Uber spared from London ban despite 'historical failings' [Update #42]

[Extra_Cover]

Uber has lost its operating licence in London after a shock ruling by the capital’s transport body.

The ride-hailing app will no longer be able to offer services in their current form within the M25, despite the firm claiming 3.5 million Londoners use its app each week.

Transport for London (TfL) announced its decision on Friday.

The authority wrote in its decision: “TfL has concluded that Uber London Limited is not fit and proper to hold a private hire operator licence.”

As many as 40,000 Uber drivers will potentially now be forced off the city’s streets.
Uber is the subject of fierce opposition from the GMB trade union and the Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association.

The decision will stun the global taxi tech firm which is still reeling from a series of PR blunders, allegations of sexism, and the departure of its embattled chief executive.

Private operating licences are awarded for a period of five years by TfL, after which operators must re-apply.

 

[JaDed]

The reasoning was?

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

The reasoning was?

They can give whatever reason they want, clearly it's to protect the existing private hire industry that was operating before the arrival of Uber.

Absolute shocker of a decision because London is probably the place which needs it the most.

 

[hadi123]

Uber stripped of London licence

Uber’s application for a new licence in London has been rejected on the basis that the company is not a “fit and proper” private car hire operator.

Uber said it planned to challenge the ruling by London’s transport authority in the courts immediately.

The current licence expires on 30 September but Uber has 21 days to appeal and can continue to operate until that process expires.

Transport for London said that it had rejected the US ride-hailing company’s application to renew its licence because “Uber’s approach and conduct demonstrate a lack of corporate responsibility” in relation to reporting serious criminal offences, obtaining medical certificates and driver background checks.

The licensing body also said it was concerned by Uber’s use of of Greyball, software that can be used to block regulatory bodies from gaining full access to its app and undertaking regulatory or law enforcement duties.

The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said he fully supported the decision to revoke Uber’s licence, saying all companies needed to “play by the rules”.

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

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

“I fully support TfL’s decision – it would be wrong if TfL continued to license Uber if there is any way that this could pose a threat to Londoners’ safety and security.”

Uber said in a statement that the decision would “show the world that, far from being open, London is closed to innovative companies”.

“3.5 million Londoners who use our app, and more than 40,000 licensed drivers who rely on Uber to make a living, will be astounded by this decision,” the company added.

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

James Farrar, a co-claimant in a landmark employment tribunal decision against Uber and chair of the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain’s private hire drivers’ branch, said TfL’s decision would be a “devastating blow” for the company’s drivers.

“To strip Uber of its licence after five years of laissez-faire regulation is a testament to a systemic failure at TfL,” Farrar said.

“Rather than banish Uber, TfL should have strengthened its regulatory oversight, curbed runaway licensing and protected the worker rights of drivers. The mayor must call for an urgent independent review of TfL to identify the causes of failure and prevent something like this from ever happening again.”

In London, Uber has faced criticism from unions, lawmakers and traditional black cab drivers over working conditions.

Globally, Uber has endured a tumultuous few months after a string of scandals involving allegations of sexism and bullying at the company, leading to investor pressure that forced out former chief executive and co-founder Travis Kalanick.

The company has been forced to quit several countries including Denmark and Hungary, and has faced regulatory battles in multiple US states and countries around the world.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/sep/22/uber-licence-transport-for-london-tfl

 

[carbon11]

Poor mangetars are working as slaves driving people home for 3 pounds the same people who they are taking home have probably spent 300-400 wining and dining on a night out , if that was me they would get a massive right hand jab in their face only a mug would work for such a company , these white peoples must be over the moon that they have slaves like this on hand with a tap of a button

Uber is pure Slavery and exploitation you have people working for crisp and chocalate money spending 15+ hours driving to take anything what's called a survivable acceptable income home

 

[carbon11]

They can give whatever reason they want, clearly it's to protect the existing private hire industry that was operating before the arrival of Uber.

Absolute shocker of a decision because London is probably the place which needs it the most.

