Hasta La Gadget!

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

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Via: TechCrunch

Source: California Public Utilities Commission (PDF)

Veteran Uber members will remember last year’s Uber Ice Cream: for one day only, they could use the company’s mobile app to hail an ice cream truck and beat the heat. The program is thankfully coming back on July 19th, and this time on a much larger scale. Customers in 18 US cities and 16 international cities can order group-sized batches of ice cream that should arrive within minutes; the most common US pricing offers five desserts for $25. You’ll need to both sign up and download Uber’s Android or iOS apps if you want to take part, but those small hassles could lead to some big relief from the summer swelter.

Filed under: Cellphones, Transportation

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Source: Uber Blog

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

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Via: AllThingsD

Source: SCPR

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

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Via: The Next Web

Source: Uber blog, California Public Utilities Commission (PDF)