BRUSSELS (AP) -- A driver for the Uber mobile app taxi service had his car confiscated Monday after a Brussels court said the ride-sharing service does not respect taxi regulations in the Belgian capital.

Jacques Verhaegen, the lawyer for the Uber driver, said the company's drivers now "run the risk of having their car seized" in the Belgian capital.

The service, which allows consumers to break free of rigid fare structures criticized as protectionist and inefficient in many major cities, has been banned in Brussels and has faced an uphill struggle in several European nations as it tries to gain a foothold. Since its arrival on the scene a couple of years ago, taxi drivers across the continent have been adamant about protecting their turf.

Uber drivers use their own cars to pick up travelers. Taxi federations complain they don't have to meet the same standards as traditional cabbies do, giving them an unfair price advantage.

Judge Jeanne Lannoy highlighted those differences in her ruling, pointing to the professional and medical qualifications of the driver, the state of the vehicle and insurance coverage.

Uber said in a statement that the court's decision can be challenged on appeal and hoped Brussels would soon change its rules to allow it to offer its services for tech-savvy customers.

"We will stand by our driver partner supporting him until the end of the legal proceeding and beyond," it said.

Sam Bouchal of the Brussels taxi federation welcomed the ruling and said it should serve as a cautionary tale. "It should make others think twice before they start illegal activities," he said.

https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/uber-drivers-beware-car-risk-154752885.html
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Manchester to fit Light Boxes to Hacks

Manchester has changed policy on Hackney Carriages from Today May 5.

An illuminated box showing the vehicle plate Number must be fitted to all Hacks presented for test.

The boxes look a mess, must be fitted on the partition, on the drivers side and be illuminated whenever the ignition is on.

They cost £30 plus £15 fitting. The most astonishing thing is they have been requested by Trade representatives.

What other trade would ask for a bill for its members of nearly £50 grand. ?

This is one of the first fitted. It has however been fitted on the wrong side of the partition, but, this is Manchester, who cares. ?

A rape victim has waived her right to anonymity in a bid to warn other women about the perils of getting into an unlicensed taxi.

Sarah Thompson, 21, from Irthlingborough, Northants, has opened up about her ordeal at the hands of Shakeel Ahmed, a man she presumed to be an official taxi driver and urges other women to always take care when travelling late at night.

The attack took place two years ago, but in an interview with The Sun, she said: 'I have panic attacks and struggle with physical contact ever since the attack.'


Miss Thompson, who was raped in March 2013, felt compelled to make her story public after the tragic death of Ceri Linden, a 20-year-old student who killed herself after she was kidnapped and raped by a fake cabbie.

The carer said: 'I want to get the message across that it's just not worth getting into an unmarked taxi for the sake of a night out. It changed my life forever.'

Miss Thompson, who was 19 at the time, had been celebrating a friend's 21st birthday in Birmingham when she decided to return to her hotel at 2.30am.

She headed to the taxi rank and jumped into Shakeel Ahmed's car, not knowing he wasn't a taxi driver at all.

She recalled: 'I don't know the city [of Birmingham] very well so didn't realise he was driving me in the opposite direction to my hotel.

'I had no idea anything was wrong until he pulled over on the side of a quiet road and I froze with fear. 

'I was in the passenger seat and all of a sudden he leant over and started kissing me aggressively. 
'I tried to back away but he was much stronger than me and I couldn't get away. I was terrified that if I fought back any more he'd kill me.

'I closed my eyes to try and block it out, but as he climbed over his heavy weight pinned me into the seat. '

Miss Thompson was so scared at this point that she passed out. 

'When I came round he was still on top of me. I felt sick.' 


The traumatised teenager, who was then only 19, managed to escape after Mr Ahmed climbed off her, and raced through the streets crying hysterically.

She was rescued by a licensed taxi driver, transporting two other women home. Terrified that he was another predator, Miss Thompson initially carried on running as the vehicle slowed down next to her. 

However, the car's driver recognising her distress sent his female passengers to talk to her. 
They called the police and she was taken into a local police station, where she was interviewed, examined and swabbed.

'I felt sore and tender, I had no idea what he'd done to me,' she recalled. 