I believe it will be overturned it's just to keep the gmb and poweful black cab lobby happy Atm

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Poor mangetars are working as slaves driving people home for 3 pounds the same people who they are taking home have probably spent 300-400 wining and dining on a night out , if that was me they would get a massive right hand jab in their face only a mug would work for such a company , these white peoples must be over the moon that they have slaves like this on hand with a tap of a button

Uber is pure Slavery and exploitation you have people working for crisp and chocalate money spending 15+ hours driving to take anything what's called a survivable acceptable income home

No one is forcing the mangetars to come here and work for a pittance. They could stay at home and provide cheap labour to stitch clothes for Primark instead.

 

[King-Misbah]

Poor mangetars are working as slaves driving people home for 3 pounds the same people who they are taking home have probably spent 300-400 wining and dining on a night out , if that was me they would get a massive right hand jab in their face only a mug would work for such a company , these white peoples must be over the moon that they have slaves like this on hand with a tap of a button

Uber is pure Slavery and exploitation you have people working for crisp and chocalate money spending 15+ hours driving to take anything what's called a survivable acceptable income home

I think your wrong; a lot of drivers are making good money on Uber. If that was not that case then they would switch to private hire or black cab.

 

[Deewana Mastana]

Uber's service overall in the last 2 years especially in London has been pretty poor and not to mention that they've put their prices up and less cars with the waiting times being far more than what they should be because they only have a few thousand cars where as the number of riders are in millions.

 

[Gabbar Singh]

In an era where the big multinationals always get what they want it’s refreshing to see one of them get a little beating here by Mayor Khan and his team.

I think this will all work out for the best - Uber will now have to address the issues at hand (proper criminal checks for their drivers etc) and once they’ve done so they’ll come back and appeal this decision and win.

 

[Sidilicious]

Ridiculous decision. Uber made taking taxis so much more convenient and cheap.

 

[Amir]

In an era where the big multinationals always get what they want it’s refreshing to see one of them get a little beating here by Mayor Khan and his team.

I think this will all work out for the best - Uber will now have to address the issues at hand (proper criminal checks for their drivers etc) and once they’ve done so they’ll come back and appeal this decision and win.

Shockign you see Uber as the big multinational. Sure it probably more valued but it is still a start up.

At the end of the day, Uber is nothing more than technology. And you can't stop technology from progressing. I see Uber as a market place. Just connecting me to regular people who want to give me a ride. Its no different than me making an arrangement with my neighbour where I tell him I will give him 5 dollars for every day he drives me to work. That is a private agreement between two people.

If not Uber, something else will turn out. Toronto cab service is terrible. Overcharge and rude. Never have I got a rude Uber driver.

 

[carbon11]

I think your wrong; a lot of drivers are making good money on Uber. If that was not that case then they would switch to private hire or black cab.

Not really due to the amount of drivers now in the uk , they are working 15+ hours to make decent money , that is a health and safety issue spending 3/4 of your day driving , and the low rate fares is tantamount to exploitation , no wonder so many of these uber drivers drift outside London into areas not governed by tfl to pick up fares in lucrative rich areas outside greater London which is causing uproar with local drivers and councils , they are exploiting a loop hole in the law of cross border hiring .

If uber was so good how come most of the drivers are immigrants , let me tell you English people would never work for uber ,it's a mugs game the drivers are only working for uber due to desperation and no other option of work or basically too inept to up their skills level and get a better trade or just hesitant to do a physical demanding job and rather be content to sit in a seat all day and kill their health in the process . These uber passengers are laughing they are literally being transported around for free and treating the driver as some footstool

As for private hire one if it is run by cowboy Asians you have to be their mate or really have to be their Slave if you want them to give you decent work you are at the controllers mercy

Any decent private hire firm run by white people or executive service will never employ inexperienced mangetar uber drivers who might crash into a lamppost they want smart knowledgable professional drivers with top English and charge premium rates.

Also private hire firms generally speaking protect and back up the driver if any altercation happens with a customer uber doesn't it shafts the drivers.

