Whether one is traveling to an unknown part of a city, on a business trip, taking a ride to the airport, or getting a sober ride home, Uber is the newest, safest, and most reliable source on the transportation market. “Let’s Uber” has become a common phrase for consumers, but the company is facing one group of individuals who are unhappy about Uber’s success. 

 

 

 

Uber is an on-demand ridesharing car service used via smartphone application to connect passengers and drivers through GPS. It was founded in 2009 and is present in over 200 cities today all over the world.

Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick and his company have recently been accused of aggressive business practices and of bullying local taxi firms and drivers. When referencing the taxi business as a “cartel” BBC News quotes Kalanick stating, “I’ve never been derogatory towards taxi drivers.”  Dismissing recent claims of rude comments towards taxis at a technology conference, he states, “In the US there’s basically a cartel of taxi companies, I was referring to them.”

The Las Vegas Review-Journal gives Bill Shranko, chief operating officer of Yellow Checker Star, an opportunity to state that, “Uber has a history of starting operations in cities without licensing safety training or background screenings.” However, Uber’s Safety Policy on its website reflects their “three-step criminal background screening for the U.S. — with county, federal and multi-state checks that go back as far as the law allows — and ongoing reviews of drivers’ motor vehicle records throughout their time on Uber,” the use of commercial liability insurance, as well as anonymous feedback to monitor satisfaction and accountability.

BBC News quotes Kalanick stating, “The Knowledge is the best in the business…but you will not get anybody who has Knowledge-level skills in a minicab, it’s simply not possible. But the consumer should have that choice…If they can get a reliable ride that’s half the price of a black cab, shouldn’t they be able to have that choice?”

Uber drivers are rated on a 5-star scale and pride themselves on high scores, returning lost items to individuals, having quick connection times, and providing water and mints during the car ride.

Next time you’re looking for a safe and reliable ride home, tell your friends, “Let’s Uber,” and you’ll never take a cab again.