Photo: uber
Uber seemingly can’t catch a break these days. After Paris taxi drivers set cars on fire and basically rioted against the ride-sharing service not too long ago, the company was just senteced by a California Public Utilities Commission to pay a penalty of no less than $7.3 million.
The news comes following the business’s failure to comply with the agency’s reporting requirements and has even bigger repercussions as the service was stopped altogether in the state until the fine is paid or an appeal is made.
So what happened? Well, in order to be allowed to function in California, the CPUC asked Uber to submit detailed reports every year, to make sure that their drivers accepted passengers regardless of their conditions or locations. So far so good right?
The problem is, Uber failed to send in the data gathered for 2014 and even though it was asked for it by the CPUC, it refused to provide it for the past few months. In this situation, the agency decided to fine the company.
According to it, the figures that are missing are related to the number of passengers who requested vehicles compatible with wheelchairs or animals. Not only that but also the number of cars that were provided to these people.
Of course, as usual, there are two sides to a story. When asked about this issue by the LA Times, company spokesperson, Eva Behrend said that they will launch an appeal.
"Uber has already provided substantial amounts of data to the California Public Utilities Commission, information we have provided elsewhere with no complaints," she said, adding that "[g]oing further risks compromising the privacy of individual riders as well as driver-partners.”
Hiding behind privacy concerns is not a new trick but Uber might have a point here. It remains to be seen whether the Court will accept the appeal what its take on the matter will be.
So what happened? Well, in order to be allowed to function in California, the CPUC asked Uber to submit detailed reports every year, to make sure that their drivers accepted passengers regardless of their conditions or locations. So far so good right?
The problem is, Uber failed to send in the data gathered for 2014 and even though it was asked for it by the CPUC, it refused to provide it for the past few months. In this situation, the agency decided to fine the company.
According to it, the figures that are missing are related to the number of passengers who requested vehicles compatible with wheelchairs or animals. Not only that but also the number of cars that were provided to these people.
Of course, as usual, there are two sides to a story. When asked about this issue by the LA Times, company spokesperson, Eva Behrend said that they will launch an appeal.
"Uber has already provided substantial amounts of data to the California Public Utilities Commission, information we have provided elsewhere with no complaints," she said, adding that "[g]oing further risks compromising the privacy of individual riders as well as driver-partners.”
Hiding behind privacy concerns is not a new trick but Uber might have a point here. It remains to be seen whether the Court will accept the appeal what its take on the matter will be.
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