As for black cab you should know it is one of the hardest test in the world and you are rigoursly checked interviewed and tested before u get your badge it can take 5yrs , our mangetars don't have the brain capacity, rubbish English , alongside having the desi mentality of taking the easy and short cut option there is no way they are doing the london knowledge , if they did have brains whilst working for uber they would be studying the london knowledge and then drive passsngers for a real fare and have some self respect.



Uber passengers are nothing but ex bus riders or just cheapskates wanting a ride home that is more or less free , period .

London also has problem with congestion which has got worse with uber due to the influx of more drivers plus more people using uber because it's cheap and basically a free p iss take to get around instead of using the bus train walking cycling ,

 

[sshakir411]

Pretty lame reasoning to be honest. Uber is here to stay and the quicker London works something out with them the better it will be.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Not really due to the amount of drivers now in the uk , they are working 15+ hours to make decent money , that is a health and safety issue spending 3/4 of your day driving , and the low rate fares is tantamount to exploitation , no wonder so many of these uber drivers drift outside London into areas not governed by tfl to pick up fares in lucrative rich areas outside greater London which is causing uproar with local drivers and councils , they are exploiting a loop hole in the law of cross border hiring .

If uber was so good how come most of the drivers are immigrants , let me tell you English people would never work for uber ,it's a mugs game the drivers are only working for uber due to desperation and no other option of work or basically too inept to up their skills level and get a better trade or just hesitant to do a physical demanding job and rather be content to sit in a seat all day and kill their health in the process . These uber passengers are laughing they are literally being transported around for free and treating the driver as some footstool

As for private hire one if it is run by cowboy Asians you have to be their mate or really have to be their Slave if you want them to give you decent work you are at the controllers mercy

Any decent private hire firm run by white people or executive service will never employ inexperienced mangetar uber drivers who might crash into a lamppost they want smart knowledgable professional drivers with top English and charge premium rates.

Also private hire firms generally speaking protect and back up the driver if any altercation happens with a customer uber doesn't it shafts the drivers.

As for black cab you should know it is one of the hardest test in the world and you are rigoursly checked interviewed and tested before u get your badge it can take 5yrs , our mangetars don't have the brain capacity, rubbish English , alongside having the desi mentality of taking the easy and short cut option there is no way they are doing the london knowledge , if they did have brains whilst working for uber they would be studying the london knowledge and then drive passsngers for a real fare and have some self respect.



Uber passengers are nothing but ex bus riders or just cheapskates wanting a ride home that is more or less free , period .

London also has problem with congestion which has got worse with uber due to the influx of more drivers plus more people using uber because it's cheap and basically a free p iss take to get around instead of using the bus train walking cycling ,

I have got news for you, the whole economy runs on cheap labour, why do you think I said your mangetar could always go back to wherever he came from and stitch clothes for Primark? If the British employers have such high values then they should manufacture in Britain and pay fair wages. Not to mention sell British produce instead of importing from all over the world and flogging in the supermarkets. Uber raised the game for taxis, there's no going back. Even Brexit politicians were still planning on replacing Europe with former colonies for cheap labour and trade deals so the mangetar will always find a way.

 

[JaDed]

They can give whatever reason they want, clearly it's to protect the existing private hire industry that was operating before the arrival of Uber.

Absolute shocker of a decision because London is probably the place which needs it the most.

It's a shocker,but Britain seems to be on a roll with such decisions offlate.

The bias is obvious from far, not saying Uber is great but consumers are losers here in one of the biggest global cities of the world.

 

[carbon11]

I have got news for you, the whole economy runs on cheap labour, why do you think I said your mangetar could always go back to wherever he came from and stitch clothes for Primark? If the British employers have such high values then they should manufacture in Britain and pay fair wages. Not to mention sell British produce instead of importing from all over the world and flogging in the supermarkets. Uber raised the game for taxis, there's no going back. Even Brexit politicians were still planning on replacing Europe with former colonies for cheap labour and trade deals so the mangetar will always find a way.