She called in sick to work that Monday was still in shock. She said: 'It all felt surreal. I just wanted the nightmare to be over and for my life to return to what it was before. I was constantly on edge and suffered anxiety.

'Initially I was angry at myself for not checking the taxi was registered, but then I realised I didn't deserve what happened.' 

A month after the attack, Mr Ahmed was captured and arrested after police tracked his movements on the night in question on CCTV, then matched his DNA to Miss Thompson's clothes. 

'I was relieved that he'd been caught, but it didn't help with my anxiety. I was advised to attend a sexual health clinic to take a pregnancy test, which came back negative. 

'But when they told me he was a drug user I was beside myself with worry that I'd be HIV positive.'
It took three months for Miss Thompson to get the all-clear. 

Mr Ahmed, then 31, was later found guilty of sexual assault by penetration after an eight-day trial at Birmingham crown caught, nine months after the attack. 

Miss Thompson gave evidence from behind a screen. 

 'I want to get the message across that it's just not worth getting into an unmarked taxi for the sake of a night out. It changed my life forever

'It was awful having to relive it,' she said. 'Out of all the "taxis" to get into that night, I can't believe I was unlucky enough to pick that one.'

She added: 'I'd always wondered why I had sat in the passenger's seat that night but police believe he locked the back doors so I had no choice.'

Her life has been changed irrevocably, and she doesn't think her life will ever return to normal. The carefree young woman is gone.

She said: 'I haven't been drunk since. Now, I'm always the designated driver on nights out.'
Miss Thompson also urges women to book taxis in advance.

'You never really think that something like this is going to happen to you, but it has to me, and does to hundreds of others.

'I don't want anyone to have to go through what I did. I'm speaking out to warn others: never get into an unlicensed cab.' 

http://goo.gl/w4KKdn

Uber USA study by Princetown University.

This is a study of Uber's and its 'Partners' Operation taken in the USA last year, Dec 14.

It is in depth and much may be slanted in Uber's favour, particularly as part of the survey questions Uber driver's and if they gave the wrong answers they may have action taken against them.

One fact we can take as true, however is 160,000 Uber drivers were paid $ 656,800,000 in Dec 14

Now breaking that down.

656800 div by 160 equals 4105

An average driver grossed 4105 dollars per month.

Convert that rate to £s at todays post office rate of 0.5814

4015 times 0.5814 equals £2387 (rounded up)

A driver averaged £2387 per month last December.

2387 x 12 div by 52 equals £551 per week 
.
That is gross, the driver has to pay Car finance, Insurance and Fuel out of that.

Uber's finance deal to provide Cars for its driver's is with Santander Bank. Santander offer a car on lease at $200 (£116) per week for the first year, reducing to $175 (£102) a week  for the second year onward.

Perhaps UBER is not the 'Utopia' we are all lead to believe.

https://s3.amazonaws.com/uber-static/comms/PDF/Uber_Driver-Partners_Hall_Kreuger_2015.pdf

Cashless taxi service Uber continues its drive across

Greater Manchester with launches in Bolton, Bury 

and Oldham

Private hire taxi companies say other operators will have to compete, and insist that their customers prefer the personal touch

Smartphone taxi service Uber is launching cars in three more Greater Manchester towns.

The cashless, US-based firm, which is already on the roads of central Manchester and the surrounding areas, has branched out into Bolton, Bury and Oldham.

Uber brands itself as a ‘technology platform’ that connects customers with its fleet of licenced private hire drivers through a downloadable smartphone app. Customers book and pay through the app.

But established private hire taxi companies have previously hit out, claiming Uber could take business and drivers away from them.
Private hire drivers in Bolton threatened to go on strike in protest at one point, but have since backed down.

The firm said its new offering, the UberX service, offers 20 per cent cheaper fares than those already in place in Manchester city centre. The trip from Bolton Bus Station to the Royal Bolton Hospital in Farnworth would cost £4.60 and Bury to Manchester city cent​re​​​ would cost £14.80.

Drivers locate passengers who have booked through GPS and alerts are send.

Private hire taxi firms in the three new areas said companies would have to compete for business.

Jay Khan, who runs firms in Oldham including Chadderton Cars, Broadway Cars and Express Cars, said he didn’t believe Uber would take off in smaller towns as the firm has done in larger cities.

