Uber is a safe part of the transportation ecosystem. Check after the break for the full statement. [Image credit: ZUMA Press, Inc. / Alamy]
You can now take Lyft and UberX cars to San Francisco's main airport
It was only a matter of time before San Francisco International Airport allowed direct visits from app-based ridesharing services besides Sidecar, and those floodgates have officially opened. Both Lyft and Uber (specifically, UberX and UberXL) now have the all-clear to stop at SFO's terminals. If you need a ride to your hotel, you no longer have to pay for an expensive taxi or else brave the mass transit system. It's difficult to know how this increased competition will work in practice, but a successful rollout could get other airports following suit. [Image credit: Angelo DeSantis, Flickr]
Sidecar is the first ride-sharing app to officially serve San Francisco airport
One of San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón's many complaints about ride-sharing services is that none of them had the permits necessary to take customers to SFO. Sidecar, however, has ticked that box by obtaining official permission to take passengers to and from their flights, albeit with two pretty big caveats. The first is that the permit is for a pilot program that SFO is running to study traffic congestion, so there's no word on how long this license will last for. Second, is that ride-sharing -- enabling several people to share a single car and reduce congestion -- is still not permitted at the airport, thanks to the California Public Utilities Commission. It's an odd piece of logic that Sidecar CEO Sunil Paul is more than happy to point out, and hopes that the CPUC iron out the holes in its thinking sooner rather than later. For the rest of us, we can be comforted in the knowledge that Sidecar will resume airport rides within the next 30 days.
San Francisco airport beacons help the blind get around using their phones
San Francisco International is about to make life decidedly easier for blind and visually impaired travelers. The airport has teamed up with Indoo.rs to unveil a Bluetooth beacon system that will help these passengers find their way through Terminal 2 using only their phone. When users walk past one of the 500 transmitters, their devices will announce nearby points of interest; they can find flight gates, ATMs, information desks and power outlets without asking for help. An early version of the necessary app also has a directory for sighted visitors.
Trains and burgers: Sprint launching NFC trial in Bay Area
For whatever reason, phone-based contactless payment systems have been incredibly slow on the uptake stateside, while others -- those on NTT DoCoMo's well-received Osaifu-Keitai system, for example -- have had no qualms about turning their handsets into wallets. Every so often we catch wind of a trial in the works, though, which gives us hope that we'll eventually all be able to whip our cellies out of our pockets and clog our arteries in one deft motion. Case in point: Sprint has teamed up with Jack in the Box and San Francisco's Bay Area Transit Authority to offer fare and food payments with a tap of a phone in a trial that runs from January through May of next year. Strangely, the pictured phone appears to be the somewhat ancient A920 clamshell, so we're guessing Sprint is modifying the devices for the trial; Boost Mobile customers should be able to get on the action in some capacity as well. If you live in the area, ride BART at least once a week, and are willing to sacrifice that Touch for a trial phone, go sign yourself up -- just take it easy with the bacon burgers, k?[Thanks, Allan]