That's exploitation abroad , we're talking inside Britain , after brexit immigration and low skilled workers living 35 to a house will be over and British workers being undercut will be gone

The uk know it's has to have a high tech economy and invest in manufacturing with skilled workers not low skilled job economy flooded by foreigners

 

[Syed1]

Another step backwards by the Brits. The country has whole-heartedly decided that it will part ways with her feet by employing an axe.

 

[Specialisttailender]

40,000 drivers out of job in one day. This is terrible, at least give time for drivers to find other jobs.

 

[Sidilicious]

No one is forcing the mangetars to come here and work for a pittance. They could stay at home and provide cheap labour to stitch clothes for Primark instead.

why make things personal and bring her fiancé into this?

I don't agree with her point of view, but best not to ridicule.

 

[carbon11]

I'm not a women mate I'm a British born Pakistani man whose married to a British born Iraqi Kurd women

When I meant mangetar I meant in reference to the freshies who have come to the uk I.e they have been bought over to the uk manganad over to the uk

 

[Sidilicious]

I'm not a women mate I'm a British born Pakistani man whose married to a British born Iraqi Kurd women

When I meant mangetar I meant in reference to the freshies who have come to the uk I.e they have been bought over to the uk manganad over to the uk

Apologies. But your stance is ridiculous.

You obviously have no idea of how economies work.

Firstly, if there were better jobs in the UK then those people would have left those jobs and taken the better jobs. Since they haven't, its obvious that its their best option. If they want to do cabbing, do you know how difficult it is to become a black cabbie? Uber allows low skilled workers to earn a living without high investments like black cab drivers.

Secondly, if there is a problem with finding the jobs in the UK, then just as captain mentioned, they should have stayed where they came from.

And finally, stopping an industry that is creating so much value for its consumers, goes against simple economics. Up until last year, when I used to use Uber regularly in London, it was way more convenient and slightly cheaper than taking a black cab.

 

[Robert]

Good.

 

[Syed1]

Good.

What's so bad about Uber?

 

[shaz619]

I know a lot of you guys are complaining about pay and it may not be incredibly amazing but it's better for these guys then being unemployed, this country has gone to the dogs outside the united kingdom of brum. Also, a lot of these uber guys do this job part-time and are guaranteed a certain amount; at times taxi bases can exploit their employees especially those whom they have a bit of leverage on. There are some good people out there and some of them are my friends, I don't want them or their family's to suffer; those who want to kill this off, I will only respect your opinion when you get to a point where you're looking through bins for food.

 

[Pakistanian]

Shockign you see Uber as the big multinational. Sure it probably more valued but it is still a start up.

At the end of the day, Uber is nothing more than technology. And you can't stop technology from progressing. I see Uber as a market place. Just connecting me to regular people who want to give me a ride. Its no different than me making an arrangement with my neighbour where I tell him I will give him 5 dollars for every day he drives me to work. That is a private agreement between two people.

If not Uber, something else will turn out. Toronto cab service is terrible. Overcharge and rude. Never have I got a rude Uber driver.

Try Lyft, it's much better.

 

[Robert]

What's so bad about Uber?

Gig economy means little worker rights, attitude to safety of women passengers, low crime reporting rate, questions about vehicle safety checks.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Gig economy means little worker rights, attitude to safety of women passengers, low crime reporting rate, questions about vehicle safety checks.

A lot of those concerns seem like legal conditions. If Uber wasn't complying with them then they would never have been allowed to operate in the first place.

 

[carbon11]

A lot of those concerns seem like legal conditions. If Uber wasn't complying with them then they would never have been allowed to operate in the first place.

