LIVERPOOL, ACTION TAKEN IN HUNDREDS OF CASES
Hundreds of taxi and private hire drivers have been snared for offences including drugs, driving without insurance and “cherry picking” passengers.
A major clampdown by Liverpool City Council has seen scores of cautions and defect notices handed to private hire and hackney drivers in a bid to improve standards.
Two drivers have been taken off the road altogether for drug offences.
The action follows an ECHO investigation earlier this year which exposed a huge range of offences being committed by drivers in the city centre.
We went out with hackney drivers and private hire drivers and found issues relating to both sides of the trade.
Working with Merseyside Police, council officers have identified hundreds of drivers from Liverpool, Sefton, Knowsley and Wirral who were committing a wide range of offences while working in the city.
The most serious cases have seen two drivers – one private hire and one hackney - having their licences revoked for drug related offences.
At Liverpool Magistrates Court this week, 14 drivers were fined a total of £4,655 - for offences including tyre defects, trying to pick up passengers who had not booked and driving without insurance.
In addition, 118 vehicle defect notices and 57 cautions have been issued for offences such as cherry picking - where cab drivers opt not to pick people up despite having an empty vehicle and their light on - as well as having an illegal tyres and not having their plates firmly fixed on – while a further seven vehicles were ordered off the road immediately.
And 160 fixed penalty notices have been issued to the drivers of private cars who parked illegally on taxi stands, taking up space meant for hackneys.
Councillor Christine Banks, chair of the council’s licensing committee, said: “We want to make sure that our taxi industry is fair, and we are determined to crack down on those drivers who are flouting the rules.
“Our aim is to make the playing field for all drivers as level as it can be.
“Unfortunately, there are a very small minority who breach regulations, and we are committed to taking action and in doing so, send a clear message out that it is not acceptable.
“Passengers should always ensure they only use properly licensed taxis or pre-book private hire vehicles, otherwise they are placing themselves in danger.”
The prosecutions are part of a series of measures being undertaken by the council and police to crackdown on taxi and private hire drivers breaking the law.
The council works with police officers who have been through a specialist taxi licensing course to help them spot vehicles that aren’t compliant with the law.
http://bit.ly/2gT0rLA
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A taxi driver said he suffered this horrific injury after a BRICK was thrown through his hackney cab window.
The 55-year-old, who asked not to be named, said he was struck to the side of his face with the brick after it smashed through his passenger side window last night.
Monday night was Mischief Night and it saw a massive spike in anti social behaviour , with a number of buses, cars and houses targeted by yobs across Merseyside, prompting Mayor Joe Anderson to send out a warning to parents.
The brick attack caused the injured dad to crash his taxi into railings near Belle Vale Shopping Centre at around 7pm.
His daughter said her dad, who remains in hospital, was knocked unconscious in the attack and can only remember being shaken awake by a stranger who came to help.
The 22-year-old, from Mossley Hill , said: “When I first saw him I was crying and in total shock.
“He can’t remember what happened but the woman who helped him said she saw a group of kids and it was them that threw the brick.
“It is horrible what they have done.”
The injured dad, who has only been a taxi driver for a year, had to undergo a CT scan and today had to go to St Paul’s eye hospital for tests, but is now home.
His daughter added: “It is so swollen and he can’t see out of it at all.
“He was in a lot of pain and had to be given morphine at hospital.
“Thankfully they don’t think there is any permanent damage but my mum said how much worse it could have been.
“He could have crashed into another car or person, thankfully he just crashed into railings and he didn’t have any passengers in his taxi.”
The family said they reported the incident to police but were unable to give any descriptions of those responsible.
The daughter added: “They need to be found because we think whoever it is will do it again.
“I think it is unsafe for my dad to be driving now after this.
“These kids think it is a joke but they don’t realise it is not just the physical harm they have done.
“My dad can’t work now and has been told it will be quite a while until he can again.
“He will also have to pay to fix his taxi that was damaged in the crash.”
The family said they had reported the incident to Merseyside Police .
http://bit.ly/2ilQSF1
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Tuesday, 31 October 2017
Monday, 30 October 2017
LIVERPOOL MURDER
Detectives investigating the fatal stabbing of a man who was on a night out to celebrate his 21st birthday have released CCTV images of two taxis.
Sam Cook, from Crosby, was involved in an altercation in the basement of the Empire Bar in Seel Street, Liverpool on 21 October.
A post-mortem examination found he died from a stab wound to the heart.
Merseyside Police hope the photographs of the two taxis will lead to their drivers and passengers coming forward.
Det Insp Richie Jones said: "We believe that the drivers of these taxis may be able to provide information and I must emphasise that we have no suspicions of any involvement in the offence."
The first image is of a taxi that picked up a group of men somewhere in the area around Slater Street and dropped them off near to the Sugar Hut on Victoria Street at about 00:19 BST on Sunday 22 October.
The second image is of another taxi which had its front nearside light out.
It dropped a group of men and women off outside the Picture House on Scotland Road, opposite the Shell Garage, at 04.30 the same morning.
Mr Jones added: "We want to speak to the drivers of both taxis, and anyone who recognises themselves as being in the taxis at these times and locations."
Sharing a picture of him which was taken in the hours before he died, Mr Cook's family said he had "always wanted to help people" and was "happy, caring and passionate about life".
Two 20-year-old men arrested on suspicion of murder have been released on conditional bail.
A 22-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder has been released under investigation.
Three men aged 28, 24 and 21 arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender have been bailed until November.
Two women aged 19, arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, have been released under investigation.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-41805141
------------------------------------------
Detectives investigating the fatal stabbing of a man who was on a night out to celebrate his 21st birthday have released CCTV images of two taxis.
Sam Cook, from Crosby, was involved in an altercation in the basement of the Empire Bar in Seel Street, Liverpool on 21 October.
A post-mortem examination found he died from a stab wound to the heart.
Merseyside Police hope the photographs of the two taxis will lead to their drivers and passengers coming forward.
Det Insp Richie Jones said: "We believe that the drivers of these taxis may be able to provide information and I must emphasise that we have no suspicions of any involvement in the offence."
The first image is of a taxi that picked up a group of men somewhere in the area around Slater Street and dropped them off near to the Sugar Hut on Victoria Street at about 00:19 BST on Sunday 22 October.
The second image is of another taxi which had its front nearside light out.
It dropped a group of men and women off outside the Picture House on Scotland Road, opposite the Shell Garage, at 04.30 the same morning.
Mr Jones added: "We want to speak to the drivers of both taxis, and anyone who recognises themselves as being in the taxis at these times and locations."
Sharing a picture of him which was taken in the hours before he died, Mr Cook's family said he had "always wanted to help people" and was "happy, caring and passionate about life".
Two 20-year-old men arrested on suspicion of murder have been released on conditional bail.
A 22-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder has been released under investigation.
Three men aged 28, 24 and 21 arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender have been bailed until November.
Two women aged 19, arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, have been released under investigation.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-41805141
------------------------------------------
A Gloucester cocaine dealer who made more than £41,000 from his illegal trade was jailed for five years at the city crown court today.
When taxi driver Marino Giaquinto, 30, was arrested in a police raid on his home in Reservoir road, Gloucester, he had almost £28,000 in the house - and claimed he won much of it gambling.
But large amounts of high purity cocaine , some cut with caffeine and boric acid, were found along with digital scales and all the trappings of significant dealing, the prosecution said.
Giaquinto, married with two children and now of Barleycroft close, Gloucester, admitted having cocaine with intent to supply and was sentenced to five years imprisonment.
-----------------------------------------
A Scarva taxi driver has been cleared of sexually assaulting a passenger. Following a contested hearing at Newry Magistrates Court on Thursday, October 26, Anthony McGrath (52) of Glenloughan Road was acquitted of the sexual assault charge by District Judge King.
Mr McGrath, who was represented at the hearing by Gareth Downey of Arthur J. Downey & Co Solicitors, denied the allegations made against him from the outset.
Speaking on behalf of his client after the hearing, solicitor Gareth Downey commented: “Mr McGrath instructs that he feels fully vindicated and was confident he would be proved innocent.”
----------------------------------------------
A taxi driver has lost his licence to operate in Reigate and Banstead after making sexually suggestive comments towards a lone female passenger.
Shahid Tafader had his taxi licence revoked by the borough council and, at a subsequent hearing at Guildford Crown Court on Friday (October 27), the decision was upheld by the court.
Mr Shahid Tafader's licence was revoked in November 2016 following the allegation and the council later rejected an appeal against the decision.
After failing to get that decision overturned at Friday's court hearing, he was ordered to pay costs of £4,500.
Sunday, 29 October 2017
Uber drivers are among those who face paying an extra £3,000 a year each to operate in London even if the company keeps its licence, The Sunday Times has learnt.
Transport for London (TfL), the regulator, plans to force private-hire vehicles to pay the £11.50-a-day congestion charge because of concern that the proliferation of minicabs is choking streets and emptying bus services. If Uber shoulders the payments, it could cost the company between £20m and £60m a year.
At a meeting of licensing and enforcement officers in Leeds this month Tom Moody, head of policy for taxis at TfL, said the authority would propose the move within months. “We will be looking at the congestion charge potentially for private hire [vehicles],” he said. “In summer next year we will likely be consulting on that and other policies.”
It is understood that the “other policies” being considered by Sadiq Khan, London’s mayor, include extending the charge from 6pm until 11pm or midnight and applying it on Saturdays for the first time.
Congestion and Uber competition have caused sharp drops in bus use. According to a presentation to the TfL board, passenger numbers have fallen 5.6% in two years, creating a £100m hole in the authority’s coffers. In big cities outside London, bus use is down 4%.
London night buses have seen a dramatic “Uber effect”, with usage on some routes falling by up to 20% a year even before the night Tube started, TfL figures show. Cuts are being made on dozens of routes as a result.
http://bit.ly/2xvi6zx
Transport for London (TfL), the regulator, plans to force private-hire vehicles to pay the £11.50-a-day congestion charge because of concern that the proliferation of minicabs is choking streets and emptying bus services. If Uber shoulders the payments, it could cost the company between £20m and £60m a year.
At a meeting of licensing and enforcement officers in Leeds this month Tom Moody, head of policy for taxis at TfL, said the authority would propose the move within months. “We will be looking at the congestion charge potentially for private hire [vehicles],” he said. “In summer next year we will likely be consulting on that and other policies.”
It is understood that the “other policies” being considered by Sadiq Khan, London’s mayor, include extending the charge from 6pm until 11pm or midnight and applying it on Saturdays for the first time.
Congestion and Uber competition have caused sharp drops in bus use. According to a presentation to the TfL board, passenger numbers have fallen 5.6% in two years, creating a £100m hole in the authority’s coffers. In big cities outside London, bus use is down 4%.
London night buses have seen a dramatic “Uber effect”, with usage on some routes falling by up to 20% a year even before the night Tube started, TfL figures show. Cuts are being made on dozens of routes as a result.
http://bit.ly/2xvi6zx
Friday, 27 October 2017
The Institute of Licensing (IoL) has written to the Government to raise concerns about failings in the taxi and private hire licensing system that is putting public safety at risk.
