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Uber halts some service in Greece following stricter rules
Uber is still very much at odds with some cities over their attitudes toward ridesharing. The company is suspending UberX service in Athens, Greece from April 10th onward in the wake of newly-approved laws that limit how ridesharing companies can operate in the capital. It's not clear "if and how" Uber can operate under these new rules, the company said, and it doesn't want to resume service until there's an "appropriate solution" that everyone can live with. UberTaxi (which uses taxi drivers) will continue to operate.
Lawsuit claims Uber discriminates against people with disabilities
Uber launched a couple of new programs back in 2014 to serve people who use wheelchairs. UberAssist is a way to hail an UberX driver trained in accessibility and whose car can accommodate a folding wheelchair. UberWAV will send you an actual accessible vehicle with a rear-entry ramp and safety features for riders with accessibility needs. These programs are only available in a handful of larger markets like New York Washington DC or Portland, unfortunately. In addition, Uber may not have provided these services in equal ways to riders who need them even in cities where these programs exist. The Washington, DC-based Equal Rights Center (ERC) is suing Uber for denying that equal access to people with disabilities, claiming that the company is in violation of Title 3 of the Americans with Disabilities Act as well as the DC Human Rights Act.
I drove around Pittsburgh in a self-driving Uber
"Did you do that or did the car do that?" I first asked that of my self-driving Uber's "safety driver" when the car pulled out of the lane it was in to go around a pedestrian on the side of the road. I asked it another half-dozen times during the 30 minutes I spent as a passenger in one of Uber's autonomous cars, which are hitting the streets of Pittsburgh today. Nearly every time, the answer was: "The car did that." Indeed, my time as a passenger in the self-driving Uber as it drove around downtown Pittsburgh was blessedly uneventful -- and in that relative safety and peace, I got an up-close look at what the challenges will be in making autonomous vehicles a widespread reality. I even got behind the wheel to "not drive" the car for myself.
You can hail a self-driving Uber in Pittsburgh starting today
Uber's self-driving cars have been spotted around Pittsburgh for a few months now, but starting today you can actually take a ride in one. The company announced that as of today, Uber's most "loyal" Pittsburgh customers might receive a ride in a self-driving Ford Fusion when they request an Uber X. As predicted, being a test subject in the company's cars will net you a free ride.
'Upfront' Uber pricing replaces estimates with guarantees
Soon, when you open up Uber and request a ride you'll see the pricing in a different way. Instead of its current method of displaying the rate (and multiplier, if surge pricing is in effect), with a fare estimate in a second screen, it will just display a guaranteed price to take you to your destination. Of course, that doesn't mean surge pricing is going away, just that it will already be figured in to the price you're quoted (with a "Fares are higher due to increased demand" note.)
UberX can pick you up from Los Angeles International Airport
Lyft may have beaten Uber to the punch on offering ridesharing pickups from Los Angeles International Airport, but its lead will be short lived. As of January 21st at 8AM local time, you can order an UberX car to pick you up at LAX, not just drop you off. Previously, you had to spring for a pricier Uber tier (or go to the competition) to get a ride at the end of that long business trip. Do be prepared to hoof it and possibly endure a wait, though.
Uber heads to Scotland, starting in Glasgow
After months of quiet hiring in Edinburgh and Glasgow, Uber is finally ready to take on Scotland. The company is launching first in Glasgow, although we suspect it won't be long before it enters the Scottish capital too. That means if you're based in Glasgow's bustling port city, you'll be able to download the app and request uberX rides from 4pm today. Uber has already launched in most of England's major hubs, including Newcastle, Birmingham and Leeds, so Scotland is an obvious target for further UK expansion. The company is still, however, in the middle of a legal dispute with the UK's Licensed Taxi Drivers Association, so we're curious to see how Glasgow's cabbies react to their new competition.
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.
Uber pushes for rule changes by using drivers as mail couriers
Uber is no stranger to using grassroots campaigns to push for pro-ridesharing regulation, but it just took things one step further: it's turning its app into a political activism tool. If you live in St. Louis, you now have an UberLetters option that sends old-school paper mail to the Metropolitan Taxicab Commission in hopes that it will allow the lower-cost UberX tier in the city. Once you've written your plea, you hail an Uber car that drops it off for free. It's an unusual move that will only last for a day (you have until 4PM on July 7th to act), but the company argues that these makeshift couriers are virtually necessary. The MTC only accepts public comments through fax or physical mail, so Uber couldn't just ask supporters to email their feedback.
Uber will give you a driver who speaks Spanish
Would you rather say "¡hola!" to your Uber driver instead of "hello?" You've got it. The ridesharing firm has formally launched UberEspañol in six US areas (Chicago, Los Angeles, Orange County, Phoenix, San Diego and Tucson), giving you the choice of a Spanish-speaking UberX driver when you need a lift. This sadly leaves out posher ride options, but it's a big deal if you're more comfortable with the language or have a passenger whose English isn't that great. [Image credit: Getty Images]
Portland unbans UberX
Citing violations of its hired transportation rules, the city of Portland, OR sued Uber last December and temporarily halted the ridesharing company's operations within city limits. Now, after months of haggling with civic and community leaders, Uber has relaunched a "safer and more reliable" version of its UberX service in the Rose City. Under the agreement, Uber X drivers will have to pass background and driving history checks while their cars must pass a vehicle safety inspections conducted by a certified mechanic. Each UberX fare will now include a $1 Safe Rides Fee but should remain pretty reasonable if the table below is accurate.
