Hereโs what we know about Uber and Lyftโs planned exit from Minneapolis in May
The future of Uber and Lyft in Minneapolis has garnered concern and debate in recent weeks after the City Council voted last month to require that ride-hailing companies pay drivers a higher rate while they are within city limits.
Lyft and Uber say they will leave Minneapolis after city council forces them to pay drivers more
Lyft and Uber say they will cease operations in Minneapolis after the cityโs council voted Thursday to override a mayoral veto and require ride-hailing services to increase driver wages to the equivalent of the local hourly minimum wage of $15.57.
New rule tightens worker classification standards; Uber, Lyft say their drivers won't be affected
The Biden administration has enacted a new labor rule that aims to prevent the misclassification of workers as โindependent contractors,โ a step that could bolster both legal protections and compensation for millions in the U.S. workforce.
Uber and Lyft to pay $328 million to settle dispute over taxes and fees paid by New York drivers
Ride-hailing companies Uber and Lyft will pay a combined $328 million to settle complaints that they improperly saddled their New York drivers with taxes and fees that should have been been paid by passengers.
Should you let your teens use ridesharing apps alone? Hereโs what experts are saying
Most parents are balancing home and work life schedules, and kids today have more scheduled appointments than parents can keep up with. The question becomes, should you and would you use any of the ride sharing apps to help you shuffle your kids around?
Apple says it will fix software problems blamed for making iPhone 15 models too hot to handle
Apple is blaming a software bug and other issues tied to popular apps such as Instagram and Uber for causing its recently released iPhone 15 models to heat up and spark complaints about becoming too hot to handle.
Waymo, Uber set aside past rift over self-driving car technology to team up on robotaxis in Phoenix
Self-driving car pioneer Waymo is teaming up with ride-hailing leader Uber in the Phoenix area to transport passengers and deliver food in robotic cars that triggered a bitter technological dispute between the two companies.
Lyft to pick up new CEO amid deepening post-pandemic losses
Lyft co-founders Logan Green and John Zimmer are relinquishing their leadership roles to make way for a former Amazon executive as the ride-hailing service struggles to recover from the pandemic while long-time rival Uber has been regaining its momentum.
Labor proposal could upend rules for gig workers, companies
The U.S. Department of Labor is publishing a new proposal on how workers should be classified saying that thousands of people have been incorrectly labeled as contractors rather than employees, potentially curtailing access to benefits and protections they rightfully deserve.
Pilot rideshare program helping southeast Houston save money
Houston is growing and some of those growing pains can be felt at the gas pump and when driving down congested streets. A new program is being tested in Houston to save money on rideshares. In partnership with Uber, the Greater Southeast Management District launched a program during Memorial Day weekend to help solve traffic concerns and keep Houston on the move.
Uber driver accused of assaulting 73-year-old passenger who asked her to stop texting, driving, deputies say
An Uber driver is accused of assaulting a 73-year-old passenger who asked her to stop texting and driving while traveling on the Northwest Freeway, according to deputies with Constable Mark Hermanโs Office.
MUG SHOT: Woman accused of repeatedly slamming into back of Uber driverโs vehicle during road rage incident, HPD says
A woman has been charged after being accused of repeatedly slamming her vehicle into the back of an Uber driverโs vehicle during a road rage incident, according to the Houston Police Department.
Uber to give UK drivers minimum wage, pension, holiday pay
Uber is giving its U.K. drivers the minimum wage, pensions and holiday pay, following a recent court ruling that said they should be classified as workers and entitled to such benefits, the company announced Tuesday, March 16, 2021. And they said the company can't decide by itself the expense base for calculating the minimum wage, which should be based on a collective agreement. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, File)LONDON โ Uber is giving its U.K. drivers the minimum wage, pensions and holiday pay, following a recent court ruling that said they should be classified as workers and entitled to such benefits. The ride hailing giant's announcement Tuesday comes after it lost an appeal last month at the U.K. Supreme Court following a yearslong court battle. And they said the company can't decide by itself the expense base for calculating the minimum wage, which should be based on a collective agreement.
VIDEO: Uber driver assaulted, coughed on by maskless passengers
An Uber sticker is seen on a car windshield on the street in downtown Miami on January 9, 2020. (Photo by Eva Marie UZCATEGUI / AFP) (Photo by EVA MARIE UZCATEGUI/AFP via Getty Images)An Uber driver was attacked by passengers in his car after he ended the ride because they did not want to wear a mask. A dashcam video showing the passengers coughing at the driver and assaulting him has surfaced online, going viral across social media. According to Fox 10, the incident occurred Sunday afternoon in San Francisco where a mask mandate requires rideshare passengers to wear a face covering. According to Fox 10, police say one of the women pepper-sprayed the driver as they got out of the car.