IoL President, James Button, said in the letter:
“We are aware that there is currently much discussion ongoing in relation to the licensing of taxi and private hire drivers, operators and vehicle owners, including the recently established working party by Minister of State John Hayes MP.
We are conscious that any discussions must seriously consider the adequacies of current arrangements concerning criminality checks, data sharing and ability of licensing authorities and police practitioners to identify concerns relating to licensed individuals and those seeking to be licensed with a view to maintaining public safety and taking appropriate action as necessary.”
The letter addressed to the Home Office, DfT, National Police Chiefs Council and the chairman of the newly established Taxi and Private Hire Working Group, outlined the result of its member’s survey about the level of checks undertaken, data sharing with the police and other similar issues:
• Less than 25% of respondents consider the current data sharing arrangements are satisfactory
• More than 50% of respondents agreed that changes to the Notifiable Occupations Scheme affected information sharing between police and licensing authorities
• 72% of respondents said that do not receive immediate notifications from the police when a taxi licensee (driver, operator or proprietor) is under investigation, arrested or charged
• 42% of respondents said that the Data Protection Act used as a reason for not sharing information
• A substantial 80% of respondents agreed it would useful would it be to have a single point of contact within the police for taxi licensing issues
Mr Button continued: “The IoL has raised concerns previously with the Home Office in relation to data sharing between police and licensing authorities in relation to taxis.
In March 2015, we put on record with the Home Office our concern over the then imminent changes to the Notifiable Occupations Scheme and the proposed removal of Home Office Circular 006/2006 which provided guidance to police forces about the disclosure of convictions and other information in relation to people in professions or occupations which carry additional trust or responsibility (notifiable occupations).
In summary, the concern at that point was that the changes would increase uncertainty and inconsistency in data sharing.”
The IoL is currently leading on a project to develop a national model convictions policy for licensing authorities to consider adopting locally.
It has been working with the Local Government Association and the National Association of Licensing and Enforcement Officers on the project and the aim is to consult on the draft document imminently. This project has been undertaken with the sole purpose of providing a potential national minimum standard endorsed by the relevant organisations with a view to raising consistency across England and Wales.
http://bit.ly/2zeGQAG
------------------------------------------
THIS WEEK IN PARLIAMENT
Zac Goldsmith Conservative, Richmond Park
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to increase the value of the plug-in taxi grant available to taxi drivers.
Hansard source
(Citation: HC Deb, 26 October 2017, cW)
Jesse Norman Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Plug in Taxi Grant (PITG) was announced in March 2017. This will provide support to taxi drivers purchasing new ultra low emission taxis of up to £7,500. The first eligible vehicles to be able to claim the PITG are expected to come to market shortly. We are keeping PITG support levels under review.
For private hire vehicles the existing Plug in Car Grant of up to £4,500 is already available to support the take up of ultra low emission vehicles (ULEVs) used as taxis.
To provide further support for ULEV taxis the Government is supporting 10 local authorities with £14m of funding to install dedicated chargepoint infrastructure to encourage taxi drivers to purchase new zero emissions vehicles.
Comment: Note the extra help for PH vehicles here:
Purchasing a Nissan Leaf to be a PH Car gets you a 14.5 % percent grant on a £31k car.
Whilst the grant for a £60k Electric TX gets you 12.5% grant and an extra £30k on the purchase price
-----------------------------------------------
IoL President, James Button, said in the letter:
“We are aware that there is currently much discussion ongoing in relation to the licensing of taxi and private hire drivers, operators and vehicle owners, including the recently established working party by Minister of State John Hayes MP.
We are conscious that any discussions must seriously consider the adequacies of current arrangements concerning criminality checks, data sharing and ability of licensing authorities and police practitioners to identify concerns relating to licensed individuals and those seeking to be licensed with a view to maintaining public safety and taking appropriate action as necessary.”
The letter addressed to the Home Office, DfT, National Police Chiefs Council and the chairman of the newly established Taxi and Private Hire Working Group, outlined the result of its member’s survey about the level of checks undertaken, data sharing with the police and other similar issues:
• Less than 25% of respondents consider the current data sharing arrangements are satisfactory
• More than 50% of respondents agreed that changes to the Notifiable Occupations Scheme affected information sharing between police and licensing authorities
• 72% of respondents said that do not receive immediate notifications from the police when a taxi licensee (driver, operator or proprietor) is under investigation, arrested or charged
• 42% of respondents said that the Data Protection Act used as a reason for not sharing information
• A substantial 80% of respondents agreed it would useful would it be to have a single point of contact within the police for taxi licensing issues
Mr Button continued: “The IoL has raised concerns previously with the Home Office in relation to data sharing between police and licensing authorities in relation to taxis.
In March 2015, we put on record with the Home Office our concern over the then imminent changes to the Notifiable Occupations Scheme and the proposed removal of Home Office Circular 006/2006 which provided guidance to police forces about the disclosure of convictions and other information in relation to people in professions or occupations which carry additional trust or responsibility (notifiable occupations).
In summary, the concern at that point was that the changes would increase uncertainty and inconsistency in data sharing.”
The IoL is currently leading on a project to develop a national model convictions policy for licensing authorities to consider adopting locally.
It has been working with the Local Government Association and the National Association of Licensing and Enforcement Officers on the project and the aim is to consult on the draft document imminently. This project has been undertaken with the sole purpose of providing a potential national minimum standard endorsed by the relevant organisations with a view to raising consistency across England and Wales.
http://bit.ly/2zeGQAG
------------------------------------------
THIS WEEK IN PARLIAMENT
Zac Goldsmith Conservative, Richmond Park
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to increase the value of the plug-in taxi grant available to taxi drivers.
Hansard source
(Citation: HC Deb, 26 October 2017, cW)
Jesse Norman Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Plug in Taxi Grant (PITG) was announced in March 2017. This will provide support to taxi drivers purchasing new ultra low emission taxis of up to £7,500. The first eligible vehicles to be able to claim the PITG are expected to come to market shortly. We are keeping PITG support levels under review.
For private hire vehicles the existing Plug in Car Grant of up to £4,500 is already available to support the take up of ultra low emission vehicles (ULEVs) used as taxis.
To provide further support for ULEV taxis the Government is supporting 10 local authorities with £14m of funding to install dedicated chargepoint infrastructure to encourage taxi drivers to purchase new zero emissions vehicles.
Comment: Note the extra help for PH vehicles here:
Purchasing a Nissan Leaf to be a PH Car gets you a 14.5 % percent grant on a £31k car.
Whilst the grant for a £60k Electric TX gets you 12.5% grant and an extra £30k on the purchase price
-----------------------------------------------
Thursday, 26 October 2017
Thank You all the Cab Trade who supported this Crowd fund
Uber claims it has no obligation to collect VAT on rides because it only acts as an agent for self-employed drivers, rather than a service provider.
But a landmark UK ruling last year found that Uber’s 30,000 drivers in London are workers, rather than self-employed contractors.
A spokesperson for Uber said the company has held regular discussions with HMRC, but the UK tax authority has never opened a formal investigation into its approach to VAT.
The company also confirmed it has not received a “protective assessment” letter from HMRC. Protective assessment letters often precede investigations.
Meg Hillier, the Labour MP who chairs the public accounts committee, said it was “extraordinary” that the tax authority had not formally investigated Uber’s approach.
“HMRC has been slow to react to new business models. It needs to be much more adept at working out how working practices are changing and the disrupter businesses out there need to be examined.”
“It’s plain common sense that HMRC should be investigating the VAT issue and other tax issues in relation to Uber,” she said. “If Uber fails to pay its proper VAT bill, that only means other taxpayers have to pay more or more public services have to face even deeper cuts.”
A spokesperson for HMRC said the authority does not comment on individual companies, but said: “Multinational companies must pay all taxes due and we don’t settle for less. We subject large businesses to an exceptional level of scrutiny. HMRC actively investigates more than half of the UK’s largest businesses at any one time.”
Jolyon Maugham, an activist tax barrister, lodged a High Court claim in May demanding a VAT receipt from Uber.
He described HMRC’s failure to investigate Uber’s tax arrangements as “outrageous”.
“It’s a genuine scandal that, if Uber is to be believed, HMRC is not querying its VAT arrangements,” he said.
Mr Maugham argues that Uber provided him with a service when he took a £6.34 ride from his office to meet a client, and is therefore obliged to provide him with a VAT receipt.
His claim for a 56p VAT receipt will be heard in the High Court in November. If his case is successful, it could eventually lead to the company being forced to pay hundreds of millions of pounds in backdated taxes to UK authorities.
“I do find it surprising that a large business with an innovative business model has escaped HMRC scrutiny, particularly when it seems to have been structured with tax in mind,” said Dan Neidle, a partner at Clifford Chance, the law firm. “It is reasonable for the public to expect HMRC to be more proactive.”
An Uber spokesperson said: “Drivers who use our app provide transportation services to passengers and will be registered for VAT if they meet the threshold set by government.
“This has been the case across the taxi and private hire industry for decades. Black cab drivers, and apps they use, operate in exactly the same way,” they added. “This claim is fundamentally flawed on a number of levels.”
Uber’s latest UK accounts, filed earlier this month, showed the company paid £551,174 in tax in Britain last year on £3m of profit.
Uber is separately embroiled in an ongoing wrangle with Transport for London, which revoked the company’s operating license in the capital. Uber has appealed against the decision, objecting to TFL’s finding that the ride-hailing service was not a “fit and proper” operator.
http://on.ft.com/2yTmdsM
Uber claims it has no obligation to collect VAT on rides because it only acts as an agent for self-employed drivers, rather than a service provider.
But a landmark UK ruling last year found that Uber’s 30,000 drivers in London are workers, rather than self-employed contractors.
A spokesperson for Uber said the company has held regular discussions with HMRC, but the UK tax authority has never opened a formal investigation into its approach to VAT.
The company also confirmed it has not received a “protective assessment” letter from HMRC. Protective assessment letters often precede investigations.
Meg Hillier, the Labour MP who chairs the public accounts committee, said it was “extraordinary” that the tax authority had not formally investigated Uber’s approach.
“HMRC has been slow to react to new business models. It needs to be much more adept at working out how working practices are changing and the disrupter businesses out there need to be examined.”
“It’s plain common sense that HMRC should be investigating the VAT issue and other tax issues in relation to Uber,” she said. “If Uber fails to pay its proper VAT bill, that only means other taxpayers have to pay more or more public services have to face even deeper cuts.”
A spokesperson for HMRC said the authority does not comment on individual companies, but said: “Multinational companies must pay all taxes due and we don’t settle for less. We subject large businesses to an exceptional level of scrutiny. HMRC actively investigates more than half of the UK’s largest businesses at any one time.”
Jolyon Maugham, an activist tax barrister, lodged a High Court claim in May demanding a VAT receipt from Uber.
He described HMRC’s failure to investigate Uber’s tax arrangements as “outrageous”.
