📰 Uber Threatens to Exit CO

Uber and Lyft are lobbying to reduce insurance costs in California. Lyft plans to integrate taxis. Uber partners with Volkswagen to expand robotaxis. DoorDash faces wage theft allegations in NYC despite a recent settlement. The FTC sues Uber over deceptive practices with its Uber One subscription. We break it all down for you.

Uber Threatens to Exit Colorado Over Proposed Rideshare Safety Bill

SOURCE – Colorado Sun

Uber has announced it will end its operations in Colorado if House Bill 1291, aimed at boosting rideshare safety, becomes law. The bill, which has broad bipartisan support, requires drivers to make audio and video recordings of trips and prohibits them from offering passengers food and drinks. Uber claims it cannot comply with the measure and that it poses too great a legal risk to justify operations in Colorado.

• Uber’s biggest concern with the bill is the number of potential lawsuits it might face over ride recording violations and food/drink offerings, as well as the requirement to reimburse all approved drivers for recording equipment, regardless of their active status.

• The bill was introduced by state Rep. Jenny Willford, who was sexually assaulted during a Lyft ride last year. She is currently suing the company. The driver who assaulted her was using another person’s Lyft account illegally. Both the impersonator and the account owner are named in her lawsuit.

• Lyft opposes the bill but has not threatened to leave Colorado, while Governor Jared Polis has expressed sympathy for Uber’s concerns.

Lyft to Integrate Taxi Services into Rideshare Platform

SOURCE – Bloomberg (Paywall free)

Lyft is set to integrate traditional taxis into its U.S. rideshare platform, starting in St. Louis, Missouri, on May 5. Opted-in users will potentially be matched with licensed cabs when requesting standard Lyft rides, “Wait & Save,” or priority pickups.

• The new feature aims to reduce wait times to better compete with Uber. Uber already integrates taxis in select markets internationally and in larger U.S. cities, like New York City.

• Users will be able to pay, tip, and rate taxi rides through the Lyft app, similar to regular rideshare trips.

• This development follows Lyft’s recent acquisition of European rideshare app Freenow, signaling the company’s efforts to grow and diversify its services.

Uber, Volkswagen Partner to Deploy Autonomous ID Buzz Vans Next Year

SOURCE – Bloomberg (Paywall free)

Uber and Volkswagen have announced a partnership to deploy thousands of electric ID Buzz vans for autonomous rides in the U.S. The initiative will begin with testing in Los Angeles later this year, followed by a commercial launch in 2025, with plans to expand to other major U.S. markets over the next decade.

• Volkswagen will use its MOIA brand’s autonomous driving system for the Uber deployment. It is currently testing ID Buzz vans with Mobileye technology in Austin, with human operators behind the wheel.

• This partnership is part of Uber’s strategy to expand robotaxis through collaborations with manufacturers and fleet managers, following the company’s decision to abandon in-house development.

DoorDash Workers in NYC Allege Ongoing Wage Theft Despite Recent Settlement

SOURCE – Gothamist

DoorDash delivery workers in New York City are protesting alleged wage theft and wrongful deactivations. Gig workers, with the help of Workers Justice Project and Los Deliveristas Unidos, claim the company continues to withhold pay and unfairly deactivate accounts. Worker advocates are pushing for a City Council bill that would require app companies to disclose their pay calculation methods.

• This protest comes as New York Attorney General Letitia James recently announced a $17 million settlement alleging that DoorDash used workers’ tips to subsidize their base pay.

• At least 50 additional workers have reported wage theft claims since November 2024, with some individual workers claiming thousands of dollars in unpaid wages.

• DoorDash maintains that its payment policies comply with city minimum pay rules and encourages workers to contact their support team with concerns.

FTC Sues Uber Over Alleged Deceptive Practices with Uber One Subscription

SOURCE – CNBC

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has filed a lawsuit against Uber, accusing the company of deceptive billing and cancellation practices related to its Uber One subscription service. The FTC claims Uber violated consumer protection laws by providing misleading information, making cancellations difficult, and charging users without consent.

• The lawsuit alleges Uber advertised savings without factoring in subscription costs and charged users before their billing dates.

• The FTC claims Uber made cancellations “extremely difficult” and sometimes impossible, with some users charged for additional billing cycles after cancellation.

• Uber denies the allegations, stating its sign-up and cancellation processes are clear and simple, and that it will defend itself in court.

Is Uber Manipulating Reservations to Lower Earnings?

SOURCE – YouTube Shorts

Is Uber intentionally manipulating reservations to lower earnings? This question came up from @boston_drives on X.com, who said he went from seeing dozens of reservations at any given time to zero. He said, “It turned off like a switch several months ago.” Other drivers have shown him dozens of available reservations, but he still doesn’t see a single one. Watch the segment on YouTube to find out more!

QUICK HITS

• The California Public Utilities Commission fined Uber $50,000 for submitting false information about substandard limousine rides on its Uber Black service, rejecting a proposed $38 million penalty. The decision found Uber failed to properly verify subcontractor licenses, but was not liable for most unauthorized rides. – SF Public Press

• Uber and Lyft are lobbying California lawmakers to reduce collision insurance requirements for drivers, arguing that high insurance costs are driving up prices for passengers. The companies say insurance can amount to 45% of fares in some areas. – Bloomberg Law

• DoorDash has asked a judge to dismiss Uber’s lawsuit, which alleges DoorDash uses coercive practices to stifle competition in web ordering services for restaurants. – Bloomberg

Must Listen Or Watch RSG Content

Here are this week’s featured podcast episode and YouTube videos:

• RSG263: Justin Pappan on Renting a Fleet of Teslas! (EV Access)

• Uber & Lyft App GLITCHES Need A Fix NOW

• Does Uber Manipulate Rider Discounts?

• How Uber CRUSHED My Acceptance Rate

• The Rideshare Guy en Español

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