Uber never complied in the first place it is a Zionist cartel that pressurised and gave out backhanders to the corrupt tfl , George Osborne , David Cameron and that clown who was the mayor bojo , these people had interests in this company .
They deliberetly changed the law of cross border hiring to facilitate and give uber a freehand across uk , result it decimated the taxi industry and the earnings of the drivers across the uk , there is a reason people are moaning when in places like Bristol u have London plated cars operating by drivers who would never pass the local test it has put the local cabbies out of business because some Somalian is taking drunk prostitutes home for a fiver . Things like this lead to racism and brexit , this low wage low skill labour service type industry with huge flow of cheap immigrants is not good for our people here as well because it builds resentment amongst the local whites and handicaps the whole population into worthlessness , what you need is high skilled or educated workforce with a strong manufacturing sector like Germany like Japan


Uber has been banned in many cities across Europe and it has for a very good reason I think Denmark France Belgium Italy got rid of uber.

And I'm pretty sure even though it will be a long drawn process , london will kick it out as well there's no way the uk will allow a company using third world working conditions to run amok across the uk with immigrant drivers who could have been raping and killing in Somalia or Nigeria or something no dbs check will find that out what the immigrant did back in his own country , There are rules regulations and standards for a reason


To be honest this is the only thing sadiq Khan has done of any substance whilst he has been mayor .

 

[irfan]

Nothing to do with Sadiq, it was the licensing sub committee's decision, he doesn't have a veto but is genrally supporting the decision. However, I expect Uber to be back , they are owned by banksters and of course the right words will be said to people who run the banking mafia fiefdom that is known as London.

I am all for disruptive technology & certainly another app/platform should replace it but Uber is not the answer, their only aim is to make money for the 1% who have invested in them and currently subsidising it.Yes Uber is cheap if you take the face value of the fare only, however it doesn't factor in the cost all taxpayers have to pay to subsidise their drivers through working tax credits & building & maintaining the roads they drive on. There is something wrong with a globalist banker funded company that exploits employment law to say its drivers are not their employees, that uses tax laws to ensure they pay only £411k in tax per year. & that uses software to avoid regulatory scrutiny.

 

[The Viper]

Uber stripped of London licence over passenger safety risk

Transport bosses identified "a pattern of failures", but ride-hailing app firm says the decision is "extraordinary and wrong".

Uber has been stripped of its London operating licence by the regulator over a series of breaches that put passenger safety at risk.

Transport for London (TfL) said it has identified "a pattern of failures" by the ride-hailing app firm which led it to conclude that it "is not fit and proper at this time".

Uber said it would the challenge the "extraordinary and wrong" decision.

The company has 21 days to appeal and can continue to operate throughout the process.

A key breach found was a change to Uber's systems that allowed unauthorised drivers to upload their photos to other legitimate driver accounts.

This let them pick up passengers as though they were the booked Uber driver on at least 14,000 trips, which meant all those journeys were uninsured, TfL said.

Some also took place with unlicensed drivers, including one who had previously had their licence revoked, the regulator added.

Another failing identified allowed dismissed or suspended drivers to create an Uber account and carry passengers.

While TfL recognised Uber had taken steps to try and tackle problems, it was concerned the firm's systems "seem to have been comparatively easily manipulated".

The regulator also cited other "serious breaches" involving unspecified insurance-related issues.

Other "serious breaches" also occurred, including several "insurance-related issues".

TfL pledged to "closely scrutinise" Uber during the appeal process.

Helen Chapman, director of licensing, regulation and charging at TfL, said: "As the regulator of private hire services in London we are required to make a decision today on whether Uber is fit and proper to hold a licence. Safety is our absolute top priority.

"While we recognise Uber has made improvements, it is unacceptable that Uber has allowed passengers to get into minicabs with drivers who are potentially unlicensed and uninsured.

"It is clearly concerning that these issues arose, but it is also concerning that we cannot be confident that similar issues won't happen again in future.

"If they choose to appeal, Uber will have the opportunity to publicly demonstrate to a magistrate whether it has put in place sufficient measures to ensure potential safety risks to passengers are eliminated.

"If they do appeal, Uber can continue to operate and we will closely scrutinise the company to ensure the management has robust controls in place to ensure safety is not compromised during any changes to the app."