“It’s a genuine scandal that, if Uber is to be believed, HMRC is not querying its VAT arrangements,” he said.
Mr Maugham argues that Uber provided him with a service when he took a £6.34 ride from his office to meet a client, and is therefore obliged to provide him with a VAT receipt.
His claim for a 56p VAT receipt will be heard in the High Court in November. If his case is successful, it could eventually lead to the company being forced to pay hundreds of millions of pounds in backdated taxes to UK authorities.
“I do find it surprising that a large business with an innovative business model has escaped HMRC scrutiny, particularly when it seems to have been structured with tax in mind,” said Dan Neidle, a partner at Clifford Chance, the law firm. “It is reasonable for the public to expect HMRC to be more proactive.”
An Uber spokesperson said: “Drivers who use our app provide transportation services to passengers and will be registered for VAT if they meet the threshold set by government.
“This has been the case across the taxi and private hire industry for decades. Black cab drivers, and apps they use, operate in exactly the same way,” they added. “This claim is fundamentally flawed on a number of levels.”
Uber’s latest UK accounts, filed earlier this month, showed the company paid £551,174 in tax in Britain last year on £3m of profit.
Uber is separately embroiled in an ongoing wrangle with Transport for London, which revoked the company’s operating license in the capital. Uber has appealed against the decision, objecting to TFL’s finding that the ride-hailing service was not a “fit and proper” operator.
http://on.ft.com/2yTmdsM
Wednesday, 25 October 2017
(Bloomberg) -- Uber could face a major legislative clampdown in Brazil, potentially rendering its current business model unworkable in its second-largest market after the U.S.
Brazil’s Senate plenary is scheduled to begin discussing on Tuesday a bill that would regulate Uber and other on-demand transport apps such as Cabify, 99 and Lady Driver as taxi services rather than technology companies. The rule changes would "increase app drivers’ bureaucracy so much that the system would become inviable," the companies said in a joint press release. The lower house approved the bill six months ago.
The Brazilian regulations add to the challenges facing new Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, including a ban in London, a boardroom battle with co-founder Travis Kalanick, a lawsuit over driverless-car technology, allegations of a sexist company culture, and several ongoing government investigations. As in London, the massively popular car service has flourished in Brazil, but also not without controversy. While the company has provided plenty of freelance work amid double-digit unemployment in the South American country, it has also faced lawsuits over its employment practices.
Uber’s argument that it fills a void left by Brazil’s combination of inadequate public transport and neighborhoods neglected by traditional taxi services is disputed by professional drivers who say the company is unfairly undercutting their business.
"In effect Uber is a form of public transport and it has already resulted in a loss of income for mass transit," said Humberto Costa, a PT Senator and the upper house minority leader. "There must be some rules, it’s in the interests of the consumer and public transport."
In April a vote by the Chamber of Deputies approved the bill defining Uber and others as public services and granting municipal authorities the right to regulate them. Drivers would require the same red license plates as taxis which they would only be able to acquire via a city permit.
Ahead of Tuesday’s vote both taxi drivers and Uber lobbyists thronged the corridors of Brazil’s upper house, competing to pressure Senators.
"We’re not afraid of innovation, we’re not afraid of competition, but it must be fair," said Antonio Pascoal, a 59-year old taxi driver from Rio de Janeiro.
Uber, meanwhile, issued a press release stating that it has paid 495 million reais ($152 million) in taxes so far this year.
"Every day more and more Brazilians take refuge from the economic crisis that we are experiencing by generating income in a dignified and uncomplicated way," said Guilherme Telles, the director-general of Uber in Brazil, in the company statement.
If the Senate passes the bill as is, President Michel Temer can sign it into law. If Senate alters the bill, it goes back to the lower house for a second vote.
Written By: Bloomberg
Brazil’s Senate plenary is scheduled to begin discussing on Tuesday a bill that would regulate Uber and other on-demand transport apps such as Cabify, 99 and Lady Driver as taxi services rather than technology companies. The rule changes would "increase app drivers’ bureaucracy so much that the system would become inviable," the companies said in a joint press release. The lower house approved the bill six months ago.
The Brazilian regulations add to the challenges facing new Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, including a ban in London, a boardroom battle with co-founder Travis Kalanick, a lawsuit over driverless-car technology, allegations of a sexist company culture, and several ongoing government investigations. As in London, the massively popular car service has flourished in Brazil, but also not without controversy. While the company has provided plenty of freelance work amid double-digit unemployment in the South American country, it has also faced lawsuits over its employment practices.
Uber’s argument that it fills a void left by Brazil’s combination of inadequate public transport and neighborhoods neglected by traditional taxi services is disputed by professional drivers who say the company is unfairly undercutting their business.
"In effect Uber is a form of public transport and it has already resulted in a loss of income for mass transit," said Humberto Costa, a PT Senator and the upper house minority leader. "There must be some rules, it’s in the interests of the consumer and public transport."
In April a vote by the Chamber of Deputies approved the bill defining Uber and others as public services and granting municipal authorities the right to regulate them. Drivers would require the same red license plates as taxis which they would only be able to acquire via a city permit.
Ahead of Tuesday’s vote both taxi drivers and Uber lobbyists thronged the corridors of Brazil’s upper house, competing to pressure Senators.
"We’re not afraid of innovation, we’re not afraid of competition, but it must be fair," said Antonio Pascoal, a 59-year old taxi driver from Rio de Janeiro.
Uber, meanwhile, issued a press release stating that it has paid 495 million reais ($152 million) in taxes so far this year.
"Every day more and more Brazilians take refuge from the economic crisis that we are experiencing by generating income in a dignified and uncomplicated way," said Guilherme Telles, the director-general of Uber in Brazil, in the company statement.
If the Senate passes the bill as is, President Michel Temer can sign it into law. If Senate alters the bill, it goes back to the lower house for a second vote.
Written By: Bloomberg
WILTSHIRE
A Taxi driver has died following a crash on the A350.
The 48-year-old man from Swindon, who worked for Cross Street Cars, died at the scene after his Ford Mondeo collided with a lorry at Beanacre, near Melksham, on Monday.
His passenger, a 79-year-old woman from the Chippenham area, suffered serious injuries and was taken to Southmead Hospital in Bristol by air ambulance.
The incident took place near the Beechfield House hotel just after 1.15pm. Wiltshire Police are appealing for witnesses.
The road was closed in both directions as three Dorset and Wiltshire fire crews from Corsham and Chippenham and a heavy rescue unit from Trowbridge freed the two people trapped in the car.
Police immediately urged motorists to avoid the A350, warning people that the road would be closed “for the foreseeable” future.
Debris was strewn across the road and the front of car was completely destroyed.
The white MAN truck also suffered significant damage to the front bumper, although the driver’s cab remained largely intact.
http://bit.ly/2gDwT4x
----------------------------------------
A Taxi driver has died following a crash on the A350.
The 48-year-old man from Swindon, who worked for Cross Street Cars, died at the scene after his Ford Mondeo collided with a lorry at Beanacre, near Melksham, on Monday.
His passenger, a 79-year-old woman from the Chippenham area, suffered serious injuries and was taken to Southmead Hospital in Bristol by air ambulance.
The incident took place near the Beechfield House hotel just after 1.15pm. Wiltshire Police are appealing for witnesses.
The road was closed in both directions as three Dorset and Wiltshire fire crews from Corsham and Chippenham and a heavy rescue unit from Trowbridge freed the two people trapped in the car.
Police immediately urged motorists to avoid the A350, warning people that the road would be closed “for the foreseeable” future.
Debris was strewn across the road and the front of car was completely destroyed.
The white MAN truck also suffered significant damage to the front bumper, although the driver’s cab remained largely intact.
http://bit.ly/2gDwT4x
----------------------------------------
Welsh councils support single-tier taxi system
Councils are backing the Welsh Government’s proposal to create a single-tier licensing system for taxis and private hire vehicles.
This would introduce taxi holding areas, with electric charging facilities, outside town centres to address overcrowding at taxi ranks and reflect the growing use of electronic systems to book rides.
Infrastructure secretary Ken Skates said the distinction between taxis and PHVs was “unhelpful”, with technology having made pre-booking a vehicle almost instantaneous.
LTT has obtained consultation responses from various urban and rural councils, including Cardiff, Swansea, Vale of Glamorgan and Pembrokeshire. The responses use a common template which says that new primary legislation provides an opportunity to replace the “existing archaic legislative structure” with a system reflecting “an evolving transport regime”.
“In principle, a one-tier system would be the preferred model. However, it is acknowledged that a number of challenges would have to be overcome for this model to be successfully implemented,” said the councils.
One solution to the issue of increased pressure on rank space would be provision of additional holding areas on the fringes of town centres for vehicles to wait until they are booked electronically.
“These areas could be tailored specifically for taxis, including charging points for the eventual move to electric vehicles and could be the catalyst for taxis [operators] to embrace electric vehicles.”
The response says that a single-tier system would create a level playing field for the trade, simplify insurance policies, decriminalise plying for trade with PHVs, be “much easier for the public to understand” and ensure consistent fares and quality standards. It would also “do away with the terms hackney carriage and private hire” and use only the term taxi, “which the public already recognise”.
http://bit.ly/2yRJYRS
------------------------------------------
UBERK to charge to run over
Uber is hitting passengers with some new fees, created to entice drivers who don’t want to wait for slow passengers, drive longer distances for out-of-the-way pickups or deal with last-minute trip cancellations.
Drivers will now earn standard time and distance rates on the way to a long pickup, in addition to the standard fare. “So if it’s a 40-minute pickup, which hopefully never happens and is extremely rare, it would be some segment of 40 minutes,” Aaron Schildkrout, head of driver product at Uber, told The Verge.
Although the amount of the extra charges will depend on the market and the length of the pickup, typically drivers will start to earn standard time and distance rates after eight or 11 minutes of driving to pick up the rider, depending on the city.
Of course, riders are sure to be unhappy about the extra fees, but Schildkrout said it will solve a problem for them as well. “It’s not always as easy to get a car in the suburbs as it is in the city,” he said. “Even in the outskirts of a city, people sometimes have this experience. So, from a driver’s perspective, it’s easy to see why this makes sense: You’re more likely to forgo trips with long ETAs … With this change, we hope to make those long trips more worth drivers’ while.
And for riders, we hope this means they’ll able to get a ride reliably wherever they are.”
In addition, Uber is updating its cancellation policy so that the fee relates to time and distance. “We’ve updated our technology to actually detect progress by the driver toward the rider, so we can be more nuanced about when to charge a rider a cancellation fee,” Schildkrout said.
Riders will also be charged for making drivers wait longer than two minutes, in an extension of a pilot that started last year in New York City, New Jersey, Phoenix and Dallas. Those fees will also vary, but a wait time of three minutes and 45 seconds would cost a passenger $0.86 in added fees.
http://bit.ly/2yK36S8
---------------------------------------------------
Councils are backing the Welsh Government’s proposal to create a single-tier licensing system for taxis and private hire vehicles.
