# Uber has its London licence sensationally stripped by TfL in shock move



## andrewf2017 (Mar 1, 2017)

*Uber has its London licence sensationally stripped by TfL in shock move*

Uber is to be sensationally stripped of its licence to operate in London in a huge blow to the ride-hailing firm.

The dramatic announcement today by Transport for London chiefs will dismay 3.5 million Londoners who have come to rely on cheaper rides.

The decision also raises questions over the future of 40,000 minicab drivers who ply a trade with Uber in the capital.

Mayor Sadiq Khan, who heads up TfL, said after the shock ruling that "companies must play by the rules".

Uber said its users and drivers would be "astounded" by TfL's decision and accused the transport body and the Mayor of "caving in" to a small number of critics.

The firm confirmed it would "immediately" challenge the decision in the courts.

However the technology giant's expulsion by TfL will delight opponents, including the black cab trade, who have criticised its safety record.

Others have raised concerns over the San Francisco company's business methods and argue it has contributed to worsening traffic congestion on London's streets.

Uber's lawyers will now pore over the decision which is almost certain to be challenged in a lengthy courtroom battle.

TfL ruled that Uber was "not fit and proper" to hold a private hire licence and had shown a "lack of corporate responsibility" in relation to public safety.

Its licence is currently due to expire next Saturday, September 30. The app firm has 21 days to appeal the decision. However, they can continue to operate on London's streets while the legal process is exhausted.

In May Uber's licence was extended for just four months, instead of the usual five years, raising uncertainty about its long-term future in London.

The issue is politically sensitive for the Mayor although both his officials and TfL stressed that he was not personally involved in the decision. The decision was made by TfL chiefs on the advice of lawyers.

He is understood to be concerned about the safety of the Uber service, amid claims of alleged sex attacks by drivers, but also aware that banning the firm will spark a backlash from drivers and users.

When TfL proposed strict new private hire rules that would have limited Uber's operations in 2015, more than 200,000 people signed a petition against them and most of the proposals were dropped.

In today's ruling, TfL raised concerns over Uber's approach to reporting serious criminal offences and how it obtained enhanced criminal records checks for drivers.
In August the firm was accused by police of allowing a driver who sexually assaulted a passenger to strike again by not reporting the attack, along with other serious crimes.

Weeks later the vetting process for thousands of drivers offering the under-fire service was declared invalid, after TfL decided minicab firms had to use its chosen contractor to apply for a DBS check.

It flagged up Uber's approach to how medical certificates were obtained - for example drivers using an online GP service via video rather than having a check in person as the regulations insist.

The transport body also queried Uber's use of Greyball software, which could be used to block regulators' access to the app.

Despite being one of the world's most popular apps the firm has not been without controversy since it first appeared on London's streets in 2012.

Earlier this year, a tribunal ruled that the company should treat two drivers as workers and pay them the minimum wage and holiday pay.

It was one of many legal battles, regulatory disagreements and driver strikes that have taken place across the globe - in addition to a string of internal problems.

Earlier this month MPs on the all parliamentary group on taxis claimed the US firm was not a "fit and proper operator" following a string of alleged sex attacks by drivers.

They claimed police figures showed an allegation of rape or sexual assault against Uber drivers is made every eleven days.

The group, chaired by Labour MP Wes Streeting, wrote a letter to TfL urging it to follow the example of other cities and revoke Uber's licence for operating in the capital.

Earlier this week TfL increased the cost of licences for the largest minicab firms, including Uber, up to £2.9 million, to cover extra enforcement costs.

Mr Khan said: "I want London to be at the forefront of innovation and new technology and to be a natural home for exciting new companies that help Londoners by providing a better and more affordable service.

"However, all companies in London must play by the rules and adhere to the high standard we expect - particularly when it comes to the safety of customers. Providing an innovative service must not be at the expense of customer safety and security.

"I fully support TfL's decision - it would be wrong if TfL continued to licence Uber if there is any way that this could pose a threat to Londoners' safety and security. Any operators or private hire services in London need to play by the rules".

Tom Elvidge, General Manager of Uber in London, said: "3.5 million Londoners who use our app, and more than 40,000 licensed drivers who rely on Uber to make a living, will be astounded by this decision.

"By wanting to ban our app from the capital Transport for London and the Mayor have caved in to a small number of people who want to restrict consumer choice. If this decision stands, it will put more than 40,000 licensed drivers out of work and deprive Londoners of a convenient and affordable form of transport.

"To defend the livelihoods of all those drivers, and the consumer choice of millions of Londoners who use our app, we intend to immediately challenge this in the courts.

"Uber operates in more than 600 cities around the world, including more than 40 towns and cities here in the UK. This ban would show the world that, far from being open, London is closed to innovative companies who bring choice to consumers."

Steve McNamara, General Secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers' Association, said: "The Mayor has made the right call not to relicense Uber.

"Since it first came onto our streets Uber has broken the law, exploited its drivers and refused to take responsibility for the safety of passengers.

"We expect Uber will again embark on a spurious legal challenge against the Mayor and TfL, and we will urge the court to uphold this decision. This immoral company has no place on London's streets".

However, London Assembly member Andrew Boff said: "This is a hugely damaging decision by Sadiq Khan that will effectively put 40,000 people out of work at the click of a finger.

"The Mayor consistently tells us London is open but in shutting down the operations of an innovative market leader like Uber he has caused immense reputational damage to our city as a global business hub.

"With 3.5million registered users - almost half the city's adult population - Uber has shown to be providing a hugely beneficial service to Londoners.

"Sadiq Khan has ignored their needs and instead believed the smears and propaganda propagated by Uber's rivals."

Source - Evening Standard:
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/tra...ts-licence-to-operate-in-london-a3641046.html

UPNet London forum: https://uberpeople.net/forums/London


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## andrewf2017 (Mar 1, 2017)




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## BurgerTiime (Jun 22, 2015)




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## Yuri Lygotme (Jul 27, 2014)

that Greyball fiasco is going to bite their ass in other cities....


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## PickEmUp (Jul 19, 2017)

andrewf2017 said:


> *Uber has its London licence sensationally stripped by TfL in shock move*
> 
> Uber is to be sensationally stripped of its licence to operate in London in a huge blow to the ride-hailing firm.
> 
> ...