Uber's regional general manager for northern and eastern Europe, Jamie Heywood, said: "TfL's decision not to renew Uber's licence in London is extraordinary and wrong, and we will appeal.

"We have fundamentally changed our business over the last two years and are setting the standard on safety. TfL found us to be a fit and proper operator just two months ago, and we continue to go above and beyond.

"On behalf of the 3.5 million riders and 45,000 licensed drivers who depend on Uber in London, we will continue to operate as normal and will do everything we can to work with TfL to resolve this situation."

Uber was granted a 15-month licence by a judge in June 2018 after it successfully appealed against a TfL decision in September 2017 not to renew its licence amid safety fears.

The firm was handed a two-month extension in September. Its US-listed shares were trading 1% down when financial markets opened.

The company is also continuing its long-running legal battle against giving its drivers basic employment protections, including minimum wage and holiday pay, after an employment tribunal in 2016 found it unlawfully classed drivers as independent contractors.

James Farrar, chair of the the IWGB union's branch which brought the original claim, said the decision was "a hammer blow" to Uber drivers.

He said: "The terrible price of TfL's inability to run a stable regulatory regime and Uber's refusal to play by the rules will be paid for by the most vulnerable workforce in London."

https://news.sky.com/story/uber-stripped-of-operating-licence-in-london-11869888

 

[topspin]

I'm not happy but luckily in London there are many other apps which can provide the same service such as Addison Lee (my second favourite after Uber).

 

[Uzi]

I'm not happy but luckily in London there are many other apps which can provide the same service such as Addison Lee (my second favourite after Uber).

Viavan is a decent alternative.

 

[King-Misbah]

Viavan is a decent alternative.

They are all thrash imo, they dont adequately pay the driver. More then that, from my experience, they treat the drivers badly when theres is a trip issue.

 

[Kroll]

Poor mangetars are working as slaves driving people home for 3 pounds the same people who they are taking home have probably spent 300-400 wining and dining on a night out , if that was me they would get a massive right hand jab in their face only a mug would work for such a company , these white peoples must be over the moon that they have slaves like this on hand with a tap of a button

Uber is pure Slavery and exploitation you have people working for crisp and chocalate money spending 15+ hours driving to take anything what's called a survivable acceptable income home

On the contrary, these are generally unfounded claims. I know some people that have just taken up Uber driving and are doing okay. Yeah, it's not going to make you rich, but can still be a useful means of making average to good/really good money.

Obviously as with most things, the amount you make depends on several factors like how many hours you put in, are you using your own vehicle? etc. And as some have pointed out, you can work whenever you want so it's hardly slave driving (pardon the pun).

Only just this morning, I hired a Uber to go to the airport. The ride was cheap and the banter from the driver was on point so a really good experience from the passenger point of view (the cab was also a BMW 5 Series). When I hired the cab at around 10.30 am, the driver told me he had nearly made his money for the day. He explained he started at 6.30 am when I asked him.

I asked him what his daily target was, he said it was £120 (after the 25% Uber cut). So this is pretty good going for 4 hours of work. He landed a £50 hire earlier so already half way in earning a hundred bucks. So in big cities, it's pretty realistic to do good numbers.

You won't get any employee benefits like sick or holiday pay but these are trade offs with the flexibility you get as an independent contractor. It will be graft as you will need to put hours in but for those that enjoy driving and are sociable, this could actually be a perk of the work.

 

[King-Misbah]

On the contrary, these are generally unfounded claims. I know some people that have just taken up Uber driving and are doing okay. Yeah, it's not going to make you rich, but can still be a useful means of making average to good/really good money.

Obviously as with most things, the amount you make depends on several factors like how many hours you put in, are you using your own vehicle? etc. And as some have pointed out, you can work whenever you want so it's hardly slave driving (pardon the pun).

Only just this morning, I hired a Uber to go to the airport. The ride was cheap and the banter from the driver was on point so a really good experience from the passenger point of view (the cab was also a BMW 5 Series). When I hired the cab at around 10.30 am, the driver told me he had nearly made his money for the day. He explained he started at 6.30 am when I asked him.