This would introduce taxi holding areas, with electric charging facilities, outside town centres to address overcrowding at taxi ranks and reflect the growing use of electronic systems to book rides.
Infrastructure secretary Ken Skates said the distinction between taxis and PHVs was “unhelpful”, with technology having made pre-booking a vehicle almost instantaneous.
LTT has obtained consultation responses from various urban and rural councils, including Cardiff, Swansea, Vale of Glamorgan and Pembrokeshire. The responses use a common template which says that new primary legislation provides an opportunity to replace the “existing archaic legislative structure” with a system reflecting “an evolving transport regime”.
“In principle, a one-tier system would be the preferred model. However, it is acknowledged that a number of challenges would have to be overcome for this model to be successfully implemented,” said the councils.
One solution to the issue of increased pressure on rank space would be provision of additional holding areas on the fringes of town centres for vehicles to wait until they are booked electronically.
“These areas could be tailored specifically for taxis, including charging points for the eventual move to electric vehicles and could be the catalyst for taxis [operators] to embrace electric vehicles.”
The response says that a single-tier system would create a level playing field for the trade, simplify insurance policies, decriminalise plying for trade with PHVs, be “much easier for the public to understand” and ensure consistent fares and quality standards. It would also “do away with the terms hackney carriage and private hire” and use only the term taxi, “which the public already recognise”.
http://bit.ly/2yRJYRS
------------------------------------------
UBERK to charge to run over
Uber is hitting passengers with some new fees, created to entice drivers who don’t want to wait for slow passengers, drive longer distances for out-of-the-way pickups or deal with last-minute trip cancellations.
Drivers will now earn standard time and distance rates on the way to a long pickup, in addition to the standard fare. “So if it’s a 40-minute pickup, which hopefully never happens and is extremely rare, it would be some segment of 40 minutes,” Aaron Schildkrout, head of driver product at Uber, told The Verge.
Although the amount of the extra charges will depend on the market and the length of the pickup, typically drivers will start to earn standard time and distance rates after eight or 11 minutes of driving to pick up the rider, depending on the city.
Of course, riders are sure to be unhappy about the extra fees, but Schildkrout said it will solve a problem for them as well. “It’s not always as easy to get a car in the suburbs as it is in the city,” he said. “Even in the outskirts of a city, people sometimes have this experience. So, from a driver’s perspective, it’s easy to see why this makes sense: You’re more likely to forgo trips with long ETAs … With this change, we hope to make those long trips more worth drivers’ while.
And for riders, we hope this means they’ll able to get a ride reliably wherever they are.”
In addition, Uber is updating its cancellation policy so that the fee relates to time and distance. “We’ve updated our technology to actually detect progress by the driver toward the rider, so we can be more nuanced about when to charge a rider a cancellation fee,” Schildkrout said.
Riders will also be charged for making drivers wait longer than two minutes, in an extension of a pilot that started last year in New York City, New Jersey, Phoenix and Dallas. Those fees will also vary, but a wait time of three minutes and 45 seconds would cost a passenger $0.86 in added fees.
http://bit.ly/2yK36S8
---------------------------------------------------
Friday, 20 October 2017
Taxi-hailing app Lyft raises £760 million from Google parent Alphabet
Taxi-hailing app Lyft has raised $1 billion (£760 million) from Google’s parent company as it looks to narrow the gap with Uber.
The investment from Alphabet fund CapitalG bolsters Lyft’s valuation to $11 billion (£8 billion) from $7.5 billion (£5.7 billion).
As part of the move, David Lawee – CapitalG partner and former Google vice president of corporate development – will join Lyft’s board.
Lyft, which only operates in the US, said in a statement: “Earlier this month, we completed our 500 millionth ride and our service is now available to 95% of the US population — up from 54% at the beginning of the year.
“While we’ve made progress towards our vision, we’re most excited about what lies ahead.
“The fact remains that less than 0.5% of miles travelled in the US happen on rideshare networks.
“This creates a huge opportunity to best serve our cities’ economic, environmental and social futures.”
The cash-injection from Google’s parent firm puts pressure on market leader Uber, which is fighting Transport for London’s (TfL) decision to deny it a new operating licence in the capital.
Alphabet has emerged as a thorn in Uber’s side, even though Google was among Uber’s early investors and still holds a stake in the company.
Google’s self-driving car spin-off Waymo is suing Uber in federal court, alleging that it recruited some of its top engineers as part of an elaborate scheme to steal its trade secrets.
The high-profile legal battle is scheduled to go to trial in early December and could cost Uber billions of dollars in damages and derail its efforts to build its own fleet of self-driving cars.
Earlier this year, Waymo and Lyft formed a partnership to begin testing self-driving cars on the roads in a move that was widely seen as another attack on Uber.
http://bit.ly/2xb7wNZ
In reply to this :
I have an innate sense for crass commercial valuations, based largely on seeing too many. So my antennae where pulsing when I read this in the FT this afternoon:
[Google parent company] Alphabet is leading a new $1bn fundraising round in Lyft that values the Uber rival at $10bn, raising the stakes in the fierce competition between the San Francisco based transportation companies.
The investment values Lyft at a $10bn pre-money valuation, which is 45 per cent higher than its previous fundraising, which took place just six months ago.
First, this is not a transportation company. Lyft, like Uber, does not run cabs. It runs a taxi rank.
Second, no taxi rank has ever been worth $10 billion.
And if someone thinks it is then they have four things at the forefront of their minds.
The first is driving the competition out of the market.
The second is then screwing the consumer.
The third is screwing their staff.
And the fourth is then presenting the regulator with a fait accompli as they’re hoping all other games will have been driven out of town and that way they’ll earn hyper rents from their rank activities.
That’s how you can make a fortune from a cab booking service.
And it stinks.
http://www.taxresearch.org.uk
---------------------------------------------------
SOUTH CAMBRIDGESHIRE
A new taxi policy published by a local council has recommended setting one of the highest bars in the country that drivers and vehicles must pass before being granted a licence.
The draft policy published by South Cambridgeshire District Council puts the safety of people using taxis at its heart and makes it clear that anyone with a previous serious criminal conviction will not be granted a licence.
Along with one of the most stringent policies in the country on who will be granted a licence, the Council is also looking to make it even easier for wheelchair users to use cabs.
Under the rules of the new policy all Hackney carriages – taxis that do not need to be pre-booked – need to be fully wheelchair accessible. This would apply to all new and renewed licences.
Other changes in the Council’s draft policy, include:
* the introduction of safeguarding training so all drivers can more easily spot and report any concerns relating to their passengers’ wellbeing
* more frequent medical checks for drivers – current policies already set the same checks as a HGV driver
* a knowledge test for all applicants to make sure they have a good understanding of the area, places of interest and English and maths.
* one of the tightest convictions policies in the country
The Council committed to a review of the licensing policy at the beginning of the year to make sure it continues to meet the needs of local people.
The review is the first the Council has done since national deregulation of taxi licensing took place in 2015. Deregulation meant longer licences for drivers and operators as well as the ability for operators to work across district boundaries and sub contact to other firms.
The Council’s Licensing Committee will consider the draft policy on Friday 27 October. The committee will be asked to suggest any final changes before the Council consults the taxi industry and local residents on the policy.
The consultation is planned to take place between 1 November to 31 December.
Cllr Mark Howell, South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Cabinet Member for Environmental Health, said: “The safety of local people is vitally important and the draft policy our Licensing Committee will be considering sets one of the highest bars in the country for both vehicles and drivers. The changes we are suggesting are not just about making sure we have a fleet of high quality professional drivers to serve our communities, but also equipping them with the knowledge to identify any safeguarding issues they might become aware of with their customers.
“It is important to remember that this is a draft and not set in stone. We are suggesting a robust policy for our Committee to consider and then we will be consulting with the taxi industry and residents. It is vitally important we have a policy that reflects their needs so please make sure you have your say during November and December.”
The Council currently licences just over 1,000 taxis with around 90% being private hire vehicles that must be pre-booked.
The draft policy to be considered by the Council’s Licensing Committee is available by visiting
http://scambs.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=414&MId=7161&Ver=4
http://bit.ly/2xUH1M8
----------------------------------------
Taxi-hailing app Lyft has raised $1 billion (£760 million) from Google’s parent company as it looks to narrow the gap with Uber.
The investment from Alphabet fund CapitalG bolsters Lyft’s valuation to $11 billion (£8 billion) from $7.5 billion (£5.7 billion).
As part of the move, David Lawee – CapitalG partner and former Google vice president of corporate development – will join Lyft’s board.
Lyft, which only operates in the US, said in a statement: “Earlier this month, we completed our 500 millionth ride and our service is now available to 95% of the US population — up from 54% at the beginning of the year.
“While we’ve made progress towards our vision, we’re most excited about what lies ahead.
“The fact remains that less than 0.5% of miles travelled in the US happen on rideshare networks.
“This creates a huge opportunity to best serve our cities’ economic, environmental and social futures.”
The cash-injection from Google’s parent firm puts pressure on market leader Uber, which is fighting Transport for London’s (TfL) decision to deny it a new operating licence in the capital.
Alphabet has emerged as a thorn in Uber’s side, even though Google was among Uber’s early investors and still holds a stake in the company.
Google’s self-driving car spin-off Waymo is suing Uber in federal court, alleging that it recruited some of its top engineers as part of an elaborate scheme to steal its trade secrets.
The high-profile legal battle is scheduled to go to trial in early December and could cost Uber billions of dollars in damages and derail its efforts to build its own fleet of self-driving cars.
Earlier this year, Waymo and Lyft formed a partnership to begin testing self-driving cars on the roads in a move that was widely seen as another attack on Uber.
http://bit.ly/2xb7wNZ
In reply to this :
I have an innate sense for crass commercial valuations, based largely on seeing too many. So my antennae where pulsing when I read this in the FT this afternoon:
[Google parent company] Alphabet is leading a new $1bn fundraising round in Lyft that values the Uber rival at $10bn, raising the stakes in the fierce competition between the San Francisco based transportation companies.
The investment values Lyft at a $10bn pre-money valuation, which is 45 per cent higher than its previous fundraising, which took place just six months ago.
First, this is not a transportation company. Lyft, like Uber, does not run cabs. It runs a taxi rank.
Second, no taxi rank has ever been worth $10 billion.
And if someone thinks it is then they have four things at the forefront of their minds.
The first is driving the competition out of the market.
The second is then screwing the consumer.
The third is screwing their staff.
And the fourth is then presenting the regulator with a fait accompli as they’re hoping all other games will have been driven out of town and that way they’ll earn hyper rents from their rank activities.
That’s how you can make a fortune from a cab booking service.
And it stinks.
http://www.taxresearch.org.uk
---------------------------------------------------
SOUTH CAMBRIDGESHIRE
A new taxi policy published by a local council has recommended setting one of the highest bars in the country that drivers and vehicles must pass before being granted a licence.
The draft policy published by South Cambridgeshire District Council puts the safety of people using taxis at its heart and makes it clear that anyone with a previous serious criminal conviction will not be granted a licence.
