Uber has just sent out an update via email regarding the pricing options in New York after Hurricane Sandy. Surge Pricing is back.
Yesterday, the company implemented Surge Pricing — a higher rate during times of high demand — and then abruptly turned it off after a poor reaction by the internet. Instead, the company charged regular pricing, yet paid the drivers at Surge Price rates… → Read More
With the subway system down for the count in the wake of mega-storm Sandy, it’s very, very tough to get around New York City today. And this morning, people who opened up their Uber apps to hail a car in Manhattan were met with another obstacle: “Surge pricing,” which is when Uber hikes up fare prices during especially busy times. → Read More
Hailo, the company that began life as an app for easily hailing and paying for black cab service in London less than a year ago, has now officially kicked off service in Boston, its first U.S. city. The app-based taxi service got its sea legs in Europe first in London, and then with an expansion to Dublin, and then moved across the pond with a launch in Toronto a little less than a month ago at… → Read More
It’s no secret that Uber’s disruptive on-demand car and taxi service is ruffling feathers amongst the taxi industry. It seems that in every city in which Uber launches, there’s legal pushback from the industry that the startup is disrupting. We’ve seen this in D.C., San Francisco, New York and Boston. Today, Chicago joins the mix, with a new lawsuit filed by a group of taxi and livery companies in… → Read More
There’s been plenty of complaining from consumers about the often-inaccurate new maps in iOS 6, and it sounds like Uber isn’t too happy about the update either.
Uber drivers tell us that the company sent out a text message telling them that if they haven’t updated their iPhones to iOS 6 already, they should hold off until next week → Read More
Hailo is making the trip overseas from the U.K. with its first North American launch today, as it officially debuts its service in Toronto. From launch, Hailo faces stiff competition – Uber is offering free taxi service all this week, in a move blatantly designed to take some of the wind out of Hailo’s sails. But I spoke with Hailo Toronto President Justin Raymond at their local headquarters… → Read More
Disruptive, on-demand car service app Uber has been experimenting with creative ways of using its logistics infrastructure to add compelling services and experiences to its rides. We’ve seen seen the startup offer BBQ delivery, ice cream, buses with DJs and more. Today, Uber is debuting a partnership with real estate listings and search company Trulia to give prospective renters discounted… → Read More
Editor’s note: Navin Chaddha is a Managing Director at Mayfield Fund, a global early-stage venture capital firm with over $3 billion under management, whose portfolio companies leverage the drivers of cloud/SaaS, mobile, social, energytech and big data. Some current Mayfield Fund investments include Appcelerator, Fab, Marketo, Poshmark, Solarcity, and Zimride.
The U.S. e-commerce… → Read More
On-demand car service Uber has launched in yet another new market today, opening up to everyone in Dallas. And it’s also done a major deal with Virgin America, which could result in tons of new customers getting exposed to its service.
Uber announced the Dallas launch on its blog today, making Big D the 18th market that it’s now operating in. Dallas is similar to a few other markets that Uber… → Read More
I’m not a fan of pitting two or more companies against one another and calling “war,” but the reality is that there’s such a thing as competition and advantage in any marketplace. One of the hottest verticals of interest as of late is transportation. I’m ready to buy a Lit Motors car, which we saw at Disrupt, and I’ve used Uber since it launched.
One of the things that I experienced this past… → Read More
This morning at TechCrunch Disrupt, I interviewed Uber CEO Kalanick backstage and got him to elaborate on a few things he mentioned during his interview earlier in the day — mainly on competition that Uber is seeing from new low-cost ride-sharing services like Sidecar and Lyft. One key takeaway is that Uber, too, could introduce its own ride-sharing model, likely testing it out in one of the 17… → Read More
As car service Uber continues its expansion across the U.S. and beyond — its business is growing 26% month-on-month right now — it has found itself on the wrong side of rules and regulations, and in the firing line of the Taxi Establishment. Today, the company’s founder and CEO, Travis Kalanick, came out swinging with fighting words for his competitors and the bodies that regulate all of… → Read More
Today at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco, Uber CEO Travis Kalanick took the stage to discuss the state of the disruptive limo and taxi startup and its prospects for the future. Kalanick spoke about the difficulties expanding into new cities, resistance from taxi unions, regulation and the growing competition from pink-mustache-wearing competition, like Lyft.
Over the course of the… → Read More
You might have heard of Uber and its quest to transform the way we transport ourselves from one place to another. You might have also heard that the company has faced some challenges along the way, challenges to which it didn’t and still doesn’t flinch.
You also also might have heard that the company now faces some stiff competition, and is making adjustments accordingly. Disrupt! (We love that… → Read More
As we’ve chronicled, the folks behind Uber definitely have some balls. That’s why this standoff between the New York City Taxi and Limo Commission and the Bay Area-based startup is so fascinating. It reminds me of a very well-worn saying in startup land: “Ask for forgiveness, not permission.”
The NYC TLC has some sort of existing contract with Verifone and others for its current payments… → Read More
Uber has been steadily expanding its on-demand car service from black cars to SUVs, taxis, Hybrids, private drivers and more. Today, the company is announcing the addition of motorcycle taxis (aka moto taxis) in Paris.
