Analysis of Uber

General

The service is active in 108 US cities and 45 countries worldwide. Five years ago, it didn’t exist. Today, it’s valued at over $18 billion

Uber CEO Travis Kalanick

In South Africa, Uber is registered with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission as Uber South Africa Technology

Legal Issues

USA

Uber is the subject of ongoing protests and legal action from taxi drivers, taxi companies, and governments around the world. Those who oppose Uber argue that the company creates unfair competition to taxis because the company does not pay taxes or licensing fees; that it endangers passengers; that drivers are untrained, unlicensed and uninsured; and in general, that the company breaks the law.

In May 2011, Uber received a cease-and-desist letter from the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, claiming it was operating an unlicensed taxi service, and another legal demand from the California Public Utilities Commission that it was operating an unlicensed limousine dispatch. Both claimed criminal violations and demanded that the company cease operations. In response, the company, among other things, changed its name from UberCab to Uber.

In January 2012, an Uber driver's cab was impounded as part of a sting by the Washington, D.C. taxicab commission. The commissioner said the company was operating an unlicensed taxicab service in the city. 88] Following a social media campaign by Uber's users, the D.C. city council voted in July to formally legalize this type of service with no minimum fare, which led to taxicab drivers protesting.

On August 1, 2012, the Massachusetts Division of Standards issued a cease-and-desist letter to Uber, on the grounds that the GPS-based smartphone app was not a certified measurement device, but on August 15, the agency reversed its ruling after prodding by Governor Deval Patrick, saying that technique was satisfactory because it was under study by the National Institute of Standards and Technology

The New York...