Quite a pro uber slant by that publication. Here is a more objective report. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/sep/22/uber-licence-transport-for-london-tfl


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## KK2929 (Feb 9, 2017)

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-u...-london-license-plans-to-appeal-idUSKCN1BX151

http://www.investors.com/news/uber-stripped-of-london-operating


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## NIGEL KERSH (Sep 22, 2017)

I believe this could be amazing for Uber. If they correct their protocols to get rid of drivers who give Uber a bad name that would give the public reassurance that professional courteous drivers are on the Uber platform. The whole transportation industry needs to address this. Not just Uber. By taking the lead and winning the appeal against TFL's decision then the public whom already favour Uber over higher paying platforms such as Black cabs would benefit. It can only be good to raise standards and this correction is timely and helpful to Uber. Once the appeal is won everyone will win. Taxis would be forced to cut their ridiculously high tariffs. They may even be persuaded to help their "riders" with their bags! Mini canb agencies would have to step up their game of clean vehicles etc. Drivers may also receive better rewards as can be witnessed in recent weeks. Long live UBER


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## Buckiemohawk (Jun 23, 2015)

London made the right decision. I wouldn't even allow the company to appeal. Get rid of the slime.


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## Rakos (Sep 2, 2014)

Uber gets caught red handed....?

So much for 40,000 uber drivers....

Could that be *saturated*...???


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## Rakos (Sep 2, 2014)

NEWS JUST IN.....

"more than 40,000 licensed drivers who rely on Uber to make a living"

So EVERY Uber driver in London...

Makes their entire living with Uber.....

How do you say *BULL$HIT*....

in Londonese?

Rakos


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## NIGEL KERSH (Sep 22, 2017)

Buckiemohawk said:


> London made the right decision. I wouldn't even allow the company to appeal. Get rid of the slime.


"Slime". This doesn't make you appear too intelligent. Just saying ... the whole industry needs looking at. There are rude taxi drivers and rude Uber drivers. Funnily enough rude people such as yourself?


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## KK2929 (Feb 9, 2017)

Buckiemohawk said:


> London made the right decision. I wouldn't even allow the company to appeal. Get rid of the slime.


Is your reference to Uber management or the drivers ?
You are in Orlando, Florida. How do you know what is happening in London?
There are 40,000 drivers involved in this, many of which are trying to support their families.
They will suffer hardships because Uber has a management that makes poor decisions?


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## makes_sense (Sep 26, 2014)

This is #uberexit


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## Tnasty (Mar 23, 2016)

Fuber has proved themselves to be slime.


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## Rakos (Sep 2, 2014)

It began as a cool...

Democratic method of travel...

And has devolved substantially...

Based on the oversaturation...

Of all markets...

Rakos


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## TNCMinWage (May 18, 2017)

NIGEL KERSH said:


> I believe this could be amazing for Uber. If they correct their protocols to get rid of drivers who give Uber a bad name that would give the public reassurance that professional courteous drivers are on the Uber platform. The whole transportation industry needs to address this. Not just Uber. By taking the lead and winning the appeal against TFL's decision then the public whom already favour Uber over higher paying platforms such as Black cabs would benefit. It can only be good to raise standards and this correction is timely and helpful to Uber. Once the appeal is won everyone will win. Taxis would be forced to cut their ridiculously high tariffs. They may even be persuaded to help their "riders" with their bags! Mini canb agencies would have to step up their game of clean vehicles etc. Drivers may also receive better rewards as can be witnessed in recent weeks. Long live UBER


And you'll still drive your car to destruction making minimum wage in return...!


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## unPat (Jul 20, 2016)

The Brit’s have been irrelevant since the 80’s. The tube is the most unsafe place in the entire world. It’s very bad and poor decision to sideline Uber in such a global city. This is bad day for consumers.


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## Laino (Jul 29, 2017)

As I said many times Uber is not the one and only. In London there is a plenty more private hire companies and the drivers will work somewhere else. Then they will realize it’s so much better to get cash and pay a fixed radio fee. No more %25 bite. No more ratings.


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## Rakos (Sep 2, 2014)

They just need to get some Jordys...

And go to London...

And straighten someone out....

Those guys can party insanely....8>)

Rakos


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## phillipzx3 (May 26, 2015)

NIGEL KERSH said:


> I believe this could be amazing for Uber. If they correct their protocols to get rid of drivers who give Uber a bad name that would give the public reassurance that professional courteous drivers are on the Uber platform. The whole transportation industry needs to address this. Not just Uber. By taking the lead and winning the appeal against TFL's decision then the public whom already favour Uber over higher paying platforms such as Black cabs would benefit. It can only be good to raise standards and this correction is timely and helpful to Uber. Once the appeal is won everyone will win. Taxis would be forced to cut their ridiculously high tariffs. They may even be persuaded to help their "riders" with their bags! Mini canb agencies would have to step up their game of clean vehicles etc. Drivers may also receive better rewards as can be witnessed in recent weeks. Long live UBER


Funny how people don't want to pay a fair rate, but they sure want to be payed as much as possible. The cabs charge what they charge because they know what it costs to operate a cab AND earn a living. Uber drivers have no investment in the operating cost. Uber passengers have been getting cheap rides because Uber investor money has/is bring used to subsidize the ride. If someone gave a cab company a few billion bucks to play with ( in other words, lose) they could operate at a loss too......for a while. ;-)


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## Brooklyn (Jul 29, 2014)

KK2929 said:


> Is your reference to Uber management or the drivers ?
> You are in Orlando, Florida. How do you know what is happening in London?
> There are 40,000 drivers involved in this, many of which are trying to support their families.
> They will suffer hardships because Uber has a management that makes poor decisions?


You act as if they can't work for anyone else and there aren't other options.


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## Lildono (Dec 19, 2015)

5


NIGEL KERSH said:


> I believe this could be amazing for Uber. If they correct their protocols to get rid of drivers who give Uber a bad name that would give the public reassurance that professional courteous drivers are on the Uber platform. The whole transportation industry needs to address this. Not just Uber. By taking the lead and winning the appeal against TFL's decision then the public whom already favour Uber over higher paying platforms such as Black cabs would benefit. It can only be good to raise standards and this correction is timely and helpful to Uber. Once the appeal is won everyone will win. Taxis would be forced to cut their ridiculously high tariffs. They may even be persuaded to help their "riders" with their bags! Mini canb agencies would have to step up their game of clean vehicles etc. Drivers may also receive better rewards as can be witnessed in recent weeks. Long live UBER


They left Austin for less they'll just leave London too.


