Given the sheer volume of court rulings that have gone against Uber lately, it would be no surprise to find that the world’s judiciaries have been infiltrated by a cadre of disgruntled black cab drivers.
The California-based taxi app has now fallen foul of courts in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and Belgium – and that’s just in Europe. Judges in Brazil and India have also thrown brass tacks under the wheels of the Uber juggernaut, which has been rapidly gathering speed since the company was founded in 2009.
One of the chief complaints is that its lower-cost UberPop service – now banned in a handful of countries – relies on drivers who do not have a licence to operate private hire vehicles. This angered traditional taxi drivers, whose lobby groups have found allies among the political classes.
In France, Uber was found guilty of running an illegal taxi service, a crime that carries a maximum penalty of two years for executives held responsible. They avoided jail but, in a measure of the strength of anti-Uber sentiment in France, two executives had to pay combined fines of €50,000.
But there may be hope for Uber in Europe. The European commission recently issued guidelines stating that “sharing economy” businesses such as Uber and Airbnb should be banned only as a last resort. It hinted that it could call upon these guidelines when determining whether national legislation violates EU treaties.
So far, Uber has tended to drop its UberPop service rather than fight its corner: it relies for income instead on its more upmarket chauffeur-style services, which use fully licensed drivers.
But the company has many friends in high places and the thinly veiled message of support from the European commission may well embolden chief executive Travis Kalanick. If the commission continues to lean towards backing Uber, he will at some stage feel ready to test those bans in the highest European courts. And that could lead to a head-on collision.
https://goo.gl/4BRvZF
This is what the E.U. Back. £10 a mile fares on Saturday Night, here in Manchester.
http://goo.gl/KIx3jW
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STAFFORDSHIRE
A COUNCIL licensing officer has been suspended following allegations against the staff member.
Newcastle Borough Council has taken the action while an internal investigation into the issue takes place.
It is understood that the allegations against the officer relate to the borough council's issuing of licences to taxi drivers.
A borough council spokesman said: "We can confirm that a member of staff has been suspended while an investigation takes place.
"As this is still under way it would be inappropriate for us to comment further."
http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/Newcastle-council-officer-suspended-taxi/story-29388986-detail/story.html
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Mercedes-Benz Vans has launched its all-new Vito Taxi with prices started from £135 per week.
Vito Taxi offers space for the driver and up to six passengers, as well as being fully-wheelchair accessible.
Available initially in a ‘National’ specification, customers can choose from the front wheel-drive 109CDI model, with 88 bhp or the rear-wheel drive 114CDI with 114 bhp. Both come with manual gearboxes but an optional seven-speed automatic gearbox is available for the 114CDI models.
Later in 2016, a London specification version will be available, incorporating the rear steering axle that allows it to meet the famous 25ft turning circle rule as prescribed by the Public Carriage Office so it can execute a U-turn in London’s congested streets.
The London variant is offered with the more powerful engine as standard together with the 7G-Tronic seven-speed automatic gearbox, which is now controlled using a steering column-mounted lever.
Standard equipment on both versions includes the fuel-saving BlueEfficiency measures which features engine Start/Stop function for the 114CDI models, air conditioning, electric folding mirrors, electrically operated sliding doors on both sides and electrical nearside step; London versions feature an additional off-side step.
Priced from £135 per week for the Vito Taxi 109CDI National variant, the Vito Taxi comes with a three-year, unlimited mileage manufacturer’s warranty and MobiloVan back-up, which includes free, round-the-clock emergency roadside assistance. Pricing for the London variant is still to be announced.
http://www.commercialfleet.org/news/van-news/2016/06/09/mercedes-launches-euro-6-vito-taxi
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