He said: “Our customers would rather talk to a person rather than a computer, or no one. It is a personal service.

“My view is that it is competition. We have to accept it and get on with it. There is nothing really we can do about it. The best thing we can do is to compete. We will make sure our standards and services are up to scratch.”

Max Lines, Uber’s general manager for Greater Manchester, said all Uber drivers in the UK have passed a Disclosure and Barring Service check, are licensed by the relevant local authority and insured as private hire drivers. They all carry full commercial insurance.

He said: “We’re delighted to be bringing UberX to more towns. From the growth we have seen in Manchester we know the people in the region love Uber, so we are really excited to opening the app to more people in the area.”

The firm also operates in Salford, Rochdale and Stockport. They have also applied to Trafford council to operate there.

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/uber-launch-bolton-bury-oldham-9165954
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Comment

Uber's publicity machine in operation again.They launch yesterday in Bolton and Bury, but as we know they have had those vehicles working here in Manchester for the last month.

They now operate in 8 of the 10 Greater Manchester Area's.

I have received this account of a Public Protection meeting held on Thursday night in Trafford. I do not have specific permission to share it with you, it is from a Licensing officer, but his comments indicate I may go ahead and publish anyway.......


Max Lines from UBER attended the Public Protection meeting last night. He is a young and plausible person. He is the General manager of UBER for Greater Manchester. To date UBER have Operator Licences in the following Greater Manchester Boroughs; Manchester, Stockport, Salford, Bury, Bolton, Rochdale, and now Trafford.

The Trafford office which is nothing more than a virtual office a bit like the Carlsberg Complaints Office, is based at Empress Business Park on Chester Road Old Trafford.

He runs a team of fiver persons split into Driver Operations and marketing and Customer relations. He was asked what percentage of the market UBER currently have across Greater Manchester and what percentage they hope to achieve. He refused to answer that question citing commercial sensitivities. He said that UBER are currently recruiting drivers in Bolton and now hope to do the same in Trafford.

If a customer currently uses the UBER application in Trafford to get a Taxi they will get most likely a Manchester Licensed Private Hire Cab and of course reminded the Committee that this is perfectly legal.

As I said to him there is no way of knowing where the Taxi that accepts a job is Licensed because the system is set up to alert the nearest UBER Taxi to the customer. So you could get the ridiculous situation of an UBER based Birmingham Taxi being at Manchester Airport dropping off and accepting a job in Wythenshawe because they are the nearest cab to the customer.

He was unable to answer any legal questions because he was not qualified to do so. He talked in general terms about how they operate and how their innovative approach is changing the market much to the chagrin of the traditional market. He did say that UBER do not use out of town Hackney Carriages and have a deliberate policy of not doing so.

I have requested he supplies the Committee with a copy of the UK terms and conditions for UBER Customers and the terms and conditions as they apply to drivers they sign up and ‘on board’ to their platform. We will see if that materialises. He was asked a question about whom the Contract is with when a customer uses the application to order a Taxi. He did not understand the concept of contract. He just says UBER pair the customer with the ‘self-employed’ driver. He did not seem to appreciate that the Operator too has an overriding duty of care to the customer! 


I asked him about fare structure. UBER have a base fare of £1.50 and in addition you pay £1.30 per mile and 15p for every minute you are in the taxi. 

On records he was adamant that UBER comply with Licensing authorities and will supply information upon request and he also said UBER operate a zero tolerance approach to plying for hire. If any of their drivers are caught they are removed from the UBER platform. On Customer care he said they review driver feedback and those drivers getting poor reviews are brought in for training/ review and that they use drivers who get high rated customer feedback to do this. He said UBER have a high bar. Those drivers not up to scratch will get removed from their platform!

They expect to start ‘onboarding’ Trafford Private Hire Drivers in the near future. He said he wanted Trafford business to go to Trafford Licensed Drivers and Taxis but I doubt his sincerity on that because UBER cannot guarantee which driver from which authority is getting the job. When I get the responses to my questions which had to be tabled due to time constraints I will provide you with the answers, if we ever get them. Please feel free to share this email with your colleagues. This is my take on what occurred at the meeting last night. Regards 

ENDS.
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On a National note, I am currently working with a the National Private Hire Association on a spreadsheet of the Authorities in the UK where Uber have licenses. I am not at Liberty to show you this as it is an ongoing project.