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## Grahamcracker (Nov 2, 2016)

Who cares?


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## Mista T (Aug 16, 2017)

Competition will swarm in at this golden opportunity, drivers will have other options within 30 days.

Hopefully Uber will figure out that they need to make real change, not just increase the number of DF we can use in a day. If they make solid changes they will be coming back I'm sure.


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## osii (Aug 21, 2014)

Drivers have been subsidizing riders for over a year now.


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## I_Like_Spam (May 10, 2015)

KK2929 said:


> Is your reference to Uber management or the drivers ?
> You are in Orlando, Florida. How do you know what is happening in London?
> There are 40,000 drivers involved in this, many of which are trying to support their families.
> They will suffer hardships because Uber has a management that makes poor decisions?


Not necessarily at all.

The work still exists- people are still in need of rides. The drivers still own their cars- the means of production.

Uber is just an intermediary, drivers who need to work will continue to be able to work under a new paradigm.


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## AnotherUberVictim (Nov 6, 2016)

NIGEL KERSH said:


> "Slime". This doesn't make you appear too intelligent. Just saying ... the whole industry needs looking at. There are rude taxi drivers and rude Uber drivers. Funnily enough rude people such as yourself?


Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Kind of rude to suggest that they are not.


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## Amsoil Uber Connect (Jan 14, 2015)

"Its licence is currently due to expire next Saturday, September 30. The app firm has 21 days to appeal the decision. 
*However, they can continue to operate on London's streets while the legal process is exhausted*."

That says it all right there. How long would that be in UK law practices, 5 years ???


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## I_Like_Spam (May 10, 2015)

Amsoil Uber Connect said:


> That says it all right there. How long would that be in UK law practices, 5 years ???


über will be out of business, or at the very minimum totally transformed within 5 years.


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## AnotherUberVictim (Nov 6, 2016)

Rakos said:


> It began as a cool...
> 
> Democratic method of travel...
> 
> ...


Of course. It's built in to the business model. Did it ever occur to you why taxis were limited in number? Besides, it's ride-sharing. Don't you wanna share?


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## Spotscat (May 8, 2017)

"Sensationally stripped"?

I've seen a lot of dancers in my time, but I have never seen one sensationally stripped. 

Too bad TWA doesn't still fly non-stop from St. Louis to Heathrow - I would like to see this!


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## Rakos (Sep 2, 2014)

We used to have sensational stippers...

Miami and Vegas had plenty....

Butt... That was the good old days...8>)

Rakos


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## UBERPROcolorado (Jul 16, 2017)

andrewf2017 said:


> *Uber has its London licence sensationally stripped by TfL in shock move*
> 
> Uber is to be sensationally stripped of its licence to operate in London in a huge blow to the ride-hailing firm.
> 
> ...


Uber's previous CEO make poor decisions and we are now seeing the results of those decisions. Hopefully, our new CEO and management team will learn from these lessons and move forward in an ethical and responsible manner. London needs Uber as much as the US does.

Drive Safe.


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## Fubernuber (Jan 15, 2017)

How does a state prevent a monopolistic goliath subsidized by venture capitalists from undermining a freemarket and from reducing the quality of live and work of the people involved? This is how. Makes me want to move to london. What great move. You guys are so blessed to live in a city that cares for the safety of its passengers AND well being of drivers


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## DexNex (Apr 18, 2015)

BurgerTiime said:


>


side note.. how did you get a .gif to post?


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## Amsoil Uber Connect (Jan 14, 2015)

Spotscat said:


> "Sensationally stripped"?
> 
> I've seen a lot of dancers in my time, but I have never seen one sensationally stripped.
> 
> Too bad TWA doesn't still fly non-stop from St. Louis to Heathrow - I would like to see this!


It's the English way. Lots of non sexual drama to make a point. lmao


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## ABC123DEF (Jun 9, 2015)

Rakos said:


> NEWS JUST IN.....
> 
> "more than 40,000 licensed drivers who rely on Uber to make a living"
> 
> ...


Londonese? Speak American!! 



osii said:


> Drivers have been subsidizing riders for over a year now.


For a year???!!!! Where have you been? 



UBERPROcolorado said:


> Uber's previous CEO make poor decisions and we are now seeing the results of those decisions. Hopefully, our new CEO and management team will learn from these lessons and move forward in an ethical and responsible manner. London needs Uber as much as the US does.
> 
> Drive Safe.


I'm not sure that we "need" Uber here. People got around before it. Sure, it has some advantages...but it's also made people mentally fat, lazy, needy, and entitled.


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## UberCheese (Sep 3, 2017)

I believe it's bullshit.



Rakos said:


> NEWS JUST IN.....
> 
> "more than 40,000 licensed drivers who rely on Uber to make a living"
> 
> ...


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## Pythonphile (Sep 23, 2017)

I'm a Yank, but I watch a lot of Sky news. Saw a Union rep defend the action saying that Uber was a threat to public saftey and "Breaking the rules", although he failed to specify which ones. It all seems like union lobbying to me. Statistics were cited about how many women were assaulted by drivers they hired, but no report was offered showing how many were cabs and how many were ubers.


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## Strange Fruit (Aug 10, 2016)

NIGEL KERSH said:


> "Slime". This doesn't make you appear too intelligent. Just saying ... the whole industry needs looking at. There are rude taxi drivers and rude Uber drivers. Funnily enough rude people such as yourself?


Hello Pot. Did the kettle look black today?


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## Buckiemohawk (Jun 23, 2015)

KK2929 said:


> Is your reference to Uber management or the drivers ?
> You are in Orlando, Florida. How do you know what is happening in London?
> There are 40,000 drivers involved in this, many of which are trying to support their families.
> They will suffer hardships because Uber has a management that makes poor decisions?


Hardships like not being able to afford car maintenance. You can't support a family on Uber without public assistance. it's a joke.


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## Pythonphile (Sep 23, 2017)

Buckiemohawk said:


> Hardships like not being able to afford car maintenance. You can't support a family on Uber without public assistance. it's a joke.