Along with one of the most stringent policies in the country on who will be granted a licence, the Council is also looking to make it even easier for wheelchair users to use cabs.
Under the rules of the new policy all Hackney carriages – taxis that do not need to be pre-booked – need to be fully wheelchair accessible. This would apply to all new and renewed licences.
Other changes in the Council’s draft policy, include:
* the introduction of safeguarding training so all drivers can more easily spot and report any concerns relating to their passengers’ wellbeing
* more frequent medical checks for drivers – current policies already set the same checks as a HGV driver
* a knowledge test for all applicants to make sure they have a good understanding of the area, places of interest and English and maths.
* one of the tightest convictions policies in the country
The Council committed to a review of the licensing policy at the beginning of the year to make sure it continues to meet the needs of local people.
The review is the first the Council has done since national deregulation of taxi licensing took place in 2015. Deregulation meant longer licences for drivers and operators as well as the ability for operators to work across district boundaries and sub contact to other firms.
The Council’s Licensing Committee will consider the draft policy on Friday 27 October. The committee will be asked to suggest any final changes before the Council consults the taxi industry and local residents on the policy.
The consultation is planned to take place between 1 November to 31 December.
Cllr Mark Howell, South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Cabinet Member for Environmental Health, said: “The safety of local people is vitally important and the draft policy our Licensing Committee will be considering sets one of the highest bars in the country for both vehicles and drivers. The changes we are suggesting are not just about making sure we have a fleet of high quality professional drivers to serve our communities, but also equipping them with the knowledge to identify any safeguarding issues they might become aware of with their customers.
“It is important to remember that this is a draft and not set in stone. We are suggesting a robust policy for our Committee to consider and then we will be consulting with the taxi industry and residents. It is vitally important we have a policy that reflects their needs so please make sure you have your say during November and December.”
The Council currently licences just over 1,000 taxis with around 90% being private hire vehicles that must be pre-booked.
The draft policy to be considered by the Council’s Licensing Committee is available by visiting
http://scambs.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=414&MId=7161&Ver=4
http://bit.ly/2xUH1M8
----------------------------------------
Wednesday, 18 October 2017
LONDON UBERK. What if ?
If Uber fails to reach a deal to extend its licence in the capital Londoners could face paying an extra £90million a year in taxi fares, according to figures obtained by one London Assembly member.
The app-based taxi firm l odged an appeal against Transport for London's (TfL) decision not to extend its London licence at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday (October 13).
The appeal is ongoing but a failure to have its licence renewed would ban Uber from operating in the capital.
Figures obtained by Conservative LA member Andrew Boff, published on Tuesday (October 16), show that if a deal is not reached the financial consequences for passengers and drivers could be huge.
Excluding surge charges, the cost of an average 6.4-mile journey from Charing Cross to Hammersmith is £15 in a standard Uber,
compared with £25 in a black cab.
With one million Uber journeys taken in London per week, and with black cabs making up 17% of all licensed cars, Londoners would pay an extra £89.5million if they used black cabs as alternatives.
The ban would also impact on Uber’s 40,000 drivers, who earn on average £15 an hour and work an average of 30 hours per week.
Across the sector, an upholding of the ban would cost the 40,000 drivers £864million in lost earnings if they are all put out of work.
Mr Boff said: "These numbers may seem dramatic but they underline the huge economic damage this ban would do to millions of Londoners and thousands of drivers in our city.
"The Mayor repeatedly talks about London being open for business but this attack on consumer choice and value for money has happened on his watch.
http://bit.ly/2x5ZsOn
---------------------------------------------------
ADDISON LEE (Desperate to be heard)
Digital marketing specialist Be Heard Group PLC (LON:BHRD) has secured a new contract win with London taxi giant Addison Lee.
Be Heard’s digital media and analytics agency, agenda21, has been selected to help drive Addison Lee’s business expansion both in the capital as well as other parts of the UK.
Agenda21 helps companies to focus their digital marketing strategy and make it more effective through the analysis and “smarter use of complex data”.
Addison is a big player in the London cab market and you’ll often see their cars – often a black Ford Galaxy – waiting outside the entrances of big companies’ offices.
In fact, Be Heard estimates that 80% of firms on the FTSE 100 index have a customer account with the taxi operator.
Be Heard "has encouraging momentum", Numis Securities says,
"I am delighted that a global leader like Addison Lee has chosen us to lead its digital marketing activity,” said Be Heard chief executive Peter Scott.
“This confirms our view that corporates require agile and fast-moving digital specialists to help them connect with today's customers.”
http://bit.ly/2yybu6z
If Uber fails to reach a deal to extend its licence in the capital Londoners could face paying an extra £90million a year in taxi fares, according to figures obtained by one London Assembly member.
The app-based taxi firm l odged an appeal against Transport for London's (TfL) decision not to extend its London licence at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday (October 13).
The appeal is ongoing but a failure to have its licence renewed would ban Uber from operating in the capital.
Figures obtained by Conservative LA member Andrew Boff, published on Tuesday (October 16), show that if a deal is not reached the financial consequences for passengers and drivers could be huge.
Excluding surge charges, the cost of an average 6.4-mile journey from Charing Cross to Hammersmith is £15 in a standard Uber,
compared with £25 in a black cab.
With one million Uber journeys taken in London per week, and with black cabs making up 17% of all licensed cars, Londoners would pay an extra £89.5million if they used black cabs as alternatives.
The ban would also impact on Uber’s 40,000 drivers, who earn on average £15 an hour and work an average of 30 hours per week.
Across the sector, an upholding of the ban would cost the 40,000 drivers £864million in lost earnings if they are all put out of work.
Mr Boff said: "These numbers may seem dramatic but they underline the huge economic damage this ban would do to millions of Londoners and thousands of drivers in our city.
"The Mayor repeatedly talks about London being open for business but this attack on consumer choice and value for money has happened on his watch.
http://bit.ly/2x5ZsOn
---------------------------------------------------
ADDISON LEE (Desperate to be heard)
Digital marketing specialist Be Heard Group PLC (LON:BHRD) has secured a new contract win with London taxi giant Addison Lee.
Be Heard’s digital media and analytics agency, agenda21, has been selected to help drive Addison Lee’s business expansion both in the capital as well as other parts of the UK.
Agenda21 helps companies to focus their digital marketing strategy and make it more effective through the analysis and “smarter use of complex data”.
Addison is a big player in the London cab market and you’ll often see their cars – often a black Ford Galaxy – waiting outside the entrances of big companies’ offices.
In fact, Be Heard estimates that 80% of firms on the FTSE 100 index have a customer account with the taxi operator.
Be Heard "has encouraging momentum", Numis Securities says,
"I am delighted that a global leader like Addison Lee has chosen us to lead its digital marketing activity,” said Be Heard chief executive Peter Scott.
“This confirms our view that corporates require agile and fast-moving digital specialists to help them connect with today's customers.”
http://bit.ly/2yybu6z
Saturday, 14 October 2017
The taxi-hailing app giant Uber has abandoned its plan to expand into at least nine cities and towns around Britain.
The company is in danger of losing its licence in another big market, Brighton, when it expires next month, after breaking promises to use only local drivers and vehicles.
The disclosures come as Uber battles for survival in the capital following the decision by Transport for London to refuse it a new licence. The company continues to accept bookings pending an appeal, which it lodged on Friday.
It can be revealed today that Uber has withdrawn its applications for operating licences in Oxford, Hull, Bournemouth, Gateshead, North Tyneside, South Tyneside and Sandwell in the West Midlands.
The decision was made after Uber was asked a series of questions about its business drawn up by the Local Government Association.
The questions are designed to challenge the company’s claim that it is merely an agent that “does not provide transportation services” and simply operates an app connecting “independent contractors” with passengers.
The questions include: “If Uber has no involvement in the contract between the customer and the driver of the vehicle, who accepts the booking? If Uber accepts the booking, how does it have no involvement in the contract between the customer and the driver?”
Oxford city council said Uber’s application had lapsed after it had failed to provide “vital details” of how its service would operate. The other councils confirmed that Uber had withdrawn.
The company has been refused a licence in Reading and told it will not be granted one in Southend-on-Sea, Essex. However, it continues to serve some of the areas using cars it sends in from other places where it does hold a licence.
The company said: “Uber has been granted more than 80 licences by councils. Over the last year a small number of licence applications lapsed while we focused on other areas.
“On rare occasions we’ve not pursued applications as proposed conditions didn’t fit with how our app works.”
Source : Sunday Times.
The company is in danger of losing its licence in another big market, Brighton, when it expires next month, after breaking promises to use only local drivers and vehicles.
The disclosures come as Uber battles for survival in the capital following the decision by Transport for London to refuse it a new licence. The company continues to accept bookings pending an appeal, which it lodged on Friday.
It can be revealed today that Uber has withdrawn its applications for operating licences in Oxford, Hull, Bournemouth, Gateshead, North Tyneside, South Tyneside and Sandwell in the West Midlands.
The decision was made after Uber was asked a series of questions about its business drawn up by the Local Government Association.
The questions are designed to challenge the company’s claim that it is merely an agent that “does not provide transportation services” and simply operates an app connecting “independent contractors” with passengers.
The questions include: “If Uber has no involvement in the contract between the customer and the driver of the vehicle, who accepts the booking? If Uber accepts the booking, how does it have no involvement in the contract between the customer and the driver?”
Oxford city council said Uber’s application had lapsed after it had failed to provide “vital details” of how its service would operate. The other councils confirmed that Uber had withdrawn.
The company has been refused a licence in Reading and told it will not be granted one in Southend-on-Sea, Essex. However, it continues to serve some of the areas using cars it sends in from other places where it does hold a licence.
The company said: “Uber has been granted more than 80 licences by councils. Over the last year a small number of licence applications lapsed while we focused on other areas.
“On rare occasions we’ve not pursued applications as proposed conditions didn’t fit with how our app works.”
Source : Sunday Times.
Tuesday, 10 October 2017
LONDON (Reuters) - Uber said on Tuesday that paying National Insurance contributions for its British drivers would add tens of millions of pounds to the taxi app’s costs were they to be deemed employees.
Uber currently classifies its around 50,000 drivers in Britain as self-employed, affording them only basic entitlements, whilst employees also receive rights such as sick pay and the minimum wage.
Asked about how much it would cost in National Insurance payments if self-employed drivers were directly employed, the firm’s UK Head of Policy Andrew Byrne told parliament’s business committee:
“I don’t have the precise figures ... but I‘m certain it would be the tens of millions certainly.”
Also appearing before lawmakers, Deliveroo’s UK and Ireland Managing Director Dan Warne said additional costs including National Insurance contributions, would add around 1 pound ($1.32) to the cost of each hour.
National Insurance is collected by the government and helps pay for the state health service, pensions and certain other benefits.
Firms operating in the so-called gig economy - whereby people tend to work for different companies without a fixed contract - have been criticized by unions and some lawmakers for what they call exploitative practices.