I asked him what his daily target was, he said it was £120 (after the 25% Uber cut). So this is pretty good going for 4 hours of work. He landed a £50 hire earlier so already half way in earning a hundred bucks. So in big cities, it's pretty realistic to do good numbers.

You won't get any employee benefits like sick or holiday pay but these are trade offs with the flexibility you get as an independent contractor. It will be graft as you will need to put hours in but for those that enjoy driving and are sociable, this could actually be a perk of the work.

Well, let me tell you the other perspective. The BMW 5 series that you were dropped off in probably has a monthly finance instalment of £300/£350. There is the depreciation of the car to consider. There is also insurance for the car which is at average £70 per week. Furthermore, petrol on average is £80 a week. Do the maths, a driver is already around £230 down a week before s/he makes any money. This is not considering the depreciating asset that they are driving. Lastly, a car on hire excluding the insurance is £100 per week. So driving at £1.40 a mile is diabolical; these are 1980s taxi rates. Don't trust Uber driver, they live in a bubble. They are known as ants for a reason.

Read the web for reviews.

This is one article: Uber driver make £11 an hour. Take away the costs, what are you left with??!? Less then minimum wage in the UK?!?!

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.te...make-11-per-hour-less-company-previously/amp/

This is all confirmed information, I drove for Uber for a few months.

 

[ElRaja]

This is all confirmed information, I drove for Uber for a few months.

you didnt think it was worth it so you left, other people need the money so they persist.

as far as being a user of the app im pretty miffed, there were times an uber got me home when i couldnt think of any other way.

some great stories along the way too, alas id be revealing too much, lololol. good times.

 

[King-Misbah]

you didnt think it was worth it so you left, other people need the money so they persist.

as far as being a user of the app im pretty miffed, there were times an uber got me home when i couldnt think of any other way.

some great stories along the way too, alas id be revealing too much, lololol. good times.

Yes, I used my liberty and left. It was only a gap fill for me tbh. Anyways, not only is the money bad but I personally was threatened twice by customers...once with a knife...I told the company about this but it seems like nothing was done. I dont think such a company should be used or promoted in the western world at very least. However, cheap people who are willing to spend £100+ on a night out but dont have money to pay to an ethical local taxi firm will continue use such companies. These are the same people who cry about rights, pay etc

 

[Kroll]

Well, let me tell you the other perspective. The BMW 5 series that you were dropped off in probably has a monthly finance instalment of £300/£350. There is the depreciation of the car to consider. There is also insurance for the car which is at average £70 per week. Furthermore, petrol on average is £80 a week. Do the maths, a driver is already around £230 down a week before s/he makes any money. This is not considering the depreciating asset that they are driving. Lastly, a car on hire excluding the insurance is £100 per week. So driving at £1.40 a mile is diabolical; these are 1980s taxi rates. Don't trust Uber driver, they live in a bubble. They are known as ants for a reason.

Read the web for reviews.

This is one article: Uber driver make £11 an hour. Take away the costs, what are you left with??!? Less then minimum wage in the UK?!?!

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.te...make-11-per-hour-less-company-previously/amp/

This is all confirmed information, I drove for Uber for a few months.

I appreciate the depreciation and all that jazz. I also appreciate it can be unsafe but it's a big network now so unfortunately, there's always going to be some issues, and this doesn't solely apply to Uber cabs.

Of course, some drivers may be down £250 before they even start the week, but they can still end up with £500 net. The rate p/h may not be that great but it's not strictly a paid per hour job.

Am not saying it's brilliant but it could work out for some people, for others it won't be as good, it depends on various factors as I mentioned. You wouldn't have thousands of drivers on the roads if no money was being made, especially as it's been established for several years now.

There's tons of content about Uber on the net and it is quite mixed, but people tend be more willing to write about negative experiences than positive outcomes. However, it's not uncommon to see stories about Uber drivers making £1000+ per week in places such as London.