I'm gonna have to side with KK2929 on this one. You're basically implying that cab drivers can support their families on cab driver pay, but uber drivers can not?

KK2929 is right, Orlando is NOT London, just like Chicago, cab drivers had a monopoly for while. So they didn't try very hard to please their customers and through political muscle, they gamed the system to their advantage, (especially the owners of cab companies).

Too bad Uber had to reintroduce customer service back into the business, and leap through some legal loopholes to do it.


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## everythingsuber (Sep 29, 2015)

Pythonphile said:


> I'm gonna have to side with KK2929 on this one. You're basically implying that cab drivers can support their families on cab driver pay, but uber drivers can not?
> 
> KK2929 is right, Orlando is NOT London, just like Chicago, cab drivers had a monopoly for while. So they didn't try very hard to please their customers and through political muscle, they gamed the system to their advantage, (especially the owners of cab companies).
> 
> Too bad Uber had to reintroduce customer service back into the business, and leap through some legal loopholes to do it.


All Uber has done is use other people's money to give cheap rides. As for its alleged customer service Uber is close to 3rd world standard.
This is what Uber is in the real world.
http://www.whosdrivingyou.org/rideshare-incidents


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## Mars Troll Number 4 (Oct 30, 2015)

Pythonphile said:


> I'm gonna have to side with KK2929 on this one. You're basically implying that cab drivers can support their families on cab driver pay, but uber drivers can not?
> 
> KK2929 is right, Orlando is NOT London, just like Chicago, cab drivers had a monopoly for while. So they didn't try very hard to please their customers and through political muscle, they gamed the system to their advantage, (especially the owners of cab companies).
> 
> Too bad Uber had to reintroduce customer service back into the business, and leap through some legal loopholes to do it.


Orlando IS NOT LIKE LONDON,

You are correct.

The uber X rates in london are 238% of the rate in Orlando, adjusted for British pound to USD.

The sad thing is London is probably one of the places where the drivers are actually being treated halfway decently. (I sure as heck know it isn't Orlando)

The simple fact of the matter is that it's expensive to operate a car service, and uber _domestically assaults_ it's drivers by not reimbursing them what they should be.

And one of the biggest grips that people have with taxi services is the price, you can't fix the taxi prices in relation to a company that deliberately loses money while screwing it's drivers.

So... taxi drivers being able to support a family, i'm not going to get into that. What I DO KNOW, is that in many markets (not all), _*you can't support your CAR!*_ on uberX rates.

And the reasons that they are giving for giving uber the boot is the un-reporting of serious incidences and the very existence of grey ball.

Uber will NEVER be able to prove that they never used greyball... It's very policy of EVER having greyball is proof enough to London that Uber can't be trusted.

But have no fear Londoners (Pretty sure it's Londoner, correct me if i'm wrong) Uber is going to ignore the rule and continue to operate, uber will ignore the ruling and do what it pleases while it's drivers get fines and even arrested. Your below cost rides will continue.

Another thing i know... many taxi drivers end up doing it for decades while uber drivers do it on average of 6 months. The cab company i drive for... The "New driver" period isn't over for 90 days...


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## Mista T (Aug 16, 2017)

This past week, Portland concluded their investigation into Greyball. They found conclusive evidence that Uber had used the Grayball system in my town.


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## Uberchampion (Oct 17, 2015)

Karl Marx said:


> Don't count your chickens yet, Tories still in power when I last checked. The taxi regulators and politicians have just started to do their jobs. 40,000 UBER vehicles in London have clogged the roads to the point where no one can move anymore. The tube is one of the best transportation systems in the world, they have never stopped building new lines. Private transportation is not the answer to large urban transportation. Many cities moving to banning private cars in urban centres. Capitalism simply isn't working for the vast majority of people.


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## Kalee (Feb 18, 2015)

What a delightful news story this is! 
Uber's investors most certainly are not liking this news story.

I'm thinking any future rounds of funding for Uber will only come from weekly bake sales at the office.


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## goneubering (Aug 17, 2017)

Amsoil Uber Connect said:


> That says it all right there. How long would that be in UK law practices, 5 years ???


Ten years?


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## KK2929 (Feb 9, 2017)

Pythonphile said:


> I'm a Yank, but I watch a lot of Sky news. Saw a Union rep defend the action saying that Uber was a threat to public saftey and "Breaking the rules", although he failed to specify which ones. It all seems like union lobbying to me. Statistics were cited about how many women were assaulted by drivers they hired, but no report was offered showing how many were cabs and how many were ubers.


I heard a figure of 1 woman was physically or sexually assaulted by an Uber driver every 11 days in the London area and many cases were kept from the authorities.
Wonder what the stats are for American drivers ??


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## Kalee (Feb 18, 2015)

NIGEL KERSH said:


> "Slime". This doesn't make you appear too intelligent. Just saying ... the whole industry needs looking at. There are rude taxi drivers and rude Uber drivers. Funnily enough rude people such as yourself?


Hello New Member Nigel Kersh, aka another angry Uber investor that is about to lose his arse and is now lashing out at everyone here whenever they speak the truth of Uber.
Should have listened to us over the years. I've been saying from the beginning that Uber will absolutely go belly-up. (all my personal opinion, of course) =)

Sorry for your loss.



KK2929 said:


> Is your reference to Uber management or the drivers ?
> You are in Orlando, Florida. How do you know what is happening in London?
> There are 40,000 drivers involved in this, many of which are trying to support their families.
> They will suffer hardships because Uber has a management that makes poor decisions?


Uber drivers suffer hardships DRIVING for Uber. NOBODY can earn a living driving for this godforsaken company. 
When was the last time you tried it?



andrewf2017 said:


> *Uber has its London licence sensationally stripped by TfL in shock move*
> 
> Uber is to be sensationally stripped of its licence to operate in London in a huge blow to the ride-hailing firm.
> 
> ...


This news has made my week! I love it! Thank you for posting this!

HAHAHAHAHA! (dancing)



makes_sense said:


> This is #uberexit


Now that right there is a very clever and funny comment! Love it!
Too bad many probably don't get it. 
Comment of the week!