Uber and Deliveroo both say their drivers enjoy the flexibility they offer but last year two drivers won a tribunal hearing against Uber and were granted worker rights, in a decision which the Silicon Valley firm appealed last month.
Uber’s Byrne said on Tuesday he expected the judge to make a ruling by around Christmas.
Uber is also battling to overturn a decision by London’s transport regulator to strip the smartphone app of its license in the British capital. It has until Friday to lodge an appeal.
Byrne said he could hopefully see a way to address concerns by London’s transport regulator, which cited the firm’s approach to reporting serious criminal offences and background checks on drivers.
“Hopefully we can see a path forward now with TfL (Transport for London) where we can address their concerns and continue to operate,” he said.
http://reut.rs/2kDbvkB
---------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------
CAMBRIDGE
A 10p rise in basic starting tariffs and a £1 charge for carrying bikes in taxis will be dicided by the council on Monday next week.
A consultation with the industry and customers has ended.
Proposals could also mean that taxis are required to carry card machines and cctv cameras, that rear-loading wheelchair vehicles be available and that a colour requirement come into play that could see all Hackney Cabs turn Cambridge Blue.
Cllr Gerri Bird, chair of the licensing committee, said: “We were pleased to have received many responses from members of the taxi trade and interested parties to our consultations on taxi fares and the taxi licensing policy.
“We will now use this feedback to help us decide whether or not to make the proposed changes. Both the taxi fares table and the taxi licensing policy are important mechanisms for ensuring that Cambridge’s taxi service continues to be safe, efficient and accessible for all.”
The council is responsible for licensing all taxi proprietors and operators in Cambridge, as well as Hackney carriage, private hire and dual drivers.
http://bit.ly/2y9Ef9X
----------------------------------------------
GRIMSBY
A woman has warned people about the dangers of fake taxis after a bogus cab driver sexually assaulted her during a frightening car journey that left her hysterical.
The 30-year-old Grimsby woman wanted to go home after a night out and put her hand up to hail what she wrongly thought was a taxi.
The fake cabbie was driving round, seemingly on the lookout for women, and "tried it on with her sexually" before touching her in an "abhorrent" way.
He has been jailed at Grimsby Crown Court for nine months.
Mounir Megherbi, 29, of Heneage Road, Grimsby, admitted sexual assault on March 27 last year.
Andrew Bailey, prosecuting, said the woman had been on a night out with friends and tried to telephone for a taxi in the early hours so she could go home but she had no luck.
Two cars drove past her and she put up her hand to stop one of them, thinking that it was a taxi.
She got in and, still believing that it was a taxi, sat in the front seat.
The car drove off and Megherbi told her: "You're too pretty to be round here. Why are you in Freeman Street?"
He started touching her leg and she tried to push him away.
She told him: "Oh no, I'm just having a good night."
The woman telephoned her boyfriend and sent him a text saying: "A taxi driver is touching me."
The driver tried to push his hand up her bare leg and asked her: "Isn't it okay? Why isn't it okay?"
He eventually got annoyed with her and asked: "Why are you ringing somebody? Who are you ringing?"
Megherbi stopped the car near Grimsby Institute and told her: "You're getting out of my car."
He ejected her from the vehicle, leaving her hysterical and upset and shaken.
A genuine taxi driver picked her up and a message was posted on Facebook to try to warn other people.
Megherbi was arrested and later told police that he ran a pizza shop and lived at the time in Cleethorpes.
He claimed that people used to come up to him asking if he was a taxi because his car looked like a taxi.
He admitted that he had taken people home and tried to pretend that he was a taxi.
Richard Hackfath, mitigating, said Megherbi was emotional, concerned and remorseful about the matter.
"His primary motivation for being out on the streets that night was to make money as an unlicensed taxi driver," said Mr Hackfath.
"She got into the vehicle rather than him targetting her. It was a very unpleasant offence against a completely blameless complainant.
http://bit.ly/2g0qjVg
------------------------------------------------
LONDON
Via, an Israeli-founded taxi app that's raised a reported $200 million (£152 million) from the likes of Mercedes-Benz, is ready to launch in London.
The Uber rival has hired a team of people and contacted thousands of drivers about working for the platform.
But the company is struggling to get an operating licence from Transport for London (TfL), which has been busy deciding whether to renew Uber's licence over the last few months. It decided not to renew it on September 22.
Luca Parducci, Via's general manager in London, told Business Insider: "We applied five months ago in April. Usually the application process takes eight weeks maximum. We had no indication that it would take longer than that.
"So we went through the whole process and started recruiting a team, which I'm part of, opened an office, started registering the interest of thousands of drivers that can't wait to work with us," continued Parducci, a former executive at travel booking website HotelTonight.
"In the process with TfL, we've provided additional information on our product, our company, our processes, and basically answers to all the questions that they had. Now we're basically ready to start. We're only missing the approval and licence from TfL."
London_Via_App The Via app being held up in Westminster, close to TfL's headquarters. Via
Via's app is a ride-sharing service that allows people to catch a ride with other people going in the same direction. It's similar in many respects to UberPool, which is the Uber service that allows people to do the same thing.
The app was launched in New York City before expanding to Chicago and Washington D.C. Now the company wants to launch in its first European city.
Via is focused on getting the London licence but the company could start to consider other cities if TfL doesn't start to process its application. The company's website shows that it is looking to hire general mangers in Berlin and Rome.
"It's been frustrating to experience these delays because normally it'll take less time than this and we really can’t wait to bring this service to London," said Parducci.
A TfL spokesperson said: "Our regulation of London's taxi and private hire trades is designed to ensure passenger safety. Private hire operators must meet rigorous regulations, and demonstrate to TfL that they do so, in order to operate. TfL must also be satisfied that an operator is fit and proper to hold a licence. We do not comment on individual licence applications."
Uber said it plans to appeal TfL's decision not to renew its licence and it has started a petition which now has over 850,000 signatures.
Other competitors in London include MyTaxi, Gett, Addison Lee, and the traditional black cab service.
http://read.bi/2y40eiM
------------------------------------------------
YORK
THE man who snatched a cab from the taxi rank at York Railway Station and crashed it on the A64 had escaped from lawful custody, it has been revealed.
Luke Dean Michael Kilminster, 31, smashed a window at York Hospital where he was being held on September 27.
He made his way to York Railway Station where he took a Ford Mondeo as the owner was helping a customer with her luggage.
As he continued his getaway down Tadcaster Road and headed west along the A64, Kilminster crashed it into at least one other vehicle on the dual carriageway and damaged the taxi.
Kilminster, of Elm Court, Helmsley, pleaded guilty to escaping from lawful custody at York Hospital and criminal damage to a window at the hospital. It cost £500 to repair the window.
He also admitted taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent and that the offence was aggravated by him driving it dangerously on the A64 and crashing two vehicles.
He admitted he didn’t have a licence to drive the taxi and didn’t have insurance for his journey.
York magistrates decided the case was too serious for them to deal with and sent him to York Crown Court for sentence.
http://bit.ly/2wMmV7d
-----------------------------------------------
Uber currently classifies its around 50,000 drivers in Britain as self-employed, affording them only basic entitlements, whilst employees also receive rights such as sick pay and the minimum wage.
Asked about how much it would cost in National Insurance payments if self-employed drivers were directly employed, the firm’s UK Head of Policy Andrew Byrne told parliament’s business committee:
“I don’t have the precise figures ... but I‘m certain it would be the tens of millions certainly.”
Also appearing before lawmakers, Deliveroo’s UK and Ireland Managing Director Dan Warne said additional costs including National Insurance contributions, would add around 1 pound ($1.32) to the cost of each hour.
National Insurance is collected by the government and helps pay for the state health service, pensions and certain other benefits.
Firms operating in the so-called gig economy - whereby people tend to work for different companies without a fixed contract - have been criticized by unions and some lawmakers for what they call exploitative practices.
Uber and Deliveroo both say their drivers enjoy the flexibility they offer but last year two drivers won a tribunal hearing against Uber and were granted worker rights, in a decision which the Silicon Valley firm appealed last month.
Uber’s Byrne said on Tuesday he expected the judge to make a ruling by around Christmas.
Uber is also battling to overturn a decision by London’s transport regulator to strip the smartphone app of its license in the British capital. It has until Friday to lodge an appeal.
Byrne said he could hopefully see a way to address concerns by London’s transport regulator, which cited the firm’s approach to reporting serious criminal offences and background checks on drivers.
“Hopefully we can see a path forward now with TfL (Transport for London) where we can address their concerns and continue to operate,” he said.
http://reut.rs/2kDbvkB
---------------------------------------
CAMBRIDGE
A 10p rise in basic starting tariffs and a £1 charge for carrying bikes in taxis will be dicided by the council on Monday next week.
A consultation with the industry and customers has ended.
Proposals could also mean that taxis are required to carry card machines and cctv cameras, that rear-loading wheelchair vehicles be available and that a colour requirement come into play that could see all Hackney Cabs turn Cambridge Blue.
Cllr Gerri Bird, chair of the licensing committee, said: “We were pleased to have received many responses from members of the taxi trade and interested parties to our consultations on taxi fares and the taxi licensing policy.
“We will now use this feedback to help us decide whether or not to make the proposed changes. Both the taxi fares table and the taxi licensing policy are important mechanisms for ensuring that Cambridge’s taxi service continues to be safe, efficient and accessible for all.”
The council is responsible for licensing all taxi proprietors and operators in Cambridge, as well as Hackney carriage, private hire and dual drivers.
http://bit.ly/2y9Ef9X
----------------------------------------------
GRIMSBY
A woman has warned people about the dangers of fake taxis after a bogus cab driver sexually assaulted her during a frightening car journey that left her hysterical.
The 30-year-old Grimsby woman wanted to go home after a night out and put her hand up to hail what she wrongly thought was a taxi.
The fake cabbie was driving round, seemingly on the lookout for women, and "tried it on with her sexually" before touching her in an "abhorrent" way.
He has been jailed at Grimsby Crown Court for nine months.
Mounir Megherbi, 29, of Heneage Road, Grimsby, admitted sexual assault on March 27 last year.
Andrew Bailey, prosecuting, said the woman had been on a night out with friends and tried to telephone for a taxi in the early hours so she could go home but she had no luck.
Two cars drove past her and she put up her hand to stop one of them, thinking that it was a taxi.
She got in and, still believing that it was a taxi, sat in the front seat.
The car drove off and Megherbi told her: "You're too pretty to be round here. Why are you in Freeman Street?"
He started touching her leg and she tried to push him away.
She told him: "Oh no, I'm just having a good night."
The woman telephoned her boyfriend and sent him a text saying: "A taxi driver is touching me."
The driver tried to push his hand up her bare leg and asked her: "Isn't it okay? Why isn't it okay?"
He eventually got annoyed with her and asked: "Why are you ringing somebody? Who are you ringing?"
Megherbi stopped the car near Grimsby Institute and told her: "You're getting out of my car."
He ejected her from the vehicle, leaving her hysterical and upset and shaken.