Uber launches in Newcastle, its sixth UK city
Uber is slowly but surely making inroads in Britain. Today, the company is launching its low-cost UberX service in Newcastle, allowing passengers to request a Toyota Prius (or a similarly specced vehicle) to get around town. It's the sixth UK city for Uber, following London, Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham and Wakefield. Only a week ago the company launched its premium UberExec service in Manchester and Leeds, but we wouldn't be surprised if a similar expansion was already being prepared for "the Toon." Where will Uber strike next? If its online job listings are anything to go by, Glasgow and Edinburgh. Now that the company has a foothold in England, it seems Scotland is next on its hit-list.
Transport inspectors say Uber blocked their accounts to avoid fines
Uber likes to play chicken with local ride-sharing laws, hoping to keep its service in cities long enough to generate positive public buzz. Case in point is Queensland and Western Australia, where UberX is illegal and carries fines of up to $1,700 (AUS) for infringing drivers. According to emails obtained by ABC News in Australia, Uber has actively blocked the accounts of transport inspectors to avoid the penalties, which it pays on behalf of drivers. One inspector said "due to blocking by Uber, only two covert rides were undertaken... time was spent purchasing new credit cards, activating Gmail accounts and setting up two more phones."
Uber launches in Leeds, its third UK city
Uber's UK footprint might be small, but it's already come in for some heavy criticism, especially in London. As competitors ready new services in an attempt to leverage more custom, Uber has decided its ready to expand beyond London and Manchester by heading to Yorkshire, or more specifically, Leeds. As of now, city residents will be able to pull out their smartphone to hail an UberX ride (the company's lowest-priced service) to move about the city. Hailo already operates in the area, but only offers traditional taxi pickups, giving Uber the opportunity to steal a march its rivals with its popular private hire service.
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]
Uber's new services bring ridesharing to wheelchair users
If you rely on a wheelchair, you've largely been left on the sidelines of the ridesharing phenomenon. While plans have been in the works for some time, there hasn't really been a concrete accessibility strategy. Uber is improving that state of affairs, though, by launching new programs to accommodate disabled passengers. UberAssist, which is launching in Houston today, lets you hail an UberX driver who's trained in accessibility and can accommodate folding wheelchairs. A follow-up coming in a few weeks, UberAccess, lets you order a vehicle with a wheelchair-friendly ramp. There's no mention of expansion to other cities so far.
Uber hits London's black cabs with a 15 percent price drop
Uber's continuing on its mission to wind up London's black cabbies with its convenient and affordable service today, announcing it's cutting uberX fare prices in the capital by 15 percent. The cost of UberEXEC and UberLUX tiers -- both with progressively fancier cars -- will remain flat, but from 3pm tomorrow you'll pay 15-percent less on any trip in a basic, uberX-class vehicle. Better yet, the minimum fare has also been reduced from £6 to a fiver, but the trade-off is prices will no longer be rounded down to the nearest pound. While the cut is bound to make Londoners happy regardless of that little caveat, we're less sure of who'll be madder -- the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association (LTDA), or the Mancunians that'll still have to pay full whack.
Seattle votes to legalize ridesharing services like Lyft and Uber
It's official: following an earlier agreement, Seattle council members have voted eight to one in favor of legalizing transportation network companies. The move lets ridesharing outfits like Lyft and UberX operate in the West coast city without fear of bans or driver caps, so long as they get the appropriate license and otherwise obey relatively light regulations. Conventional cab drivers, meanwhile, get a break through 200 additional taxi licenses. The council is expected to take a second look at ridesharing during its next legislative session to see if there's a need for stricter requirements. For now, though, you shouldn't have any trouble hailing a private driver in Washington state's biggest burg. [Image credits: Jeff Blucher, Flickr]
Another Uber SUV cab service comes to San Francisco
We've all suffered that problem when we've got too many friends to share a single cab, but not really enough to justify splitting into two groups. Uber understands our pain, and has launched UberXL, specifically for medium-sized groups of partygoers to get around in an SUV instead of a sedan. Now, if we're honest, we have no idea how this is going to shake out compared to UberSUV, which also offers SUV-sized transport, but costs twice as much to use. We have asked the company, and will let you know what we learn. Still, UberXL, which is already available in Singapore and Chicago is now coming to San Francisco, just in time for the annual Bay to Breakers race-cum-city-wide-rave. Compared to UberX, you'll pay a $5 base fare and a minimum $8 fee, but that's a small price to pay not to break up the party. Update: So we've heard back from Uber, who explained that UberSUV uses TCP-licensed drivers for luxurious transit, whereas UberXL is just for larger groups of regular folk.
UberX adds $1 charge to cover getting you home safely
Sure, UberX might get you to your destination for less money than a taxi, but do you want to arrive safely? That will be an extra dollar. Not really, but sort of. Uber has added a $1 surcharge to UberX rides. Called a "Safe Rides Fee," the company says the cash will help offset the cost "an industry-leading background check process, regular motor vehicle checks, driver safety education, development of safety features in the app, and insurance." You know, basic stuff that Uber needs to do to make sure you're not being picked up by a serial killer or in a car that's going to lose a wheel once you get on the highway. Uber's been doing that stuff already, but taking on the cost itself – a move that's ultimately made it lose cash on every ride. It's not unreasonable that it might pass the buck literally on to its customers, but it could have probably come up with a name for the charge that doesn't sound like you're going to die if your don't pay up. Our only question: If our Uber starts texting while we're on the road can we have our dollar back? Image source: Flickr/Adam Fagan