Cheers!



phillipzx3 said:


> Funny how people don't want to pay a fair rate, but they sure want to be payed as much as possible. The cabs charge what they charge because they know what it costs to operate a cab AND earn a living. Uber drivers have no investment in the operating cost. Uber passengers have been getting cheap rides because Uber investor money has/is bring used to subsidize the ride. If someone gave a cab company a few billion bucks to play with ( in other words, lose) they could operate at a loss too......for a while. ;-)


Can you believe the self-proclaimed "intelligent ones" like NIGEL KERSH and the really big, "intelligent" investors are just now figuring out that they may have been taken for the longest, autonomous Uber ride of their lives, where their fare was billions and billions of dollars! 
But hey - the tip is included.


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## Pythonphile (Sep 23, 2017)

KK2929 said:


> I heard a figure of 1 woman was physically or sexually assaulted by an Uber driver every 11 days in the London area and many cases were kept from the authorities.
> Wonder what the stats are for American drivers ??


"heard"? What about "Saw"?
American drivers go through background checks like everyone else. I've noticed young women, in particular, are always careful to check my profile and make sure I'm the driver that's supposed to show up, even checking my license plate sometimes. There were a couple of reports out of Chicago, but they turned-out to be pure bullocks.

Many Americans are suspicious of big businesses, and any attempt to hush anything up would certainly blow-up in their face. I'm sure you've seen, we make a lot of noise when we smell a rat.


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## Kalee (Feb 18, 2015)

By the way, NIGEL KERSH ...

Have you ever in your life known of a company where it's employees rejoice any time bad news is released pertaining to their employer? News that could potentially put the employees out of so called "work"? How could employees be so happy over news like this?

The only other time I can think of "contractors" being so hungry for the death of their "employer" is when America abolished slavery in 1865.


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## AnotherUberVictim (Nov 6, 2016)

Fubernuber said:


> How does a state prevent a monopolistic goliath subsidized by venture capitalists from undermining a freemarket and from reducing the quality of live and work of the people involved? This is how. Makes me want to move to london. What great move. You guys are so blessed to live in a city that cares for the safety of its passengers AND well being of drivers


Yes, unfortunately, most politicians are spineless, and only seek re-election at any cost.



Pythonphile said:


> I'm gonna have to side with KK2929 on this one. You're basically implying that cab drivers can support their families on cab driver pay, but uber drivers can not?
> 
> KK2929 is right, Orlando is NOT London, just like Chicago, cab drivers had a monopoly for while. So they didn't try very hard to please their customers and through political muscle, they gamed the system to their advantage, (especially the owners of cab companies).
> 
> Too bad Uber had to reintroduce customer service back into the business, and leap through some legal loopholes to do it.


 Except Uber doesn't seem to "leap" through legal loopholes. Uber seems to skirt, manipulate, dodge, and break laws, thus the legal problems, lawsuits, etc.


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## makes_sense (Sep 26, 2014)

unPat said:


> The Brit's have been irrelevant since the 80's. The tube is the most unsafe place in the entire world. It's very bad and poor decision to sideline Uber in such a global city. This is bad day for consumers.


They will get over it one or two less drinks they can use the brain cells


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## KK2929 (Feb 9, 2017)

Pythonphile said:


> "heard"? What about "Saw"?
> American drivers go through background checks like everyone else. I've noticed young women, in particular, are always careful to check my profile and make sure I'm the driver that's supposed to show up, even checking my license plate sometimes. There were a couple of reports out of Chicago, but they turned-out to be pure bullocks.
> 
> Many Americans are suspicious of big businesses, and any attempt to hush anything up would certainly blow-up in their face. I'm sure you've seen, we make a lot of noise when we smell a rat.


Ever hear of television news ??? You listen to a speaker, therefore, you hear what they are saying.
What exactly is your point ???



Kalee said:


> By the way, NIGEL KERSH ...
> 
> Have you ever in your life known of a company where it's employees rejoice any time bad news is released pertaining to their employer? News that could potentially put the employees out of so called "work"? How could employees be so happy over news like this?
> 
> The only other time I can think of "contractors" being so hungry for the death of their "employer" is when America abolished slavery in 1865.


An inappropriate comparison. You failed to mention that thousands of people with no education, no money and very few skills were thrown from the only homes that they had ever known. No education is an understatement. Most could neither read or write and knew nothing about how to survive in the real world. There was no work for them in the south because the northern troops had burned and destroyed everything from crops to livestock. No one had money. Yes, the blacks were free.  Free to move to northern cities and live in poverty and slavery of another type.


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## ABC123DEF (Jun 9, 2015)

KK2929 said:


> Ever hear of television news ??? You listen to a speaker, therefore, you hear what they are saying.
> What exactly is your point ???
> 
> An inappropriate comparison. You failed to mention that thousands of people with no education, no money and very few skills were thrown from the only homes that they had ever known. No education is an understatement. Most could neither read or write and knew nothing about how to survive in the real world. There was no work for them in the south because the northern troops had burned and destroyed everything from crops to livestock. No one had money. Yes, the blacks were free. Free to move to northern cities and live in poverty and slavery of another type.


Blacks weren't even free in the south after slavery. Jim Crow laws kept them enslaved.


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## sellkatsell44 (Oct 25, 2015)

Currently in London and I haven't even opened my uber app. Don't need to. The trains are fast and on time. It's cheaper then Caltrain and it's zoned. 

If I do need a car I wouldn't mind taking the taxi, it's cute.

I guess more people take uber in London (remembering that one thread that a dude/girl made about using uber because of their broken leg and difficulty taking the tube).

Good for London. I don't think it needs rideshare. The public transportation is amazing for those who can't afford cab fares and those that can should take cabs.

Doing rideshare would never make anyone money unless the rates are like cab rates or better and at that point then why (as a customer) not just take a cab?

Unless the cab drivers are like the ones my friend described in Paris. He says that most people prefer uber (they only have uber black and uber x) because cab drivers will cop a feel as opposed to the uber drivers.


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## swingset (Feb 26, 2017)

I love all the cheering by posters that, if this happened in their city, would be gobsmacked and whining that their source of income just disappeared.


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## Mars Troll Number 4 (Oct 30, 2015)

swingset said:


> I love all the cheering by posters that, if this happened in their city, would be gobsmacked and whining that their source of income just disappeared.


Yeah.. that's because it's not them...

But as an official troll/representative for the taxi industry i'm allowed to be happy...


