UberPop Car Service to Be Banned in France, Ministry Says

Uber, a popular taxi alternative in many larger cities, is increasingly coming under fire from governments. It appears that most of the problems are stemming from complaint’s via taxi drivers and services and the less regulated service that Uber provides.

Less regulated means less taxes – so the government is increasingly likely to side with existing car services that help support the government. To be fair, the government also helps establish background checks and policies to help public safety – although it seems odd that the public is widely supportive of Uber while the governments around the world seem bent on shutting them down:

France plans to ban Uber Technologies Inc.’s UberPop car service, three days after a Paris judge rejected a bid to block the smartphone application that lets users get rides with private cars.

“We are banning the service where someone can be a driver while not having the training, the background checks and basic requirements,” Pierre-Henry Brandet, an Interior Ministry spokesman, said in a telephone interview today. “Car-sharing is allowed but not this service.” The ban will take effect on Jan. 1, he said.

Governments are stepping up regulation of Uber, a service that has angered licensed taxi drivers who say it’s unfair competition. The startup was sued last week by the district attorneys of Los Angeles and San Francisco over claims it makes false assurances about drivers’ background checks. That followed a ban in Spain, while Rio de Janeiro declared the service illegal and the Netherlands halted its ride-sharing offer.

“It’s up to a judge to decide whether or not to ban UberPop, not to the Interior Ministry,” he said in a telephone interview. “The commercial court decided last Friday not to ban UberPop, so one must put things in context. It’s still far from being over.”

Uber uses so-called surge pricing, where fares increase along with demand. The policy sparked complaints today when the price increased in Sydney for people leaving the Central Business District, where a gunman had taken hostages. The company said in a blog post that the higher fares would encourage more drivers to pick up passengers. Uber later said rides out of the business district were free to help people get home safely. UberPop Car Service to Be Banned in France, Ministry Says – Bloomberg

Uber is also helping by providing funds to charities and other work:

Your ride could help @nokidhungry provide a child with up to 50 healthy meals. Select DONATE in your app and request: http://t.co/3rmFlfLEG6

— Uber (@Uber) December 10, 2014

You can also read UberPop Car Service to Be Banned in France, Ministry Says on E-Z Transport.