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Study: Uber's surge pricing doesn't translate to more drivers (updated)
Uber's surge pricing is ostensibly meant to put more drivers on the road and get you a timely trip during busy hours. But does it really? Not if you ask researchers at Northeastern University. They've conducted a study showing that surges don't necessarily lead to more drivers. After a month of hailing cars from points in Manhattan and San Francisco, they found that the number of rides sometimes went down -- drivers stayed away knowing that they'd likely get fewer customers at those higher rates.
Lyft starts operating out of Las Vegas' McCarran airport
Las Vegas' notoriously long airport taxi lines might get just a little shorter. Today, ride-sharing platform Lyft announced that it would be operating out of Sin City's McCarran airport. Both Lyft and Uber began operating within the city last month. But don't expect to see Lyft drivers lining up with cabs. Passengers looking for the pink moustache will have to journey to the parking garages across from their terminals and find the designated pick-up area. Uber on the other hand, is still working on airport access.
Uber's new app gives drivers more incentives to pick you up
You might care the most about Uber's app for customers, but the drivers' app matters a lot, too -- after all, you won't get a ride if cars aren't waiting for your request. Appropriately, Uber has revamped the driver app to make it far more informative and give workers more reasons to offer you a lift. The software provides a real-time status feed with notes, tips and (most importantly) extra chances at making money. It also has an always-available activity map that shows drivers where they're most likely to get customers, even when surge pricing isn't involved. Earnings and ratings are easier to understand, too. You may never catch more than a fleeting glimpse of this app, but it could make all the difference if you get a timelier trip home from a driver eager to make a buck.
China's ridesharing services will require special licenses
Ridesharing services are big in China, but they've run into many of the same regulatory concerns you see everywhere else -- officials are worried about holding drivers accountable for their behavior. Accordingly, the country's Ministry of Transport has posted draft rules that toughen the requirements for these app-based transportation outfits. Companies will need insurance and special licenses to operate, and drivers will both need to commit to only one service and maintain a certain level of experience. Data has to be stored within China and shared with authorities, too. Vehicles will also have to seat seven people or less, so you won't be hailing a party bus or stretch limo. The rules could change (they're open to public feedback), but it won't be surprising if these core principles remain in the final document.
Uber appeals class action status in lawsuit over driver compensation
Californian Uber drivers may have won class action status in a lawsuit demanding that they be treated like employees rather than contractors, but Uber isn't about to let this decision go without a fight. It's appealing the class action ruling on the grounds that there isn't really such a thing as a common Uber driver. They all operate differently, the ridesharing service says. Moreover, treating drivers as employees would supposedly force drivers to give up their flexible hours.
Lyft partnership will help you get a ride in China
Ridesharing services don't usually translate well across borders. Even if you can use the same company, you may have to pay in a different currency -- how do you know what that trip will cost until you've paid for it? Lyft might have a way to set your mind at ease. It just unveiled a partnership with China's biggest ridesharing firm, Didi Kuaidi, that will make it easier for travelers in both China and the US to hail rides. If you're an American visiting China, you can request a Didi car through the Lyft app in dollars; accordingly, a Chinese visitor to the States can use Didi to get a Lyft vehicle while paying in yuan. This ideally gives you both access to a service with a lot of coverage (Uber's Chinese footprint is small compared to Didi's) and prices you can understand.
Uber sets up shop in Las Vegas
Well that didn't take long. Less than a day after the Nevada Transportation Commission authorized Uber and Lyft to operate in the state, Uber announced on Tuesday that it is expanding its Uber X ride-hailing service into the greater Las Vegas area. Users will be able to travel anywhere between Summerlin, Nevada in the Southeast clear on up to Henderson in the Northwest (though that trip will cost an estimated $63-84). A trip from UNLV to Downtown, however, will only set you back around $15.
Lyft gets cited by the FCC over shady robocall practices (updated)
The FCC continues to wage war against spam calls and texts, most likely because it's being inundated with complaints related to one or both. In fact, it has recently cited a couple of companies due to their questionable robocall practices, including ride-sharing firm Lyft. According to its official citation and order document, Lyft doesn't actually have a viable "unsubscribe option" for marketing calls and texts like written in its terms of Service. The FCC's investigation revealed that in order to opt out of those messages, passengers have to go to the company's website, and then search the Help Center.
Uber pulls down 'share your ETA' links that went public
Uber has pulled down the searchable database people found at "trip.uber.com," which contained details of trips people unknowingly made public by using the "Share your ETA" feature. That's one of the app's functions that sends a link with all pertinent details to chosen contacts. Since it could very useful, especially for those who need to travel alone through shady locations or at night, the company isn't yanking it from the app. Instead, Uber has decided to tweak the system so that all links get expired after 48 hours.
California Uber drivers can join in class-action lawsuit
Uber drivers are not employees of the ride hailing company. Instead they are contractors responsible for their own gas, vehicle upkeep and if anything happens to the driver or car while they are searching for a passenger, it's on them. Three drivers are challenging the way Uber does business by saying that the current situation violates California labor laws. Today that challenge got a boost when a San Francisco federal court judge said that their suit against the company is entitled to class action status. That means drivers can sue the company as a group over their employment status. The suit only applies to California drivers that started driving for the company before June 2014. But if the drivers are victorious, it could seriously change Uber's business model.
Uber's background checks reportedly missed criminal records
Los Angeles and San Francisco are convinced that Uber's background checks aren't as good as the company claims they are, and it looks the two cities might have ample proof that this is a real, consistent problem. Their district attorneys have amended a lawsuit against Uber to provide evidence that the ridesharing outfit didn't unearth the criminal records of 25 drivers between the two regions. Several of those drivers were reportedly convicted of extremely serious crimes, including murder and sex offenses. The attorneys argue that this is proof that Uber is making "false and misleading" claims. It's touting a tight screening process, but genuine threats to passengers are slipping through the cracks.