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## Kalee (Feb 18, 2015)

KK2929 said:


> Ever hear of television news ??? You listen to a speaker, therefore, you hear what they are saying.
> What exactly is your point ???
> 
> An inappropriate comparison. You failed to mention that thousands of people with no education, no money and very few skills were thrown from the only homes that they had ever known. No education is an understatement. Most could neither read or write and knew nothing about how to survive in the real world. There was no work for them in the south because the northern troops had burned and destroyed everything from crops to livestock. No one had money. Yes, the blacks were free. Free to move to northern cities and live in poverty and slavery of another type.


How horrible that African countries were actually selling their own people into slavery.
African countries that were selling their people are racists and should be ordered to pay reparations


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## Phatboy (Feb 9, 2017)

There are roughly 6400 blog users of this blog in London. For sure, Uber has a high turnover of drivers, but I find the idea that there are 40,000 drivers in London a little hard to swallow. Maybe there is one zero to many on this figure?

The Uber user's figure also seems a little high at 3.5 million. Half this figure would seem more credible, but that is still one hell of a lot of customers. What are they supposed to do? Get on Boris bikes?


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## Mista T (Aug 16, 2017)

I feel for the London drivers. If it happened in my home town (which it might cuz they admitted using Greyball and Hell here) I'm extremely fortunate to be able to continue on with Lyft, like nothing happened.

I hope another competitor, of higher quality, takes advantage of this rare window of opportunity that TfL has created. This would keep the majority of drivers working, albeit for someone else.


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## Mista T (Aug 16, 2017)

Lyft chatting with London, who knows what's next?


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## sellkatsell44 (Oct 25, 2015)

Uber is really rallying the troops


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## TwoFiddyMile (Mar 13, 2015)

makes_sense said:


> This is #uberexit


No, close...
Ubrexit!


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## TimyTim (May 26, 2017)

I just read they are already looking to bargain now that London is playing hardball. They have them by the Grey-BALLS lol


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## Karl Marx (May 17, 2016)

KK2929 said:


> Is your reference to Uber management or the drivers ?
> You are in Orlando, Florida. How do you know what is happening in London?
> There are 40,000 drivers involved in this, many of which are trying to support their families.
> They will suffer hardships because Uber has a management that makes poor decisions?


This is more a question of not just corporate responsibility ( if there is such a thing ) but rather is digital capitalism sustainable? Capitalism is based on ever growing its' capital at the expense of the collective good. I am from England and being caught in a London traffic jam is miserable chocking on diesel exhaust. Yes there were many ways in which Uber has been a bad player in urban transport not just in London but in every major city where it operates. Unfortunately for regulators and politicians Uber has brought many congestion issues to the fore.

In Toronto where I drove Uber X it became obvious to me when it was time to go home. At the end of my driving experience with Uber I realized rush hour was not economically feasible to work. The Toronto suburbs were just as crowded and dangerous to work. Most drivers who have spent a year or more behind the wheel quickly realize that Uber is really a mugs game. The history of private transport is well documented and in the end regulation will be even more important than in the past.

London is a very small crowded geographic area and Uber simply isn't a sustainable capitalist model. Any transportation professional or academic can forcefully tell you the number of vehicles that will eventually create gridlock. Even one serious accident or a stalled lorry on a strategic route can create traffic chaos lasting hours. The future isn't Uber, it is now the past. The bad corporate behaviour aside Uber now needs to understand that its' model was always broken. Public transport is the only true solution to the problems that plague all of us. Making transport efficient, fast, clean and wifi enabled is the future for all cities. The sooner politicians and regulators address this issue the better off we'll all be. That Uber is valued at 68 Billion is now to be seriously in question.


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## Mars Troll Number 4 (Oct 30, 2015)

Personally i suspect it's 40,000 drivers that are active and on the books,

meaning 40,000 drivers that have signed up to work in London without being forcibly deactivated.

How many are actively driving?

How many are working more than 40 hours a month?

How many are full time drivers?



Each of these is a slightly different answer, and only uber knows the full truth.


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## TwoFiddyMile (Mar 13, 2015)

Karl Marx said:


> The distance and fare renumeration by Uber is actually less than we were paid in 1976 when I drove a taxi in Toronto. The drop on the meter was 4.50.
> Basically because the capitalist modelled has failed so miserably people have little or no choice to work for such usury compensation.


I don't think its Capitalism which failed, Karl.
I think it's Milton Friedman-ism which failed.
The entire Chicago School is a Ponzi scheme.
As is pure communism.
The world functions fine in a blend of each (1950s America).


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## Karl Marx (May 17, 2016)

TwoFiddyMile said:


> I don't think its Capitalism which failed, Karl.
> I think it's Milton Friedman-ism which failed.
> The entire Chicago School is a Ponzi scheme.
> As is pure communism.
> The world functions fine in a blend of each (1950s America).


As someone who benefited from parents who lived through the New Deal and strong labour unions it is a much more complex issue than blaming it entirely on the fresh water ( Chicago ) economists.

The real enemy of the people and the friend to capitalists was Frederick Hayek. His neoliberalism philosophy was the outcrop of his book from the 30's entitled The Road to Serfdom. It directly led to the likes of Ann Rand and Friedman. If the 20th century be best defined it was as a result of his misguided work and theories that indeed did lead to the Chicago school and all its' crazy ideas about economics, the price of which we are all paying and failing for now.

Classical liberalism or as many people now refer to it as Neoliberalism has created a world where the likes of Uber operate with impunity. The social contract between employer and the firm have been relegated to the dustbin. The theory of the firm has nothing to do with equality, fairness, social conscience or the health of the planet. The firm serves one purpose, the creation of wealth, maximizing profits and reducing inputs ( Uber drivers ).

The fact that during the great recession we averted a disaster was because right wing ( supply side ) economists and neoconservatives realized we had no demand in the economy. So of course it was decided it was time to pull Keynes out of our back pockets. The U.S. stimulus and bailing out of the banks did indeed resurrect the economy and indirectly the entire world economy, but just. The world economy is still in excess of production capacity and capitalists now more than ever are chasing even lower labour inputs. The recurring echo of Keynes is best described by a quote from Paul Krugman:

"The economy isn't like an individual family that earns a certain amount and spends some other amount, with no relationship between the two. My spending is your income and your spending is my income. If we both slash spending, both of our incomes fall."

