How to tip your Uber driver

Uber recently added a tipping feature in their passenger app. The ride-hailing and delivery company seeks to have tipping in all US and Canadian cities by the end of July 2017. Uber makes tipping simple and unobtrusive: After the ride ends, rate the driver. [This is not new, of course.] A tip screen follows. [This … Read more

Why Did Uber CEO Kalanick Leave President Trump’s Advisory Panel?

Uber CEO Travis Kalanick resigned from President Trump’s advisory board, made up of the leaders of numerous top American brands. He was the first of those leaders to step down, pressured by a social media storm #deleteUber that arose after he was seen to support Trump. Joining Trump’s Strategic and Policy Forum drew more attention for … Read more

Why Uber CEO Travis Kalanick had to resign from Trump’s Strategic and Policy Forum

Travis Kalanick, Uber co-founder and CEO, did well to resign from President Trump’s Strategic and Policy Forum. The association between the two brash leaders–Kalanick and Trump–blew up in the United States after the President signed the Muslim ban. The resulting hashtags–#banUber and #boycottUber–threaten to spread globally as Trump alienates people worldwide. Presidential tensions threaten Uber’s … Read more

#BoycottUber: How one Tweet from Uber fueled a movement

Uber’s social media missteps fueled the recent #boycottUber movement. I find it surprising that a firm a firm itself as a technology company could have such awkward social media strategy. Context key for #boycottUber Over the weekend #boycottUber, a hashtag that’s been around for years, blossomed on Twitter after @uber_nyc, the official Twitter account for … Read more

Inside Pennsylvania’s TNC Law: Fees and Pricing

The new Pennsylvania law regulating transportation network companies (TNCs) like Uber and Lyft contains many fees for the new industry. Similar to Uber’s agreement with Montreal, ride-hailing companies have shown an ability to accept new fees and taxes, just don’t require them to fingerprint their drivers (unless you’re New York City). Pricing regulations for ‘rideshare’ … Read more

Inside the Pennsylvania ‘Rideshare’ Law: Insurance and Inspections

In November 2016, Pennsylvania recently passed a bill to regulate ride-hailing companies. The ‘rideshare’ law sets insurance standards, fee and licensing requirements for the companies, and inspection standards for the drivers. The law includes new taxes for airport pickups and for rides originating in Philadelphia. More importantly, the law doesn’t require fingerprints to be part … Read more

Pennsylvania Uber Drivers Must Reveal Commercial Activity To Insurers

In Pennsylvania, Uber, Lyft and other ride-hailing drivers must tell their insurance companies that they engage in commercial activity, according to a bill expected to be signed into law soon. With Uber, it’s personal Of course, all drivers should have auto insurance, whether or not it’s required by law. It’s the financially responsible thing to … Read more

FlightAware: The Essential App for Uber and Lyft Drivers in Small Markets

Uber and Lyft drivers, especially those in small- to mid-sized markets, need to download the FlightAware app in order to plan the best time meet incoming travelers. I live in Burlington, Vermont. Beautiful, and small. Unlike Chicago’s O’Hare Airport, which has flights arriving constantly, Burlington International Airport has periods of the day with little commercial … Read more

Montreal Taxis Mount Uber Protest

Montreal taxi drivers protested Uber today throughout the city. They converged in front of the Sun Life Building, surrounded Dorchester Square and congregated in the park. Other drivers circulated throughout the city honking their horns and slowing traffic. Quebec’s recent agreement authorizing a year-long pilot program for Uber goes into effect next week.  

In Montréal, Uber Accepts New Fees, Taxes and Regs

In down-to-the-wire negotiations, Uber and Québec’s Transport Minister agreed to sweeping regulations that could provide other governments a blueprint for how to tax and regulate ride-hailing firms. You can tax Uber; you can regulate Uber; just don’t try to fingerprint their drivers. Under the province’s Bill 100, passed June 10, Uber and the Minister had … Read more

Uber Retirement Program Might Not Be Good Fit For Drivers

As a ‘reward’ to its drivers, Uber recently began offering a discount on retirement programs offered through Betterment, a new online retirement savings management company. Like most offerings from Uber, drivers need to beware. Betterment works best for high earners, and fees for small accounts will cripple a typical driver’s savings growth. Betterment offers account … Read more

InstaRyde Dead in Hometown Toronto, Pivots to Austin

Uber-Competitor InstaRyde doesn’t work in Toronto, as of late July 2016. While in Toronto, I thought I’d try out InstaRyde, the homegrown Uber competitor. No luck. On the InstaRyde app, you’re as likely to find a car in the middle of Lake Ontario as you are from Queen Street West. The current absence will make another comeback in the Queen … Read more

9 Things I Learned on My Recent UberPOOL Trip

UberPOOL (like Lyft’s Lyft Line) approximates carpooling. In theory, several riders share a car traveling along a shared route. (In true carpooling, the driver and the passengers share the destination.) Uber’s version uses its large network of riders, finding some that could travel the same path for at least part of their trip. 1) With … Read more