Uber, Lyft team up on database to expose abusive drivers
Uber and Lyft have teamed up to create a database of drivers ousted from their ride-hailing services for complaints about sexual assault and other crimes that have raised passenger-safety concerns for years. The clearinghouse unveiled Thursday, March 11, will initially list drivers expelled by the ride-hailing rivals in the U.S. Michael Wolfe, a Uber driver who also leads a Washington state group representing about 2,000 other drivers, praised both ride-hailing services for trying to weed out the abuses in the industry. AdIt could also help appease U.S. lawmakers, who have criticized Uber and Lyft in the past for inadequate safety protections for their riders. After Uber rebuffed the request to protect the victims' privacy, the agency slapped the company with a $59 million fine.
Gig economy shifts: Spain makes delivery riders employees
Delivery riders protest outside the Spanish parliament in Madrid, Wednesday March 3, 2021.The Spanish government announced on Thursday March 11, 2021, legislation that classifies food delivery riders as employees of the digital platforms they work for, not self-employed. (AP Photo/Paul White)MADRID โ The Spanish government on Thursday announced legislation that classifies food delivery riders as employees of the digital platforms they work for, not self-employed, in a legal change that could have far-reaching consequences for Spanish businesses. She described the rule on disclosing how the digital systems work as โepic,โ saying it โneutralizes algorithmic punishments.โAdThe legal changes are the latest affecting companies and workers in the gig economy. The Spanish government agreed on the new law with the countryโs main business groups and trade union confederations. AdThe legislation was drawn up after Spainโs Supreme Court ruled last September that food delivery riders are employees, not self-employed workers, in a case brought by a former rider for Glovo.
UK top court gives Uber drivers benefits in landmark ruling
The U.K. Supreme Court ruled Friday that Uber drivers should be classed as workers and not self employed. The ruling that the drivers should be classed as โworkersโ and not self-employed is a big defeat for the ride-hailing giant. The seven Supreme Court judges who heard the case unanimously rejected Uber's appeal against an employment tribunal ruling that two Uber drivers were โworkers" under British law. AdSan Francisco-based Uber, which has 65,000 active drivers and 5 million regular users in the U.K., had argued that Aslam and Farrar were independent contractors. AdThe British judges on Friday cited a number of factors in their decision: Uber sets fares and contract terms and penalizes drivers who reject or cancel rides.
Uber's 4Q loss narrows, raising hopes for pandemic recovery
In 2020, the ride-hailing service was forced to rely more heavily on its food-delivery service. But analysts believe Uberโs pioneering ride-hailing service will also eventually bounce back as more people are vaccinated against COVID-19. He also predicted that Uber's losses may evaporate by the end of this year. The companyโs ride-hailing service brought in revenue of $1.48 billion in the quarter, a 52% drop from the prior year. Meanwhile, revenue in Uber's food-delivery service more than tripled from the previous year to $1.37 billion.
California court rejects lawsuit challenging ride-share vote
The lawsuit filed Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2-021 in the California Supreme Court said Proposition 22 is unconstitutional because it limits the power of the Legislature to grant workers the right to organize and excludes drivers from being eligible for workers' compensation. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File)LOS ANGELES โ The California Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit Wednesday that sought to overturn a ballot measure that kept app-based ride-hailing and delivery drivers independent contractors instead of employees eligible for benefits and job protections. The lawsuit had been filed directly with the high court claiming the measure was unconstitutional because it limits the power of the Legislature and excludes drivers from being eligible for workersโ compensation. Unions, who joined drivers in the lawsuit, spent about $20 million to challenge the proposition. AdWhen the lawsuit seeking speedy review was filed directly with the Supreme Court last month, Mary-Beth Moylan, associate dean of McGeorge Law School in Sacramento, said the first challenge would be getting the court to take the case.
Uber will bring the booze after acquiring Drizly for $1.1B
The mobile ride-hailing company said Tuesday that it is acquiring the alcohol-delivery platform Drizly for $1.1 billion in stock and cash. Uber expects more than 90% of the sum to be paid to Drizly stockholders in shares of Uber common stock and the remainder paid in cash. Shares in San Francisco-based Uber jumped 7% in afternoon trading, to $56.42. U.S. alcohol online sales jumped 553% in April, according to NielsenIQ. AdThe acquisition gives Uber access to an established player in that space, which could be a leg up in the fiercely competitive food delivery market.