A genuine taxi driver picked her up and a message was posted on Facebook to try to warn other people.
Megherbi was arrested and later told police that he ran a pizza shop and lived at the time in Cleethorpes.
He claimed that people used to come up to him asking if he was a taxi because his car looked like a taxi.
He admitted that he had taken people home and tried to pretend that he was a taxi.
Richard Hackfath, mitigating, said Megherbi was emotional, concerned and remorseful about the matter.
"His primary motivation for being out on the streets that night was to make money as an unlicensed taxi driver," said Mr Hackfath.
"She got into the vehicle rather than him targetting her. It was a very unpleasant offence against a completely blameless complainant.
http://bit.ly/2g0qjVg
------------------------------------------------
LONDON
Via, an Israeli-founded taxi app that's raised a reported $200 million (£152 million) from the likes of Mercedes-Benz, is ready to launch in London.
The Uber rival has hired a team of people and contacted thousands of drivers about working for the platform.
But the company is struggling to get an operating licence from Transport for London (TfL), which has been busy deciding whether to renew Uber's licence over the last few months. It decided not to renew it on September 22.
Luca Parducci, Via's general manager in London, told Business Insider: "We applied five months ago in April. Usually the application process takes eight weeks maximum. We had no indication that it would take longer than that.
"So we went through the whole process and started recruiting a team, which I'm part of, opened an office, started registering the interest of thousands of drivers that can't wait to work with us," continued Parducci, a former executive at travel booking website HotelTonight.
"In the process with TfL, we've provided additional information on our product, our company, our processes, and basically answers to all the questions that they had. Now we're basically ready to start. We're only missing the approval and licence from TfL."
London_Via_App The Via app being held up in Westminster, close to TfL's headquarters. Via
Via's app is a ride-sharing service that allows people to catch a ride with other people going in the same direction. It's similar in many respects to UberPool, which is the Uber service that allows people to do the same thing.
The app was launched in New York City before expanding to Chicago and Washington D.C. Now the company wants to launch in its first European city.
Via is focused on getting the London licence but the company could start to consider other cities if TfL doesn't start to process its application. The company's website shows that it is looking to hire general mangers in Berlin and Rome.
"It's been frustrating to experience these delays because normally it'll take less time than this and we really can’t wait to bring this service to London," said Parducci.
A TfL spokesperson said: "Our regulation of London's taxi and private hire trades is designed to ensure passenger safety. Private hire operators must meet rigorous regulations, and demonstrate to TfL that they do so, in order to operate. TfL must also be satisfied that an operator is fit and proper to hold a licence. We do not comment on individual licence applications."
Uber said it plans to appeal TfL's decision not to renew its licence and it has started a petition which now has over 850,000 signatures.
Other competitors in London include MyTaxi, Gett, Addison Lee, and the traditional black cab service.
http://read.bi/2y40eiM
------------------------------------------------
YORK
THE man who snatched a cab from the taxi rank at York Railway Station and crashed it on the A64 had escaped from lawful custody, it has been revealed.
Luke Dean Michael Kilminster, 31, smashed a window at York Hospital where he was being held on September 27.
He made his way to York Railway Station where he took a Ford Mondeo as the owner was helping a customer with her luggage.
As he continued his getaway down Tadcaster Road and headed west along the A64, Kilminster crashed it into at least one other vehicle on the dual carriageway and damaged the taxi.
Kilminster, of Elm Court, Helmsley, pleaded guilty to escaping from lawful custody at York Hospital and criminal damage to a window at the hospital. It cost £500 to repair the window.
He also admitted taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent and that the offence was aggravated by him driving it dangerously on the A64 and crashing two vehicles.
He admitted he didn’t have a licence to drive the taxi and didn’t have insurance for his journey.
York magistrates decided the case was too serious for them to deal with and sent him to York Crown Court for sentence.
http://bit.ly/2wMmV7d
-----------------------------------------------
SNAPCHAT + UBERK
Snapchat has started rolling out a new feature that encourages users to be inspired and act spontaneously based on their friends' Snaps.
The new feature, known as Context Cards, integrates services from the likes of TripAdvisor, Uberk and OpenTable into Snapchat, allowing users to book a table at a restaurant or order a cab without leaving the app.
The idea, it seems, is that you see a Snap of your friends eating a delicious meal at a nearby restaurant, and using Context Cards you can read a review of the restaurant and book a table for the following week - or jump straight in an Uberk and join them.
"Every day our community uses Snapchat to see more of the world around them," explained Snap.
"Now, with Context Cards, Snaps can transform from visual stories into launchpads for more information and actions."
Monday, 9 October 2017
TAXIFY, PARIS LAUNCH, IS NOT TOO SMOOTH
VTC drivers blocked the Taxify recruitment office in Paris in early afternoon to denounce the "aggressive arrival" of the new booking platform on the market of cars with driver (VTC), according to the union FO-Capa VTC.
According to the union, this action has caused "a few dozen drivers have blocked the Taxify recruitment station" shortly after its opening at 13:00.
Access to the premises, located rue Saint-Maur (11th arrondissement), was then closed by decision of the owner of the building, told AFP Helmi Mamlouk, spokesman of the union.
Nevertheless, drivers decided to stay in front of the building "to check that they do not reopen," he added.
"They have arrived in an aggressive, shameful way, and they are told that we are there, that there are social partners, that we have unions opposite, we do not agree that they break the market prices, which are already deplorable, "he said to explain the motivations of the drivers.
According to a source close to the management, the drivers - numbering "ten" - dispersed in calm after an hour of blocking and the premises were closed for the afternoon.
They were challenging a "company launch offer" proposing a 50% reduction in passenger fares in October, according to the same source who said that the loss of earnings for drivers is compensated by the company. "There is no reason to change this offer," the source added.
Taxify launched last week in Paris with the ambition to compete with Uber, the industry leader. Present in 19 countries, in Central and Eastern Europe but also in Africa, the platform ensures that its rates will be 10% lower than those of Uber. She also promises to take only 15% commission on the race against 25% for Uber.
It is supported by the Chinese giant of the VTC and the taxi Didi Chuxing, which bought last year the operations of Uber in China.
Since the first mobilizations of drivers of VTC two years ago against the tariff policy of Uber, several associations and unions of drivers question regularly the platforms on the conditions of work of the drivers and their "impoverishment". They had obtained from the previous Government the initiation of work for the introduction of a minimum tariff applicable to the TCW sector.
Translated from :
http://bit.ly/2wKdlSk
-----------------------------------------
GMB PRESS RELEASE 9 Oct 2017
GMB Calls on Uber to Demonstrate Its New Humility by Coming Clean on Driver Hours in the UK
The reason Uber won't come clean on this is that it would expose the reality that the 40,000 drivers would be working just over four hours per week says GMB.
GMB comments on the latest set of accounts, for year ending 31 December 2016, released by Uber London, the UK operating company.
[1]
Maria Ludkin, GMB Legal Director said:
"Uber could demonstrate its new found humility shown to the Mayor of London by showing a bit of transparency in its UK accounts.
“Uber gives the impression that it has an income of £36.9m in the UK by selling unspecified services to other Uber overseas companies - in other words it is an exporter of services from the UK. What a pile of tosh.
“In fact, Uber sends all the fare income made in the UK to a company in Holland.
"This Dutch company pays 75% of this income to drivers in the UK. GMB is working on the basis that the other 25% is the commission to Uber that comes back to the UK and makes up the lion’s share of Uber income in the UK.
“The reason Uber won't come clean on this is that it would expose the reality that the 40,000 drivers would be working just over four hours per week for Uber. So much for 40,000 jobs being on the line.
“It is high time that Uber stopped the spinning and came clean on what hours its drivers work each week.”
ENDS
---------------------------------------
VTC drivers blocked the Taxify recruitment office in Paris in early afternoon to denounce the "aggressive arrival" of the new booking platform on the market of cars with driver (VTC), according to the union FO-Capa VTC.
According to the union, this action has caused "a few dozen drivers have blocked the Taxify recruitment station" shortly after its opening at 13:00.
Access to the premises, located rue Saint-Maur (11th arrondissement), was then closed by decision of the owner of the building, told AFP Helmi Mamlouk, spokesman of the union.
Nevertheless, drivers decided to stay in front of the building "to check that they do not reopen," he added.
"They have arrived in an aggressive, shameful way, and they are told that we are there, that there are social partners, that we have unions opposite, we do not agree that they break the market prices, which are already deplorable, "he said to explain the motivations of the drivers.
According to a source close to the management, the drivers - numbering "ten" - dispersed in calm after an hour of blocking and the premises were closed for the afternoon.
They were challenging a "company launch offer" proposing a 50% reduction in passenger fares in October, according to the same source who said that the loss of earnings for drivers is compensated by the company. "There is no reason to change this offer," the source added.
Taxify launched last week in Paris with the ambition to compete with Uber, the industry leader. Present in 19 countries, in Central and Eastern Europe but also in Africa, the platform ensures that its rates will be 10% lower than those of Uber. She also promises to take only 15% commission on the race against 25% for Uber.
It is supported by the Chinese giant of the VTC and the taxi Didi Chuxing, which bought last year the operations of Uber in China.
Since the first mobilizations of drivers of VTC two years ago against the tariff policy of Uber, several associations and unions of drivers question regularly the platforms on the conditions of work of the drivers and their "impoverishment". They had obtained from the previous Government the initiation of work for the introduction of a minimum tariff applicable to the TCW sector.
Translated from :
http://bit.ly/2wKdlSk
-----------------------------------------
GMB PRESS RELEASE 9 Oct 2017
GMB Calls on Uber to Demonstrate Its New Humility by Coming Clean on Driver Hours in the UK
The reason Uber won't come clean on this is that it would expose the reality that the 40,000 drivers would be working just over four hours per week says GMB.
GMB comments on the latest set of accounts, for year ending 31 December 2016, released by Uber London, the UK operating company.
[1]
Maria Ludkin, GMB Legal Director said:
"Uber could demonstrate its new found humility shown to the Mayor of London by showing a bit of transparency in its UK accounts.
“Uber gives the impression that it has an income of £36.9m in the UK by selling unspecified services to other Uber overseas companies - in other words it is an exporter of services from the UK. What a pile of tosh.
“In fact, Uber sends all the fare income made in the UK to a company in Holland.
"This Dutch company pays 75% of this income to drivers in the UK. GMB is working on the basis that the other 25% is the commission to Uber that comes back to the UK and makes up the lion’s share of Uber income in the UK.
“The reason Uber won't come clean on this is that it would expose the reality that the 40,000 drivers would be working just over four hours per week for Uber. So much for 40,000 jobs being on the line.
“It is high time that Uber stopped the spinning and came clean on what hours its drivers work each week.”
ENDS
---------------------------------------
Sunday, 8 October 2017
Uber to launch new electric taxi service in Dubai
Ride-hailing service Uber will soon launch the first electric taxi fleet in the UAE, with its new UberONE service.