However I can tell you that Uber are Licenced in 20 area's with applications pending in another 11 area's (one of which is Trafford)

I will of course update you when possible, however if you are in a rush and need the info NOW, you could always ask the MCR branch of UNITE. God help you.

More than 100 potential taxi drivers have come forward to take part in a new training scheme to help struggling families.

As previously reported in the Chronicle, owner of LA Taxis Rob Armstrong has put up thousands of pounds of his own cash to put cabbies through their test and pay for cars.

Rob – who built up the business from scratch – wants to help disadvantaged families by giving them a start in their career.

And today, following an article in the Chronicle, he said he had been inundated with calls and enquiries from people wanting to take part in the course.

Rob, who also owns MTrec Recruitment, said more than 100 people had been in touch. The 50-year-old said: “I’m prepared to invest time and my own money into helping people from the North East.

“The ability for us to buy cars for people is a massive part of this.

“What better way to help someone than to give them the means and future for their family. The offer is open to men and women and people who want to be in the industry.”

As part of the package, Rob will pay for a medical, a CRB check, healthy safety and customer service training and will pay for a car worth £12,000.


Following the training, designed through Profound Training in Peterlee, County Durham, drivers will be able to work for Rob’s company for as many hours as they wish to a week.

Rob said: “I hope to help as many people as possible to become professional drivers.

“It’s a brilliant opportunity for people. I am putting my trust in people and paying for a vehicle.”

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/la-taxi-boss-donating-thousands-9153192

Comment: What a heart lifting story. He seems a lovely man. Such a nice man in fact I would not be surprised if, after his "Donation" he would not mind if you joined Uber instead of paying him Radio Rent.

Getting a taxi to work? You’ll be forking out more cash as taxi fares are set to increase by an estimated 4% today.

The fare hike comes just one day before Dublin Bus and Bus Eireann drivers begin their planned strike action over the privatisation of some of their routes.

So, what’s the increase going to cost you? 

Currently there are two different rates and six different tariffs – this is reducing to two fare bands, A and B.

The standard rate charge, between 8am and 8pm, has been reduced to €3.60 from €4.10.

For Premium rates, on Sundays and Bank Holidays, between the same times, the charge will be set at €4.

Under the new structure more regular fares will show a very slight increase of a few cent. The charge per kilometre will also increase from €1.03 to €1.10. Passengers will be charged €1.40 at premium times. For journeys over 15 kilometre the charge goes from €1.45 to €1.75. 

Booking fees and charges for additional carried passengers will remain the same.

Taxi fares have not increased in Ireland since 2008.

Lynk, Dublin’s taxi app, CEO and Spokesman Noel Ebbs said there is some confusion among drivers as to whether or not this actually is an increase due to the method in which fares are calculated

https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/getting-taxi-today-ll-cost-more-usual-064359757--finance.html
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Hungary on Thursday became the latest European Union country to launch a probe into Uber, the popular but controversial taxi app for mobile phones.

"A tax audit of the local unit of ridesharing company Uber has been ordered," the economy ministry said in a statement. 
"Uber is operating in Hungary without paying any substantive taxes and often failing to comply with rules governing the taxi profession," it said. 

Uber puts customers in touch with private drivers at prices lower than those of traditional taxis but is facing legal challenges and limits on its activities.

Taxi firms are furious because they say Uber drivers should be regulated the same way as normal cabs.


Uber earlier this month filed complaints with the EU against France, Germany and Spain, hitting back at efforts to ban it from the continent's streets.

Uber said efforts by national governments to shut it down breached EU laws on competition and the single market.

In Budapest, Uber advertises a base fare of 300 forints (0.98 euros, $1.11) and 130 forints per kilometre.

Under a decree in force from last September, the base fare for taxis operating in Budapest was set at 450 forints and the per kilometre fee at 280 forints.

https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/hungary-latest-eu-country-probe-173431801.html
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ROSSENDALE

A learner driver struck a taxi after spinning out of control on a main road near Bacup in the early hours of New Year’s Day, an inquest heard. 

Kristopher Hanson, 27, had offered a lift to Isaac Taylor and Dylan Watson shortly before a crash which claimed his life in Newchurch Road, Burnley Coroner’s Court was told.

