Los Angeles’ “Mobility Data Specification” plan represents one way local governments are trying to wrestle with the impact of technology companies. It is fair to say that the explosion in private hire drivers caused significant disruption to London’s roads and considerable early friction between Uber and TfL. Beyond all that, there is still an upper limit to how many ‘Poolers’ you can pack into a single journey anyway.

In my view if Uber are really relying on driverless vehicles to be their ultimate salvation then they will not survive. So either the licensee is Uber, who is responsible, or an unlicensed cab is being operated and it should be removed from the streets. Whatever the outcome of the licensing process, it is likely to increase the cost to Uber of operating in London, as a greater level of driver oversight will be required. On that subject, just for variety, we will quote the judge from Uber’s first appeal of the Aslam and Farrar decision.But the court noted, for example, that Uber’s advertising speaks a different language – essentially it applied an Ententest – and found Uber to be an unlicensed operator. This is a market that the arrival of more rideshare apps, along with the measures TfL have put in place to limit PHV licensing, is making more competitive, not less. The Duck Test means that what you do in the real world, and how you describe yourself there, trumps any clever words you put down on paper. Versatile Decor: Whether placed on a nightstand, desk, or shelf, this night light doubles as charming decor, adding a dash of personality to any room. Conflicted about her own Asian identity, she aims to explore the nuances of global issues through prose and creative non-fiction to strengthen and navigate her connection with communities.

The text of the Uber filing asserts that they are still contesting this with HMRC, but Mr Maugham seems to think (in his tweet) that it’s game over. A gentle yellow light will glow from the prone body, which you can adjust in brightness by tapping more to achieve a weak, medium, or strong light. Where I live (outside London) all the cars with Uber stickers usually have another, local, mini-cab sticker on them too. It’s not like the predatory bus pricing of the 80s and 90s where companies had to invest 6 or 7 figures in a bus fleet to even get started. If Volvo’s system was kicking in that should have been a warning sign to Uber that their system wasn’t as good.The judgement states: “From the point of view of the passenger, Uber itself provides the service and is therefore an operator within the meaning of the Passenger Transportation Act” – and as Uber doesn’t have the relevant permission, it must cease operation. So if I am Uber’s Barrister Q1 – what do TFL think the average percentage of hire cars being driven by unauthorised drivers is? Uber has the problem that it wants to be a duck and not a duck simultaneously, depending on who it wants to impress. Superficially you could say that the demise of one company has limited impact because, as the article points out, there are a variety of competitors who could well fill the gap created.

On the other hand the fact that the driver is not allowed to send another suitably qualified person in his place to do the job suggests (by the IR35 rules) the opposite. For example, in 2016 in New York (one of the few territories in which raw numbers were available), the average fare paid by a passenger covered only 40% of the journey cost.A Court ruling in California has no bearing on proceedings in the UK, but is probably worth noting as it increases the overall pressure on the Uber financial operating model. Even if they get their license back, they can meet neither of the two benchmarks to achieve profitability. Perfect Gift: Ideal for capybara enthusiasts or anyone who adores unique, adorable accents in their home, this night light makes for a thoughtful and delightful present. Whatever the true figure, it still represents a considerable percentage of the available driver market. What they had stumbled into, perhaps unwittingly, was something that as an American firm ‘by birth’ they may not even have realised they needed to avoid: the Duck Test.