Self-Driving Uber Apparently Runs Red Light In San Francisco

I hope they fire his (oops, its) ass :) That's completely unacceptable, and, where was the so called "engineer" who makes sure the car drives safely?

One "star" for IT.

Full story...

50 Uber drivers had been arrested in UAE over the weekend.

An Emirates newspaper, The National, reported that as many as 50 drivers had been arrested over the weekend.

Taxi unions won't lose any sleep over this development - just saying.

I got a brilliant business idea: start a taxi company

I am not kidding. In Massachusetts they are going to tax all rideshare trips and send the money directly to unionized taxi companies. Brilliant!!!

And I thought that corruption in the neighboring state, Connecticut, is at zenith state when they forcefully unionized people who care for family members and got state support for that. I was wrong.

Massachusetts moves to directly help taxi unions by taxing Uber

Uber’s First Self-Driving Fleet Arrives in Pittsburgh This Month

The autonomous cars, launching this summer, are custom Volvo XC90s, supervised by humans in the driver’s seat.

No, I was not asked to drive one, but I am sitting by my phone waiting for the call. (If it doesn't work, can I keep the car???)

Read the story

It's our chance to tell politicians, especially Democrats, not to get in a way

In this economy, young enterprising people are looking for ways to make a living. Uber and AirBNB are great tools to do that, but politicians, specifically Democrats under control from the Unions, do everything to make it impossible for us.

So, why don't we start sending a message: Piss off or pay the price at the balot box.

Airbnb and Uber to Democrats: You Need Us

Reporting from Europe: If it wasn't for bad taxi service there would be more loses in Brussels

This week I am in Europe, yes Europe. My Uber (American) app refuses to work here, something between US settings and US based credit cards. Unfortunately (LOL) the Taxi services here, Wroclaw (Poland), are excellent and very inexpensive so I don't know how Uber can survive here.

You can't say that though about taxi services in Belgium, If it wasn't for the incompetent taxi company which instead of minivan, as ordered by the suicide bombers, sent a regular taxi the bombers would have all of their "luggage" and would have killed plenty more people. So, we have to count our blessings and hope terrorists are not smart enough to order Uber.

Did a taxi mix-up prevent the Brussels bombing from being much worse?

"Your" government vs. Uber drivers (or us)

It is coming. "Our" government (yes, I am sarcastic, they are run by unions) has finally seen the need to dip their fingers in our business. They are working on the so called "Uber bill" that among other goodies will require us to get higher insurance coverage or in other words to make it more costly to stay employed. 

... drivers for the services would be required to have $125,000 in coverage for death and bodily injury per person, $250,000 in coverage for death and bodily injury per incident and $50,000 in coverage for property damage when logged on to the network or engaged in prearranged rides.
When not logged into the system, drivers would have to maintain $25,000 in coverage for death and bodily injury per person, $50,000 in coverage for death and bodily injury per incident and $10,000 in coverage for property damage, all levels that are higher than the state's personal-injury protection insurance requirements.
The House measure would set insurance requirements of $50,000 in coverage for death and bodily injury per person, $100,000 in coverage for death and bodily injury per incident and $25,000 in coverage for property damage while drivers are logged on to the network.

If you think about it such coverage would also raise a RED FLAG with the insurance company that you may be riding for Uber but forgot to mention that.

Uber goes after Gardiner on ride-sharing issue

Uber drivers are really "bad" people

While do they do that? Why do they have to point out that it was the "Uber driver" who went on shooting rampage or "Uber driver killed" someone?

Would it be fair if the post said: a REPORTER run over someone? A REPORTER  was behind a terror attack?

It wouldn't right? So why anytime there is a tragedy they have to point out (in bold) that it was the UBER driver that did it?

Just saying?

Uber dirvers and Uber should join forces

Here is a crazy thought: What if we, the drivers, and Uber join forces to protest unfair practices of local governments which take the side of the Unions?

We take taxes just like them. Why do they treat us like a second class citizens?

Just saying!!!

I am mad at Uber

This happens more and more. I get request for rides with one important part of information missing, where the request comes from.

Last night I was driving home after 9 long hours at the office and made a mistake of turning my app on. Sure enough after 5 minutes I got a request. I accepted it because I did not realize that it was about 7 miles behind me. It took me 5 minutes to turn around (highway)and another 10 to get there. I made $3.20 for my efforts.

Thanks Uber! I think that translates to $6/hr.

I really hope that events in NYC will teach Uber something. Did I mention that Uber is owned by big time Libs? So much for caring for the little guy.

What if we just start paying people to use our services?

Uber has just slashed prices in NYC, which means we are next. They cut fares by 15% which is great news for riders, not so much for us. More and more we are getting people who want a ride on the distance they could easily walk. Uber is correct, they will make their money. Maybe even more then before. But I can't justify the expense in both gas and time to do that any more. My app is off until I see surge higher then x2.0.

It's a good thing we don't live in Paris but...

Taxi drivers in Paris don't mess around. Since, fortunately, Uber drivers where on hand they attacked police officers.

At least 20 taxi drivers were arrested for "violence, carrying weapons and starting a fire", police said. Some had set bonfires on the road before dawn.

Here we don't face angry mobs, at least not yet, but Taxi drivers' unions quietly pressure local governments to make our life difficult. For example: a week ago the security guard attempted to prevent me from picking up a rider, young female student, at the Union Station in New Haven, CT. According to him the station changed the rules and Uber drivers can only pickup riders across the street forcing unsuspecting riders to cross a very busy 4 lane street. Why? Don't we ALL pay taxes to support Amtrak?
In another example, non-taxi drivers are practically not allowed to stop for more then 10 seconds at the Bradley Airport in Windsor Locks, CT. That includes family members of arriving passengers. They are strongly encouraged to use a paid parking lot.

I am sure you can find similar examples in other states. We should loudly talk about it otherwise the other side will feel free to use the 'mob rule' on us as well.

Anti-Uber taxi drivers block Paris road during strike

Car Locator and Smart Dual USB Car Charger

Didn't see that coming

Just like cops you can't record Taco Bell Execs in your car.

I am not joking, you can't record cops in most of places and you most likely don't want to. The legal consequences may be too high. But recording a rider in your car, your place of business, should be equal to security recording in a local convenience store. We need to closely watch this development and see if Uber will get involved.

Fired Taco Bell Exec in Uber Attack Suing Driver for $5 Million

Uber just lowered the value of its own brand

While the Wall Street Journal says: 'ride-hailing service aims to make its requirements fairer to some nonviolent criminals' it may also be true that as others say it devalued its brand by helping 'Bay Area felons become drivers under Prop. 47'.

Great. With their 'wonderful' relations with the media soon all of us will be suspect. Don't be surprised if you next ride will try to make sure you are not a felon.

I don't know who runs their 'relation' department but I bet I would do much better job.

This news makes my wonder

Apparently Uber has decided to cash in on its technology. Why? Are they short on money or are they trying to make their app the industry standard? Either way it's a smart move but, is it good for their drivers?

TransLoc, which builds technology products for public transit passengers and agencies, will integrate Uber into the TransLoc Rider app, a smartphone application that provides real-time bus tracking and route planning.

You would think that Uber would get nicer to us

Reading the news you can't miss one thing. Uber is under attack. You would think that looking for support they would turn to their base, their drivers. Besides huge surges over the New Years Eve, which most likely made everybody hate us, can you come up with one nice thing they did for us? I think, they should really think about really hard. We are their natural allies because of our business relation. I would suggest raising base prices and taking it easy on surges, but that's just me. What do I know? -- Join our FB group to read our newest posts before everybody else (some of them are exclusive to FB).