The more existential problem is that the elites never seem to fail to understand their economics. Austerity has been a dismal failure and Neoliberal governments don't understand how important demand is to the entire functioning of capitalism. Market failures are once again in the cards but this next time we will not be as fortunate as we were in 2008. Systemic risk is back and accentuated with firms like Facebook, Uber and Amazon. Along with big corporate data and AI we are all witnessing the demise of capitalism and perhaps coinciding with the collapse of entire ecosystems.

CAT insurance adjusters in Houston are telling their insured to empty out their houses of soaked dry wall. Insurance agents are telling people to buy car fresheners for their homes to help alleviate the smell of oil and chemicals. Capitalism has a way of biting us all on the back side and when it stops working for the collective good its' time to rethink a seriously broken model.


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## Entitled_ Bro (Oct 3, 2016)

Karl Marx said:


> As someone who benefited from parents who lived through the New Deal and strong labour unions it is a much more complex issue than blaming it entirely on the fresh water ( Chicago ) economists.
> 
> The real enemy of the people and the friend to capitalists was Frederick Hayek. His neoliberalism philosophy was the outcrop of his book from the 30's entitled The Road to Serfdom. It directly led to the likes of Ann Rand and Friedman. If the 20th century be best defined it was as a result of his misguided work and theories that indeed did lead to the Chicago school and all its' crazy ideas about economics, the price of which we are all paying and failing for now.
> 
> ...


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## driverdoug (Jun 11, 2017)

NIGEL KERSH said:


> "Slime". This doesn't make you appear too intelligent. Just saying ... the whole industry needs looking at. There are rude taxi drivers and rude Uber drivers. Funnily enough rude people such as yourself?


Maybe "rude", but I have never raped anyone. Rapists are the slimiest of slime. Your pals I guess.


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## Hogg (Feb 7, 2016)

I love how their response to the Greyball thing is "Well we never used it in London."


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## Mars Troll Number 4 (Oct 30, 2015)

Hogg said:


> I love how their response to the Greyball thing is "Well we never used it in London."


Prove it...



That's all the come back they need...


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## Mitch J (Feb 20, 2016)

I think I'm going to cum in my pants now.



TwoFiddyMile said:


> No, close...
> Ubrexit!


Well said 250 we'll said


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## Jesusdrivesuber (Jan 5, 2017)

Lildono said:


> 5
> 
> They left Austin for less they'll just leave London too.


And come back once they paid off the right people.


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## TwoFiddyMile (Mar 13, 2015)

Jesusdrivesuber said:


> And come back once they paid off the right people.


The money is getting thin.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

andrewf2017 said:


> *Uber has its London licence sensationally stripped by TfL in shock move*
> 
> Uber is to be sensationally stripped of its licence to operate in London in a huge blow to the ride-hailing firm.
> 
> ...


Enjoy London !


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## TNCMinWage (May 18, 2017)

KK2929 said:


> Is your reference to Uber management or the drivers ?
> You are in Orlando, Florida. How do you know what is happening in London?
> There are 40,000 drivers involved in this, many of which are trying to support their families.
> They will suffer hardships because Uber has a management that makes poor decisions?


Silly boy. When Uber/Lyft left Austin they were quickly replaced by two local TNC's. And guess what...they pay us 25% more than U/L!!!! Look around, there are other, better options than the exploitative Uber and Lyft. But go ahead and lobby for Uber to support those drivers trying to support their families at disgusting rates, be my lower earning guest!


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## Sydney Uber (Apr 15, 2014)

UBERPROcolorado said:


> Uber's previous CEO make poor decisions and we are now seeing the results of those decisions. Hopefully, our new CEO and management team will learn from these lessons and move forward in an ethical and responsible manner. London needs Uber as much as the US does.
> 
> Drive Safe.


Every city that Uber has been accommodated in AFTER ingnoring longstanding transport laws, will want UBER to grow up. Put aside their pirating and pillaging of transport markets (at UBER's Loss) and become contributors to the countries that have given them a start.

Uber has to make a radical change, become good corporate citizens, ensure its workforce is paid a sustainable wage, and become responsible public transport operators.



sellkatsell44 said:


> Currently in London and I haven't even opened my uber app. Don't need to. The trains are fast and on time. It's cheaper then Caltrain and it's zoned.
> 
> If I do need a car I wouldn't mind taking the taxi, it's cute.
> 
> ...


You may have touched on another motivator for transport officials wanting to bring UBER into line.

Uber does have an affect on Bus and Train patronage, their UBER pool product cutting into the revenues Bus and Train Operators had factored in when paying for the huge operational license fees.

The party may be over



Hogg said:


> I love how their response to the Greyball thing is "Well we never used it in London."


That's funny! Where did they use it then?!


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## KK2929 (Feb 9, 2017)

TNCMinWage said:


> Silly boy. When Uber/Lyft left Austin they were quickly replaced by two local TNC's. And guess what...they pay us 25% more than U/L!!!! Look around, there are other, better options than the exploitative Uber and Lyft. But go ahead and lobby for Uber to support those drivers trying to support their families at disgusting rates, be my lower earning guest!


Name the two TNC companies, please. Cannot drive for a company that is not in Los Angeles.



TNCMinWage said:


> Silly boy. When Uber/Lyft left Austin they were quickly replaced by two local TNC's. And guess what...they pay us 25% more than U/L!!!! Look around, there are other, better options than the exploitative Uber and Lyft. But go ahead and lobby for Uber to support those drivers trying to support their families at disgusting rates, be my lower earning guest!


Not to mention - who is lobbying for Uber ?????????????? I feel for the drivers that this will affect. You know Compassion !!!! Probably an unfamiliar word for you. 
Also, I am not a boy.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

KK2929 said:


> Name the two TNC companies, please. Cannot drive for a company that is not in Los Angeles.
> 
> Not to mention - who is lobbying for Uber ?????????????? I feel for the drivers that this will affect. You know Compassion !!!! Probably an unfamiliar word for you.
> Also, I am not a boy.


Union will Lobby for Drivers !


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## KK2929 (Feb 9, 2017)

Kalee said:


> How horrible that African countries were actually selling their own people into slavery.
> African countries that were selling their people are racists and should be ordered to pay reparations


Everyone is dead now. Who is going to get sued ??? Humans have bullied and enslaved other humans for a zillion years.
You need to do research using a reliable source on the American slavery issue. Some of the true facts are not even close to what was learned in high school.