Maine company successfully launches prototype rocket
This Jan. 31, 2021 image provided by bluShift Aerospace shows The Knack Factory in Limestone, Maine, where an unmanned rocket lifts off in a test run. It was the first commercial rocket launch in Maine history. (bluShift Aerospace via AP)BRUNSWICK, Maine โ A Maine company thatโs developing a rocket to propel small satellites into space passed its first major test on Sunday. Itโs carbon neutral.โAdThe goal is to create a small rocket that could launch a 30-kilogram (66-pound) payload into low-Earth orbit, more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) above Earth's surface. An attempted test launch in Limestone earlier in January was postponed because of weather.
Some Uber, Lyft drivers sue over California ballot measure
The measure, which was passed in November with 58% support, was the most expensive in state history with Uber, Lyft and other services pouring $200 million in support of it. โGenerally speaking, courts in California don't like to overturn the will of the people,โ Moylan said. There are instances where the California courts have come in and said ... it's nice that this is what the people wanted to do, but our constitution doesn't permit the people to do this." The law expanded a California Supreme Court ruling that limited businesses from classifying certain workers as independent contractors. Another claim in the lawsuit alleges the measure violates a rule limiting ballot measures to a single subject.
Uber passenger shot while traveling on the North Freeway, police say
HOUSTON โ Houston police are investigating after they said an Uber passenger was shot in north Houston Tuesday. Police said the shooting happened around 10:10 p.m. on the North Freeway near Bristol. According to investigators, officers located an Uber driver whose truck was shot up on the freeway. The driver told KPRC 2 he was traveling on 610 to 45 when someone opened fire from behind his vehicle. Investigators said a bullet hole is visible in the driverโs headrest and the rearview mirror inside the car, showing both bullets narrowly missing the driver.
Uber's food delivery business outshines core rides service
Uber's food delivery business brought in more money during the third quarter than its signature rides business, showing just how much consumer behavior has changed โ and how far the company has adapted โ since the pandemic struck. Uber brought in $3.13 billion in revenue, down 18% from the same time last year. Despite the decline, the rides business showed improvement from the second quarter, when it brought in just $790 million. Uberโs food delivery business also brought in more revenue than its rides business in the second quarter, when demand for rides was even lower due to the pandemic. However, its rides business was more profitable than delivery.
Ride-hailing, delivery giants win fight against labor law
Uber, Lyft, Doordash, Instacart and others sought to get out of those requirements, and after failing in court, succeeded in convincing voters to give them an exemption from most of the year-old lawโs provisions. A record $200 million spending spree by the companies and their supporters helped them win the vote. The investment yielded a huge return for Uber and Lyft, whose combined market value climbed by $10 billion on Wednesday. Uber told its drivers the company would let drivers know how to enroll in benefits in the next few weeks. โItโs not really fair that Uber, Lyft etc.
Uber, Lyft spend big, win in California vote about drivers
FILE - In this Aug. 20, 2020, file photo travelers request an Uber ride at Los Angeles International Airport's LAX-it pick up terminal. A California ballot measure that would exempt Uber, Lyft and other app-based delivery drivers from being classified as company employees eligible for benefits and job protections led Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020, in early vote counts. San Francisco-based Uber and Lyft had threatened to pull out of California if they lost. Opponents said the companies exploit drivers to keep profits high and the ballot measure would deprive workers of rights like overtime pay and workersโ compensation. Supporters said the measure would allow drivers to maintain the freedom to work hours they choose and would provide other benefits.
Asia tracks Wall St rally as markets shrug at election limbo
The benchmark index had gained 3.5% before the market lost some of its momentum toward the end of the day. The Nasdaq was the standout, notching its biggest gain in more than six months as traders doubled down on technology stocks. But after a tumultuous overnight session in global markets where Trump prematurely declared victory, markets acted as if the occupant of the White House might be secondary. It may take days for a winner of the White House to emerge, and professional investors say theyโre bracing for sharp market swings in the meantime. Stocks tend to rise regardless of which party controls the White House.
Across the country: 5 noteworthy ballot measures that deserve some attention
To see what exactly the ballot measures are in each state, click or tap here. Below are five noteworthy initiatives we thought weโd mention from across the country. Mississippiโs flag redesignThe state Legislature in June eliminated the old state flag that had the Confederate battle emblem, which was widely thought of as racist. Californiaโs app-based driving proposalThis initiative will decide whether app-based transportation and delivery drivers are classified as independent contractors or as employees. Coloradoโs abortion banThis is a ballot initiative that will likely draw a lot of attention across the nation.