There's going to be a lot of churn, of course there is - due to the low barrier of entry and perhaps the lofty claims of Uber itself of making £14 p/h. Some will give it a go for a few months, get bored and move onto the next big thing. Others might stick around a lot longer so can give a more fuller assessment of their experience.

 

[The Viper]

Uber defends business model at UK's Supreme Court

Uber will defend its business model on Tuesday at Britain’s Supreme Court in a battle over rights in the workplace that could have ramifications for millions of Britons earning a living in the gig economy.

In a case brought by two then Uber drivers in London, an employment tribunal ruled in 2016 that they were entitled to workers’ rights such as the minimum wage, paid holidays and rest breaks.

As things stand, Uber drivers are treated as self-employed, meaning they are legally entitled only to minimal protections.

Uber says its practices have been used for decades by private hire vehicles known as minicabs, which cannot be hailed in the street like traditional taxis, and that drivers earn on average more than the minimum wage alongside other benefits.

The Silicon Valley-based company has lost two appeals in the case, prompting it to seek a hearing at the Supreme Court which will consider the matter on Tuesday and Wednesday.

A judgement is not expected until at least October. If Uber loses, the firm is unlikely to be able to appeal again and a further tribunal hearing may be needed to decide how the ruling is applied in practice.

Other firms in the gig economy use a similar business model, where people work for one or more companies without fixed contracts.

Uber faces similar cases elsewhere.

In June, Canada’s top court ruled in favor of a driver in a case that paves the way for a class action suit calling for the company to recognize drivers there as company employees.

Separately, in London, the company is trying to win back its licence after the city’s transport regulator stripped it of its right to operate in November for the second time in just over two years. Its appeal will be heard in September.

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-u...model-at-uks-supreme-court-idUKKCN24L2TE?il=0

 

[WhenSultansBowled]

In a world where people are fighting and getting beaten by police for rights... we have an evil corporation like Uber pushing its modern slavery agenda.

Brought to you by Silicon Valley.

Oh, 'Murica!

 

[Firebat]

Uber spared from London ban despite 'historical failings'

Uber has secured its right to continue operating in London after a judge upheld its appeal against Transport for London (TfL).

The ride-hailing giant has been granted a new licence to work in the capital, nearly a year after TfL rejected its application over safety concerns.

It ends uncertainty for the 45,000 drivers who use the taxi app in London.

Westminster Magistrates' Court said Uber was now a "fit and proper" operator "despite historical failings".

One of the main concerns raised by TfL was a flaw in Uber's system that allowed unauthorised people to upload their photographs to legitimate drivers' accounts, which then allowed them to pick up passengers.

Westminster Magistrates' Court heard that 24 drivers shared their accounts with 20 others which led to 14,788 rides.

Uber's regional general manager for Northern and Eastern Europe, Jamie Heywood, said: "It was not what we would do now. It was inadequate, we could have done better."

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said TfL was "absolutely right" not to renew Uber licence last year but acknowledged the company had "made improvements".

However, he added: "I can assure Londoners that TfL will continue to closely monitor Uber and will not hesitate to take swift action should they fail to meet the strict standards required to protect passengers."

Deputy chief magistrate Tan Ikram said he took Uber's "track-record of regulation breaches" into account but said it had made efforts to address failings and had improved standards.

"Despite their historical failings, I find them, now, to be a fit and proper person to hold a London PHV [private hire vehicle] operator's licence," he said.

The judge said Uber "does not have a perfect record but it has been an improving picture".

"The test as to whether [Uber] are a 'fit and proper person' does not require perfection. I am satisfied that they are doing what a reasonable business in their sector could be expected to do, perhaps even more."

The new licence will run for 18 months and comes with a number of conditions, allowing TfL to closely monitor Uber's adherence to the regulations.

Uber's Mr Heywood said: "This decision is a recognition of Uber's commitment to safety and we will continue to work constructively with TfL."

Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-54322579