Where are you located, Kalee ??? There is no info in your account file.


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## TNCMinWage (May 18, 2017)

KK2929 said:


> Name the two TNC companies, please. Cannot drive for a company that is not in Los Angeles.
> 
> Not to mention - who is lobbying for Uber ?????????????? I feel for the drivers that this will affect. You know Compassion !!!! Probably an unfamiliar word for you.
> Also, I am not a boy.


I'm not talking about them operating in LA. My point is no need to lobby to keep Uber/Lyft in London. Other TNC's will replace them like they did in Austin, and there is a good chance they will pay a fairer wage like they did here. So basically, you are trying to have compassion for drivers that actually could make out better with Uber's departure. That's a bit silly of you girl, now isn't it?


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## Pawtism (Aug 22, 2017)

Sydney Uber said:


> Uber has to make a radical change, become good corporate citizens, ensure its workforce is paid a sustainable wage, and become responsible public transport operators.


HAHAHAHAHA! That's the best joke I've heard all... you weren't joking? Oh.. well then while we're wishing for things that won't ever happen, I'll take a Lambo Centenario please.


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## KK2929 (Feb 9, 2017)

TNCMinWage said:


> I'm not talking about them operating in LA. My point is no need to lobby to keep Uber/Lyft in London. Other TNC's will replace them like they did in Austin, and there is a good chance they will pay a fairer wage like they did here. So basically, you are trying to have compassion for drivers that actually could make out better with Uber's departure. That's a bit silly of you girl, now isn't it?


I wanted to know the names of the two companies, so that I could apply. You seem reluctant to name them. Hmmmm. You state that they pay you 25% more than U/L, meaning that you keep 100% of your earnings or U/L 's commission was more than the 25% ???? In L.A. the U/L commission is 25% , so I am trying to understand your math.
I have an idea -- why don't you stop being so condescending with the attitude and vague with the answers .
If London drivers have better options ahead for them, that will be great. However, I have not seen any of their posts indicating this is correct, so as of this moment it is only you crowing about how they are so much better off.


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## Mista T (Aug 16, 2017)

KK2929 said:


> I wanted to know the names of the two companies, so that I could apply. You seem reluctant .to name them. Hmmmm. You state that they pay you 25% more than U/L, meaning that you keep 100% of your earnings or U/L 's commission was more than the 25% ???? In L.A. the U/L commission is 25% , so I am trying to understand your math.
> I have an idea -- why don't you stop being so condescending with the attitude and vague with the answers .
> If London drivers have better options ahead for them, that will be great. However, I have not seen any of their posts indicating this is correct, so as of this moment it is only you crowing about how they are so much better off.


I heard that Rideshare Austin paid 100%. They kept a small booking fee for themselves and the entire fare to the driver. Someone correct me if im wrong


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## KK2929 (Feb 9, 2017)

Mista T said:


> I heard that Rideshare Austin paid 100%. They kept a small booking fee for themselves and the entire fare to the driver. Someone correct me if im wrong


Finally, someone has an answer. If the booking fee is small they have to be subsidized by a private, state, fed source. ??? Uber has their booking fee , plus, the 25% cut of the fare and they still can't make a profit.

More info
_________
Austin software executive Joe Liemandt is known for keeping a low profile.

But recently he has entered the spotlight as an advocate for Prop 1, and now he is behind the launch of new Austin-only, nonprofit ride-sharing service called RideAustin.

Liemandt's roots go back to Stanford University, where in 1989, he and four fellow students co-founded Trilogy, a business software company.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

Sydney Uber said:


> Every city that Uber has been accommodated in AFTER ingnoring longstanding transport laws, will want UBER to grow up. Put aside their pirating and pillaging of transport markets (at UBER's Loss) and become contributors to the countries that have given them a start.
> 
> Uber has to make a radical change, become good corporate citizens, ensure its workforce is paid a sustainable wage, and become responsible public transport operators.
> 
> ...


£€$¥￦$ !
PAY DRIVERS!


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## TNCMinWage (May 18, 2017)

KK2929 said:


> I wanted to know the names of the two companies, so that I could apply. You seem reluctant to name them. Hmmmm. You state that they pay you 25% more than U/L, meaning that you keep 100% of your earnings or U/L 's commission was more than the 25% ???? In L.A. the U/L commission is 25% , so I am trying to understand your math.
> I have an idea -- why don't you stop being so condescending with the attitude and vague with the answers .
> If London drivers have better options ahead for them, that will be great. However, I have not seen any of their posts indicating this is correct, so as of this moment it is only you crowing about how they are so much better off.


They only operate in Austin. Are you moving here? I definitely want to grab lunch with you. My point was, if/when Uber leaves London, other TNC's will arrive to fill in the gap - I was merely citing Austin as an example.



Mista T said:


> I heard that Rideshare Austin paid 100%. They kept a small booking fee for themselves and the entire fare to the driver. Someone correct me if im wrong


You are correct. They charge a service fee like everyone else, but we keep the rest.


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## Maven (Feb 9, 2017)

Several poster have noted what most people ignore. The real victims here are the thousands of Uber drivers, now out of work. 40,000 is probably an exaggeration that includes full-timers, part-timers, and inactive accounts. Fortunately, there are many Uber competitors that former Uber drivers can work with. Same goes for the riding public that will not have too much difficulty transitioning.

It would have been interesting if instead of a ban or huge fine, collected by the government, they tried temporarily giving Uber drivers 90%-100% of the fares collected.


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## Sydney Uber (Apr 15, 2014)

Pawtism said:


> HAHAHAHAHA! That's the best joke I've heard all... you weren't joking? Oh.. well then while we're wishing for things that won't ever happen, I'll take a Lambo Centenario please.


Uber X drivers here are being hit with a huge CTP (Compulsory Third Party) Insurance increase - about $2200. Also need to show a "retroflective Sign", and adhere to all other Private Hire regs. Uber has to collect and remit $1.00 per job and have finally been open to its drivers about their taxation obligations.

Clever lawyers exploited old laws that allowed wriggle room that allowed Uber the opportunity to gain a strong foothold.

New laws have been written, the silly term "Rideshare" is gone, and UBERX drivers are seen and legislated to operate as Public Vehicles like Taxis and Hire Cars as of November 1st.


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