Uber opens car-leasing program to lure in more drivers
Over the past few days, Uber's been busy introducing new PR stunts and dealing with a controversy about its app being deceitful. Today the company's making a move that, if it works according to plan, will benefit its long-term business strategy: it is piloting a car-leasing program for people who want to be Uber drivers. Up until now, the ridesharing firm had worked with Santander Consumer USA to offer a similar option to people, but this is the first time it's going to be done in-house. And Uber will have both new and used cars up for lease. As Re/code reports, California, Georgia and Maryland will have access to it initially -- but knowing Uber, it won't be long before the program heads to more states and, perhaps, more countries.
Some of the cars on Uber's maps don't really exist
If you've ever wondered why Uber will show you a horde of available cars but still quote you an oddly long wait time for a ride, you now have an explanation: some of those cars don't exist. Motherboard has learned through a study that the app's map activity doesn't correlate that well with reality, even in those areas where you simply can't get a lift. Why? That depends on who you ask. A spokesperson insists that the number and location of cars is "generally accurate," but the company's help staff disagree. One claims that it's a glitch stemming from map zooming, while another says that the cars are purely there for a "visual effect" that indicates the presence of cars looking for fares.
StubHub lets eventgoers call an Uber from its app
People love it when companies make things easier for them, and that's exactly what StubHub is doing today. If you use the service to buy tickets to events, like a live concert or sports game, you'll now be able to book an Uber directly from its iOS and Android apps. The best part about this is that, once you've purchased a ticket, the StubHub application sends a notification to your device (two hours prior to the event) asking if you'd like to request an Uber. And, similar to Live Nation's partnership with the ridesharing firm, there's no need to type in the address to the venue -- StubHub lets drivers know where the drop-off point is.
Starbucks' Lyft deal has you earning coffee with every ride
Starbucks isn't done lining up deals with tech-savvy companies -- not by a longshot. The coffee chain has unveiled a partnership with Lyft that will reward just about everyone. As a passenger, you'll earn points (that is, Stars) at Starbucks every time you hail a Lyft ride. Yes, you could travel to a business meeting and get a free drink when you arrive. You can even gift a cup o' joe to your driver, if you like. Those drivers will also get Starbucks' Gold perk status as a matter of course, and they'll earn Stars for every ride they offer. Baristas might see some benefits, too, as Starbucks is testing a program that would give employees Lyft rides when mass transit isn't an option. The alliance is only effective in the 65 US cities that Lyft covers, but it could prove tempting if you just can't get enough grande lattes.
EU to decide whether or not Uber is a transportation service
Uber has repeatedly insisted that it's not just a ridesharing company, but that interpretation is about to get an important test. A Spanish judge has requested that the European Court of Justice determine whether or not Uber is a generic "digital service," as it claims, or a "mere transport activity." If it's the former, European Union countries may have to rethink court rulings and laws that ban Uber. If the court deems Uber a transportation firm, however, the company may have no choice but to obey the same licensing and safety rules as taxis and other hired vehicles. While Uber will undoubtedly be ecstatic if it's victorious, it also risks losing one of its most important legal defenses. [Image credit: AP Photo/Bertrand Combaldieu]
Massachusetts grills Uber and Lyft over disability access
Ridesharing outfits make some effort to accommodate disabled passengers, but Massachusetts isn't sure that they go far enough. Reuters has learned that the state's Attorney General is grilling Uber and Lyft over the levels of disability access they provide. There aren't any official actions under way, but this is the first time that any US attorney general's office has given accessibility a look. That's bound to make the two companies nervous when both of them are facing lawsuits over their support for guide dogs and wheelchairs.
Hillary Clinton isn't a fan of Uber-style contracted workers
Like it or not, the hiring practices of on-demand internet companies just became an election issue. Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has outlined her economic policies, and it's clear that she's not fond of Uber and other firms relying on contracted workers instead of regular employees. While she believes that these demand-based outfits are "unleashing innovation," their labor practices allegedly amount to "wage theft." They're depriving people of vital benefits like paid maternity leave and sick days, Clinton says. She's not specific about how she'd solve this dilemma, but she believes that policies could "fix" the situation and give some workers a stronger safety net.
'Uber for kids' car service runs afoul of California laws
Shuddle, an on demand driver service that lets strangers drive your kids around, billing itself as the "Uber for kids", is in trouble with California regulators. The company received a cease and desist letter from the California Public Utilities Commission last November after regulators noticed that Shuddle had yet to register with TrustLine, the state agency that fingerprints and runs background checks on adults working in child care. USA Today reports that so far, Shuddle has yet to comply with the CPUC's demand, opening the company to further regulatory action that could include its halting operations via court order. "Safety is our top priority," CPUC director of news and information Terrie Prosper told USA Today.
Uber wants to suggest pickup points to speed up your trip
If you use Uber, you know that there's a delicate art to choosing pickup points: drop the pin in the wrong spot and your driver could spend ages trying to reach you. You're about to get some useful pointers, though. TechCrunch has learned that the ridesharing company is testing "suggested pickup points" that should start your trip faster and save some frustration. The experiment doesn't account for your destination, but it does avoid common pitfalls -- it'll ask you to go to a corner if you can't get a ride in the middle of the block, or suggest you wait at a main road instead of a side street. There's no word on whether or not you'll see this feature on a regular basis, but it's big enough that it may be more a question of "when" than "if."