Announced as the exclusive taxi partner for Dubai Taxi Corporation’s fleet of electric vehicles in the UAE, UberONE will add 50 new premium electric cars to its fleet, giving riders across Dubai the chance to request a fully-electric, smart and sustainable transport option at the touch of a button.
Starting from Tuesday, 10 October, riders across the emirate will be able to choose from a dedicated fleet of electric vehicles exclusively via the “UberONE” option on the Uber app.
The joint initiative comes as part of Dubai Taxi Corporation and Uber’s commitment to helping Dubai become the smartest city in the world and in support of the Green Economy for Sustainable Development Initiative.
As well as offering driver-partners and riders a high-quality travel experience at the touch of a button, electric cars also reduce air and noise pollution in local communities, and will lower per-mile operating costs for driver-partners, compared to those for conventional cars. The introduction of the electric vehicle fleet to the Uber app will also lay the foundations for a viable, long-term technology solution to achieving a sustainable, clean ride vehicle network that smart cities of the future are striving for.
Chris Free, general manager for Uber UAE, said: “At Uber we are constantly innovating our offering and looking for ways to provide new and progressive experiences at the push of a button. We are tremendously excited to be the exclusive ride-hailing partner for this fleet of premium electric vehicles in Dubai, in partnership with Dubai Taxi Corporation, and for the clean vehicle technology to deliver our driver-partners and riders with more efficient, less-polluting mobility.
We will continue to work hand in hand with Dubai Taxi Corporation to bring innovative infrastructural solutions to Dubai and grow the city’s smart mobility ecosystem.”
-------------------------------------------------
BURNLEY
A taxi driver who launched a ‘ferocious’ attack on two passengers using an iron bar has been jailed.
Nabeel Iqbal, who worked for Max Cabs, and another man attacked the men with the weapon and ‘what looked like a wheel brace’ following a falling-out in his car, a court heard.
Burnley Crown Court was told that a short time after the row Iqbal and another unknown male approached the passengers on Owen Street in Accrington.
The court heard how the offenders chased one of the passengers Adam Wright and struck him causing him to fall to the floor. One of the males then said to another of the passengers, a teenager, ‘You’re next son’ before ‘briefly chasing him away’.
Prosecutor Mark Kellett said Mr Wright was ‘distressed, lying injured on the floor’ before the offenders chased and repeatedly struck the third passenger Joseph Silcock.
Both victims were taken to hospital and Mr Wright was treated for three days with a fractured left elbow.
http://bit.ly/2g3UMoS
------------------------------------------
GUILDFORD
As the aftermath of the latest Uber revelations rumble on , Guildford is having its own discussions on the future of taxi and private hire vehicles.
Guildford Borough Council heard recommendations from licensing team leader, Mike Smith, on plans for all taxi and private hire vehicles to be card payment equipped by April 1 2019.
The latest requirement for Guildford drivers follows the poorly received policy adopted by the council in December 2015 which implemented the turquoise re-branding.
Mr Smith laid out various benefits to the new policy and said: "Since the approval of the last policy things have moved on quite significantly in the taxi world."
The benefits of introducing card enabled payment mentioned by Mr Smith included:
* Not having to queue at a cash point in order to get money to pay for a taxi.
* Less dispute over how to split a fare.
* If there is less requirement for drivers to carry cash, they become less of a target for crime.
There would be a financial impact for drivers at a coast of around £500 per year to supply a suitable card payment device which would be required to accept Visa and Mastercard credit and debit cards, accept contactless payments and provide a receipt.
Mr Smith suggested that it would be very easy to break this cost down into each individual fare to ensure that no direct cost is incurred by the drivers.
A typical card transaction costs roughly 1% of the total fare, meaning that if you're journey cost you £10, a 10p transaction fee would be taken by the device provider.
Mr Smith said: "In Guildford we have a formula for setting carriage fares so we could very easily include this cost to the driver in the fare calculator so that drivers could recover that cost."
As Uber challenges its licence revoke in London , the planned policy changes would go some way to both updating and simplifying the traditional "taxi journey home" in Surrey.
At this stage there is no planned provision for hailing a taxi through a mobile device, as is possible with the Uber app.
During the meeting, Councillor Dennis Paul voiced his support of the new policy but raised the issue of "unscrupulous" drivers using card reading technology to clone customers' cards.
In response Mr Smith suggested that the licensing committee's vetting process is already designed to hire fit and proper drivers.
He hopes this process would restrict the dangers of claims raised by Cllr Paul happening by not being granted a licence in the first place.
In a 2016 consultation carried out by Transport for London, it found that 86% of respondents backed card acceptance in taxis with 68% in favour of the use of contactless payment.
The policy is not yet being implemented in London but serves to highlight its popularaity.
The recommendations were approved by the council and the policy will be subject to a six week public consultation period.
http://bit.ly/2gnmkm6
----------------------------------------
LIVERPOOL
A man was left fighting for life after he was kicked in the head by a group of men at a taxi rank.
The 41-year-old victim was in an argument with them before they followed him towards a taxi, then launched their attack in Liverpool city centre.
Emergency services were called at around 4am following reports a man had been assaulted on Ranelagh Street in the early hours of Saturday morning. A spokesperson for the North West Ambulance service told that the man was rushed to Aintree Hospital. He is understood to be in a serious condition.
The offenders fled the scene on foot in the direction of Liverpool Central train station. An investigation has been launched and enquiries are ongoing. Detectives are examining CCTV footage to establish what happened and identify any offenders and forensic examination of the street and the taxi is taking place.
Anyone with any information should contact Merseyside Police on 0151 7774065, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
http://bit.ly/2xsHSng
Ride-hailing service Uber will soon launch the first electric taxi fleet in the UAE, with its new UberONE service.
Announced as the exclusive taxi partner for Dubai Taxi Corporation’s fleet of electric vehicles in the UAE, UberONE will add 50 new premium electric cars to its fleet, giving riders across Dubai the chance to request a fully-electric, smart and sustainable transport option at the touch of a button.
Starting from Tuesday, 10 October, riders across the emirate will be able to choose from a dedicated fleet of electric vehicles exclusively via the “UberONE” option on the Uber app.
The joint initiative comes as part of Dubai Taxi Corporation and Uber’s commitment to helping Dubai become the smartest city in the world and in support of the Green Economy for Sustainable Development Initiative.
As well as offering driver-partners and riders a high-quality travel experience at the touch of a button, electric cars also reduce air and noise pollution in local communities, and will lower per-mile operating costs for driver-partners, compared to those for conventional cars. The introduction of the electric vehicle fleet to the Uber app will also lay the foundations for a viable, long-term technology solution to achieving a sustainable, clean ride vehicle network that smart cities of the future are striving for.
Chris Free, general manager for Uber UAE, said: “At Uber we are constantly innovating our offering and looking for ways to provide new and progressive experiences at the push of a button. We are tremendously excited to be the exclusive ride-hailing partner for this fleet of premium electric vehicles in Dubai, in partnership with Dubai Taxi Corporation, and for the clean vehicle technology to deliver our driver-partners and riders with more efficient, less-polluting mobility.
We will continue to work hand in hand with Dubai Taxi Corporation to bring innovative infrastructural solutions to Dubai and grow the city’s smart mobility ecosystem.”
-------------------------------------------------
BURNLEY
A taxi driver who launched a ‘ferocious’ attack on two passengers using an iron bar has been jailed.
Nabeel Iqbal, who worked for Max Cabs, and another man attacked the men with the weapon and ‘what looked like a wheel brace’ following a falling-out in his car, a court heard.
Burnley Crown Court was told that a short time after the row Iqbal and another unknown male approached the passengers on Owen Street in Accrington.
The court heard how the offenders chased one of the passengers Adam Wright and struck him causing him to fall to the floor. One of the males then said to another of the passengers, a teenager, ‘You’re next son’ before ‘briefly chasing him away’.
Prosecutor Mark Kellett said Mr Wright was ‘distressed, lying injured on the floor’ before the offenders chased and repeatedly struck the third passenger Joseph Silcock.
Both victims were taken to hospital and Mr Wright was treated for three days with a fractured left elbow.
http://bit.ly/2g3UMoS
------------------------------------------
GUILDFORD
As the aftermath of the latest Uber revelations rumble on , Guildford is having its own discussions on the future of taxi and private hire vehicles.
Guildford Borough Council heard recommendations from licensing team leader, Mike Smith, on plans for all taxi and private hire vehicles to be card payment equipped by April 1 2019.
The latest requirement for Guildford drivers follows the poorly received policy adopted by the council in December 2015 which implemented the turquoise re-branding.
Mr Smith laid out various benefits to the new policy and said: "Since the approval of the last policy things have moved on quite significantly in the taxi world."
The benefits of introducing card enabled payment mentioned by Mr Smith included:
* Not having to queue at a cash point in order to get money to pay for a taxi.
* Less dispute over how to split a fare.
* If there is less requirement for drivers to carry cash, they become less of a target for crime.
There would be a financial impact for drivers at a coast of around £500 per year to supply a suitable card payment device which would be required to accept Visa and Mastercard credit and debit cards, accept contactless payments and provide a receipt.
Mr Smith suggested that it would be very easy to break this cost down into each individual fare to ensure that no direct cost is incurred by the drivers.
A typical card transaction costs roughly 1% of the total fare, meaning that if you're journey cost you £10, a 10p transaction fee would be taken by the device provider.
Mr Smith said: "In Guildford we have a formula for setting carriage fares so we could very easily include this cost to the driver in the fare calculator so that drivers could recover that cost."
As Uber challenges its licence revoke in London , the planned policy changes would go some way to both updating and simplifying the traditional "taxi journey home" in Surrey.
At this stage there is no planned provision for hailing a taxi through a mobile device, as is possible with the Uber app.
During the meeting, Councillor Dennis Paul voiced his support of the new policy but raised the issue of "unscrupulous" drivers using card reading technology to clone customers' cards.
In response Mr Smith suggested that the licensing committee's vetting process is already designed to hire fit and proper drivers.
He hopes this process would restrict the dangers of claims raised by Cllr Paul happening by not being granted a licence in the first place.
In a 2016 consultation carried out by Transport for London, it found that 86% of respondents backed card acceptance in taxis with 68% in favour of the use of contactless payment.
The policy is not yet being implemented in London but serves to highlight its popularaity.
The recommendations were approved by the council and the policy will be subject to a six week public consultation period.
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LIVERPOOL
A man was left fighting for life after he was kicked in the head by a group of men at a taxi rank.
The 41-year-old victim was in an argument with them before they followed him towards a taxi, then launched their attack in Liverpool city centre.
Emergency services were called at around 4am following reports a man had been assaulted on Ranelagh Street in the early hours of Saturday morning. A spokesperson for the North West Ambulance service told that the man was rushed to Aintree Hospital. He is understood to be in a serious condition.
The offenders fled the scene on foot in the direction of Liverpool Central train station. An investigation has been launched and enquiries are ongoing. Detectives are examining CCTV footage to establish what happened and identify any offenders and forensic examination of the street and the taxi is taking place.
Anyone with any information should contact Merseyside Police on 0151 7774065, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
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