But shortly after setting off Mr Taylor urged Mr Hanson to pull over because of the erratic nature of his driving, the inquest heard. 
Mr Hanson’s silver Vauxhall Corsa overtook a dark car. 

After veering onto the opposite side of the road he performed an ‘aggressive or exaggerated manoeuvre’ to correct his driving, which forced the car into a spin. 

The Corsa struck a taxi, which was being driven by Wajid Hussain in the opposite direction, before coming to rest close to a stone wall, the court was told. 

Mr Hanson was taken to the Salford Royal Hospital, but died at around 4.20am from brain and head injuries. 

His passengers and the occupants of the taxi, Mr Hussain and his female fare, all suffered minor injuries, Police accident investigator PC Philip Walker confirmed that no blood alcohol sample was obtained due to an error at the hospital. 

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/12919264.___Erratic____learner_driver_died_after_spinning_into_taxi_on_New_Year___s_Day/?ref=rss

GLASGOW

A WOMAN was sexually assaulted after getting into a car which may have been a taxi.

A man and woman helped the 23-year-old into the vehicle in Renfield Street, Glasgow, at around 1.35am on Monday April 13.

The car then drove off towards Great Western Road, where the woman was subjected to a sexual assault near the Lincoln Inn.

Before getting into the vehicle the woman had been eating in Bistro Takeaway on Renfield Street at around 1am.

Police are trying to establish whether the vehicle the victim got into was a taxi or a private car.

They are also keen to speak to the man and woman who helped her into the vehicle.

Detective Inspector Greg Wilkie said: “We are in the process of reviewing CCTV images and are keen to speak to anyone who was within Bistro Takeaway, Renfield Street or anyone who was on Great Western Road who may have information which could assist our investigation.

“We are still trying to establish if the car the woman got into was a licensed cab or a private car. I would urge anyone with any knowledge or information to contact us as a matter of urgency.”

http://www.scotsman.com/news/scotland/top-stories/woman-sexually-assaulted-after-getting-in-taxi-1-3753997
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Chester 'fake taxi' rape trial accused gives evidence

Crown court jury hears defendant accessed online porn before offence alleged to have taken place

Analysis of a laptop seized from the home of a man standing trial for rape revealed that pornographic videos and images were accessed minutes before the offence is alleged to have occurred.

Masood Mansouri, 33, of Shannon Close in Saltney, took the stand in the hearing at Chester Crown Court on Friday (April 24).

He is accused of the kidnap, rape and sexual assault of a young woman from Colwyn Bay during the early hours of August 10 last year.

Prosecution claim that the 20-year-old got in Mansouri’s car after mistaking it for a taxi to take her and two friends to Bar 69 in Boughton and that he took her to his home where he carried out the sex attack.

Seven days laster, she committed suicide.

http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/news/chester-fake-taxi-rape-trial-9115102
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BATH

Driver to compensate man who jumped out of his moving taxi
A Bath man who suffered severe brain damage after jumping out of a moving taxi will receive damages from the cabbie who "abducted" him.

Kristopher Hicks leapt from the vehicle after believing he was being held against his will. London's High Court heard driver Michael Young, who was travelling at more than 20mph, formed the view Kristopher and his girlfriend, were not going to pay the fare, and had instead planned to "do a runner".
To teach the couple a lesson he decided to drive them back to the taxi rank, causing them as much inconvenience as he could.

Mr Justice Edis said there was no basis for Michael's belief and Kristopher, who found himself being driven off by a stranger, decided to escape.
The end result is that the claimant decided to jump out of the taxi at a dangerous speed. I do not know why he did this.

It may have been that he misjudged the speed and thought it was safe to do so, but the true motive will never be known.

– MR JUSTICE EDIS

He said Kristopher was driven away from his home unlawfully for about three-quarters of a mile which, taken on its own, would be an irritating and unsettling incident, but not one with serious consequences.

Kristopher has never been able to speak to anyone about the incident after a night out in the city in November 2010, when he was 23.

Both sides were given permission to appeal.

http://www.itv.com/news/west/update/2015-04-24/driver-to-compensate-man-who-jumped-out-of-his-moving-taxi/