uber

Uber expands to the Hamptons and helicopters

Car-hire app startup Uber is expanding service to the well-heeled Hamptons this week ahead of the Independence Day holiday, a little more than two months after New York gave it the green light as the first taxi-hailing app to operate in city.

And to celebrate, Uber would be pleased to offer a $3,000 helicopter lift to the tony stretch of Long Island.

Starting Wednesday and running through Labor Day weekend, New Yorkers can summon a private driver to the Hamptons using the startup's iPhone or Android apps, or its mobile site at m.uber.com. One-way flat rates … Read more

Uber, Lyft, Sidecar get cease-and-desist letters from LA

Los Angeles is the newest in a long line of cities to pick a fight with ride-sharing apps. Uber, Lyft, and Sidecar all received cease-and-desist letters from the Los Angeles Department of Transportation on Monday.

The Department of Transportation claims the companies are operating "unlicensed commercial transportation service in the City of Los Angeles in violation of Los Angeles Municipal Code." The Department is demanding that the companies halt all vehicle operations "immediately."

"In the interest of public safety, your company and all drivers and vehicles dispatched via your mobile app sysem [sic] are hereby … Read more

Miami officials propose law changes to allow Uber service

Miami officials have proposed changes to the city's limousine service ordinance, essentially allowing Uber's black car service to finally operate within the area.

The proposal would allow a "digital dispatch software provider," i.e. Uber to apply for a limousine service license and wipe out a slew of restrictions that have hindered Uber's entry into the lucrative Miami-Dade County market. Uber contracts with luxury sedans to provide on-demand car service, and limousine laws govern those operations.

These hindering restrictions include requiring a passenger to request a car an hour before the pick-up time, rendering Uber'… Read more

Star Apps: eBay's Steve Yankovich

When an Apple rep initially contacted eBay about developing a proprietary app back in 2008, the latter hadn't even heard of the iPhone or Objective-C. But seeing the potential of mobile software, a number of eBay employees believed that developing a mobile app would profit the global commerce and payments leader in the long run. In early 2009, they began raising funds for the formation of a mobile-specific group and commissioned an outside company to build the first eBay app.

Many software releases later, the app has helped the largest online marketplace blast off into mobile commerce, as eBay'… Read more

Uber cuts ride-share prices below taxi fares

Uber is now offering its ride-sharing service -- which lets users get rides from people in their personal cars -- at prices lower than taxi cabs, the company announced today.

The peer-to-peer service uberX, which mimics the models of companies like Lyft and Sidecar, will now have fares in San Francisco that are 10 percent lower than taxi prices, according to Uber. San Francisco is just now seeing this competitive pricing that Uber's other ride-share cities already have, aside from New York. UberX in Seattle, San Diego, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Boston are cheaper than taxis.

"This is … Read more

Cab-hailing apps get green light in NYC

Clearing the way for services like Uber, an appellate court Thursday lifted a temporary injunction on New York City's pilot plan to allow travelers to hail yellow cabs via smartphone. The plan, which challenges the traditional curbside street hail, has faced strong opposition from New York's livery and black-car operators.

Uber had just launched its New York taxi-hailing pilot program at the end of April when the New York Supreme Court Appellate Division issued the emergency injunction.

Today's news came just hours after another related legal victory for Mayor Michael Bloomberg's administration. His plan to expand … Read more

Uber cab-hailing app hits another legal roadblock in NY

Uber's New York taxi-hailing ambitions have reportedly stalled again with a judge's ruling Wednesday.

Less than a day after the private car summoning service was finally able to launch its e-hailing app following an eight-month delay, a group of livery car groups has won an injunction against the 12-month pilot program, which would allow potential passengers to hail a cab by putting their location information into a smartphone app. Uber launched its taxi-hailing pilot program on Tuesday night, just days after a State Supreme Court judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by the livery car groups that sought to … Read more

New Yorkers can pay for taxis via e-hailing apps within 60 days

NEW YORK--New Yorkers will be able to hail -- and pay -- for taxis via smartphone apps within 60 days, a New York Taxi & Limousine Commission executive said Wednesday.

Taxi-hailing apps help potential passengers locate a ride in real time. They simply put their location into an app, which is then sent to designated cars nearby. The first to arrive on the scene gets to pick up the customer. In many locations, users can also pay for their ride using the app, but New Yorkers currently have to pay for their ride in the traditional manner, either with cash … Read more

Uber taxi-hailing service returns to NYC streets, without payments

After an eight-month absence punctuated by legal battles, Uber taxi's service is returning to the streets of New York City.

Uber launched its taxi-hailing pilot program on Tuesday night, just days after a State Supreme Court judge dismissed a lawsuit that sought to put a stop to the program. Passengers will be able to hail a cab with a smartphone app, but the app won't accept payments, at least initially.

"The way New Yorkers hail yellow cabs fundamentally transforms today, and we're proud that it's Uber who gave the Big Apple this option," Uber … Read more