Mar 04
Admit it: You’ve always wanted to ride in a private plane. Imagine stretching out your legs and listening to music without headphones. What luxury! Too bad, you probably can’t afford it. But, with Flytenow, you just might.
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Dec 12
Hiring you and your car out on Lyft can be an amusing experience—especially if Ice Cube, Kevin Hart and Conan are the people who want to get a lift.
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Sep 19
The California Public Utilities Commission approved ridesharing companies early this year, but it offered only a few temporary guidelines while it worked on a formal rule set. Today, the regulator has published those definitive rules. Companies like Lyft, SideCar and Uber now have to get a CPUC license to operate under a new Transportation Network Company category. To maintain that license, they’ll have to run background checks, train drivers, hold a minimum level of insurance, inspect cars and drop employees who abuse alcohol or drugs. The requirements won’t necessarily eliminate tension with Los Angeles and other cities that believe they have jurisdiction over taxi-like services. However, the CPUC’s move gives California ridesharing companies a degree of comfort — they can keep operating in many cities without fear of being shut down.
Filed under: Transportation
Via: TechCrunch
Jul 01
Despite the fact that it’s currently banned in Los Angeles, UberX is defiantly still up and running. I used it for the first time this weekend. This so-called ride-sharing service from San Francisco-based Uber Technologies is supposedly the future of cabs. Much like similar services Lyft and Sidecar, UberX seeks to "disrupt" the taxi industry by using average people with a car (and without a taxi license) to shuttle others around. But it’s pretty clear that they shouldn’t be allowed to.
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Jun 25
Someone didn’t get the memo, apparently. Despite California’s Public Utilities Commission giving ridesharing services the all clear on a statewide level, Los Angeles’ Department of Transportation has sent cease-and-desist warnings to Lyft, Sidecar and Uber, claiming that all three are breaking local laws by operating without city permits. Drivers could face arrests and lose their cars if they keep serving customers, according to the notices. Not surprisingly, the ridesharing firms have a very different opinion. Uber tells Engadget that it’s operating a limousine-like service which only needs PUC permission to operate, and Lyft says it’s talking with the Mayor’s office to resolve what it believes is a “state issue.” For now, we’re at an impasse — let’s just hope that Los Angeles follows in New York’s footsteps and tries to reach a happy medium.
Filed under: Cellphones, Transportation
Via: AllThingsD
Source: SCPR
Jun 25
This week the city of Los Angeles sent a cease-and-desist letter to ride-sharing app companies Uber, Lyft and Sidecar. The city and Los Angeles Yellow Cab claim that these services are "rogue taxis" that are "bypassing all safety regulations created to protect riders and drivers." But this isn’t the first time that this town has gone after the unregulated four-wheeled menace. This crackdown on unlicensed taxis in the City of Angels is nearly identical to a battle that raged a century ago — without all the iPhones and whatnot, of course.
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Feb 01
Uber and similar ride-hailing apps have had their run-ins against authorities before, but it looks like the town car service is finally getting a reprieve, at least in California. Last October, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency issued a cease and desist order plus a $20,000 citation to private car ventures like Uber, Lyft and Sidecar over an apparent lack of permits and licenses. However, the commission changed its tune in December when it decided to evaluate the safety of such services, and has now suspended those complaints altogether as it works toward a resolution. More over, the CPUC officially approved ridesharing — where the drivers are not specifically licensed to drive a limousine or a taxi — thus legitimizing Lyft and opening the door for others to offer such services in the future. The CPUC states it’ll still require “continued proof of insurance, Department of Motor Vehicle checks and national criminal background checks,” especially if the service uses “non-licensed charter party carriers.” Regardless, it’s still a victorious day for lazy smartphone-wielding commuters in the Golden State.
Filed under: Transportation, Internet
Via: The Next Web
Source: Uber blog, California Public Utilities Commission (PDF)
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