Starting Monday, Uber users in Paris will be able to order motorcycle taxis via the app. Similar to the way you can see taxis and black cars on the Uber app in Chicago, you’ll be… → Read More
I’ve been in a wonderful state of bliss for the past week boating in North Carolina (did ya miss me? I missed you). But I came back today and I’m still pretty pissed at Uber for charging me $97 for a $65 ride to the airport last Friday. More importantly, the charge worries me about the company’s future.
Last Friday I needed to get from my apartment (by AT&T Park) to SFO. Simple, right? → Read More
Yesterday, we reported that Uber had came under fire from the Division of Standards of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, receiving a cease and desist letter that sought to shut down its operations in the Greater Boston area. The issue has since been resolved, with an amended decision saying Uber was “not out of compliance with state law” and free to continue operating.
At the heart of the… → Read More
Uber is facing heat from yet another city it operates in, this time receiving a cease and desist letter in Boston. On its blog today, Uber revealed that the letter came from the Division of Standards of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, ordering it to stop operating in that area.
According to Uber, at the crux of the matter is that the National Institute of Standards and Technology doesn’t… → Read More
Uber is still growing its business as a disruptive (sometimes controversial) car service app, but in the meantime it continues to push the envelope on what else it might eventually do with the logistics infrastructure it is also creating. The latest development comes by way of Chicago, where Uber is now laying on busses with DJs and drinks. Yes, it’s bus bumping from Uber.
Uberpalooza will… → Read More
The ridesharing-disruptive car service space in the U.S. is about to get a little more crowded: Carpooling.com, a ridesharing service out of Munich, Germany currently enabling million rides monthly, is today announcing a C-round of investment from carmaker Daimler, which it will be using to expand to the other side of the Atlantic starting in the fourth quarter of this year. Financial terms of the… → Read More
Popular car service Uber is delivering ice cream today only to promote their newly diversified private rides. Last week, Uber expanded its fleet from Lincoln Town Cars to SUVs and hybrids in an additional service called “Uber X.” To market the change, Uber is offering on-demand ice cream to users, ordered and paid for through their app, in Boston, Chicago, New York City, San Francisco… → Read More
Declaring its independence from the traditional Lincoln Town Car (sorry, couldn’t resist), Uber is going beyond black cars this Fourth of July, bringing its up until now secret “Uber X” project public.
“Uber X” will allow Uber partners to use its dispatching software in order to dole out vehicles beyond Lincoln Town Cars, giving passengers a choice between Toyota Prius Hybrids and SUVs like the… → Read More
Car service dispatch company Uber has hired a European Chief Operating Officer, making the announcement today at LeWeb London. Kees Koolen, who scaled booking.com to $9 billion in revenue during his tenure, will now be “the number two” in the company, next to CEO Travis Kalanick. Koolen will be based out of Amsterdam even though Uber does not yet have an office there.
The company currently… → Read More
Tomorrow we’re invading Philly for an evening of networking, fun, and bacchanalian pleasure. Are you coming?
Josh Zelman, Jordan Crook, Chris Velazco, and myself will be rolling into Philadelphia on Tuesday morning and we’re ready to talk startups, tech, and all things in between. We’re excited to head out to the city of brotherly love and we’re also excited to announce a new sponsor, Uber, who… → Read More
Uber, the breakthrough car service app with big ambitions to do much more, is now making its way to international markets: today the car service company kicked off its London operation with a soft launch, just in time to start prepping for the summer tourist rush and the visitor onslaught also known as the Summer Olympics.
The launch is still at a very early stage — with “secret Ubers”… → Read More
It’s been just over a month since team on-demand car service Uber announced that they had soft launched in Philadelphia, and as usual that time has been spent in quiet contemplation while they worked out the specifics like pricing and local fleet operations.
Today, Uber officially exits their stealthy “research phase” in Philadelphia, so users in need of a classy way to cruise from Fishtown to… → Read More
I use Uber all the time when I travel, and it’s always sort of a bummer to come back home knowing it’ll be weeks before I get to ride in another Uber towncar. Well, that’s thankfully no longer the case — according to a new post on the company’s official blog, Uber has just soft-launched in Philadelphia and now has a small crew of their tell-tale black cars cruising around the city.
And I do… → Read More
Back when Uber launched in San Francisco, it was heralded as a service that would disrupt the taxi industry by providing black cars on-demand via mobile phones. Thus far, the service has gained a loyal following, and expanded to a number of cities including Seattle, New York, Paris, and Chicago. Today, we’re seeing a possible evolution of Uber with a new experiment in Chicago—using… → Read More
On-demand black car service Uber is making it easier for new users to sign up for rides, thanks to its newly-announced Card.io integration. For those unfamiliar with the mobile payments startup Card.io (a competitor with Jumio), it’s a mobile toolkit that allows app publishers to speed up the process of collecting users’ credit card information.
Instead of requesting users to fill out forms by… → Read More
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