Two Uber bosses have been arrested in Paris. TechCrunch reports that Uber France CEO Thibaud Simphal and Uber Europe GM Pierre-Dimitri Gore-Coty were charged with running illegal taxi operations and concealing digital documents. The police started investigating Uber in November 2014 and raided its Paris office in March.
“Our CEO for France and GM for Western Europe were invited to a police hearing this afternoon; following this interview, they were taken into custody. We are always available to answer all the questions on our service, and available to the authorities to solve any problem that could come up. Talks are in progress. In the meantime, we keep working in order to make sure that both our customers and drivers are safe following last week’s turmoils,” Uber told TC in a statement translated from French.
The arrests comes after French taxi drivers protested against Uber’s low cost UberPOP service in France (akin to our UberX) last week. The protest turned violent in places, with 70 cars damaged and some flipped over and burnt.
In Malaysia, UberPOP equivalent UberX doesn’t try to hide the fact that it undercuts cabbies
France’s interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve then ordered a ban on UberPOP, saying the service was “illegal” and ordered police and prosecutors to enforce its closure. Uber has responded by saying that it will only stop operating if ordered to do so by a court.
The French cabbies’ grouses are the same as their counterparts in cities around the world – they see UberPOP as unfair competition. Launched in February 2014 and recently expanded to smaller French cities, anyone can be an UberPOP driver, and a special professional license is not needed.
The French police has been issuing fines to UberPOP drivers for a couple of months now, but Uber pays for the fine. In Europe, UberPOP is already banned in Brussels and the Netherlands, besides France.
In Malaysia, Uber and MyTeksi’s GrabCar were the target of protests by the Malaysian Taxi Drivers’ Transformation Association (PERS1M) in PJ yesterday. PERS1M deputy chairman Kamarudin Mohd Hussain threatened to organise a larger demonstration that will involve blocking major roads around the city if SPAD and the authorities fail to address the issue.
“We’re fine with GrabCar operating. But it has to go through legal means – the service must be operated by qualified taxi drivers; they cannot simply use personal vehicles, or those that are not permitted. That’s what we are not OK with. They are taking away our income, that’s the problem,” he said.
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Of coz UBER is cheaper….
No permit….No insurance…No Inspection….No need to pay anything except to UBER operator…..
It is an unfair competition….It is lucky if u r lucky…..if something happens, consumer is at lower end…..
We need Uber, otherwise we get our taxi cheats on full drive. So many news like the news below
Briton charged RM450 for 10km trip, sparking furore over cheating cabbies
PETALING JAYA: An English tourist was charged RM450 for a taxi ride from KL Sentral to the Suria KLCC shopping centre, a distance of less than 10km.
The Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) said the tourist paid the fare before lodging a report against the driver.
SPAD chairman Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar said they were investigating and would take action against the taxi driver and the operator.
He said the taxi driver was believed to have threatened the tourist into paying the fee.
“Taxi drivers are our frontliners and ambassadors of the country as they interact with tourists daily.
“We are taking this seriously as it affects the country’s image,” he said after opening SPAD’s new enforcement centre at the Persada Plus here yesterday.
He said SPAD was conducting a study to regulate the pricing mechanism for the taxi coupon system.
“We want feedback from taxi drivers and passengers before proceeding with the study,” he said, adding that there were mixed views about the coupon system.
While some supported it, he said, others saw it as restrictive.
“Some drivers said they would be unable to take passengers if they were not part of the taxi coupon system, while others felt it restrict-ed their movement,” he said, adding that the system was implemented privately by mall and airport operators.
SPAD also announced the purchase of 17 new vehicles, which will be used by its enforcement officers nationwide.
Syed Hamid said the highest number of reports SPAD received were against illegal taxi touts, followed by complaints about overloaded lorries on the road.
In the 3,845 operations conducted since Jan 2010, 74 individuals and operators have been taken to court. Source: The Star Online
Understand that it is unfair for taxi to compete with private vehicle, but consumer really need an improved quality of the taxi services, which might need to wait another 30-50years I guess(if without Uber)? The price for taxi is not cheap today but most of the consumers do not expect they need to pay such price for that shocking grade of service.
more importantly, no cronies….
btw, what makes the legal taxi will better protection to passenger?
But u travel in a much newer and cleaner and safer and well maintained car compared to our rotten stinking taxis. So i think its fair until our taxi service improve their cars and service.
Hameed drebar teksi..
If you afraid of competition.., just join uber. I recently ride an uberblack on weekend, the driver was former taxi driver. He says – I better drive with uber.. my income tripled, i got better car..although i need to pay weekly to limo company, my take home income is better.
What no cost to uber? – u think their car run on NGV? no.. their car runs on normal petrol, their tyres also not subsidized by ‘Subsidi Tayar Teksi Rakyat 1Malaysia (TR1Ma). No inspection? Ofcourse no-need – their car is new ! not like your rotten taxi tanks.. Iswara that were produced from 90’s. Insurance? Check with uber malaysia – they provide insurance for driver and passenger! so what part you say no need to pay anything?
In fact you’re the leech that continue to overstay the welcome of all malaysian taxpayer. You got dirt cheap NGV, Free tyres.. and other subsidy. You even queue for BRIM! some more your attitudes remain sucks! your car remain stinky!
Customer now has a choice! you can either go fly kite.. or join uber or other ride sharing company and change your attitude.
Please. All those cost u just mentioned are just extra money for your favourite cronies to have. Uber have cars with MAXIMUM. I repeat, MAXIMUM 10 years. What is the age of the average proton saga budget taxi?
And the government propose last year that cars above 12 years shud be scrapped.
Get your facts right boy!
I hope those taxi driver riot don’t spread into boleh land
just closed it down if it is illegal.
Regardless of the cheap & good service; it must go through legal means.
UBER GrabCar (UG) are cheaper because they don’t have any commitment like what taxis have to pay. This is not fair.
Gov. must make UG pay what taxis paid to start a levelled playing field.
UG then will change the dynamics of their business, by offering better cars and services compared to taxis, not cheaper rates.
What levelled playing field you talking about?
It is have a middle man that take/given all taxi licenses, hire bunch of untrain and bad manner drivers and buy bunch of iswara, wira or exora to operate?
If Uber was so gooding, why not just join them?
Did you pay the cronies your license to eat sleep bullshit today?
It is true current taxi drivers are ripped off by the cronies.
It is also true taxi drivers provide lousy service.
KancilHybrid – Are you high on Ketum or what?
Uber/grabcar need to offer better car and services than taxi? I thought they already have best car in Malaysia for carrying passenger? They have Camry.. Accord.. Teana.. even I got few time shining new BMW 3 series when requesting UberBlack. Charges cheaper than taxi? no.. I’m more than happy to pay more for great service, new and nice smelling car that Uber provide. You want cheaper than taxi – take UberX, but that one also served by good car – mostly new Myvi,Swift, Preve.
so.. paying 10 ringgit for same journey using uberx new Myvi vs Old proton – which one would you choose? I would definitely choose Uberx myvi’s.
Are those taxi spokeperson really a taxi driver?
or Ferrari/Bentley dealership owner plus few ikan bakar outlets?
Itu jamal ikan bakar.. sudah bungkus! last time can laa very arrogant. 1 minute, he’s the Jalan TAR stall owner, another minute, he’s the taxi driver. Truly conman.. tipikal macai’s
Look at the video, those spokesman are surrounded by thugs- with earring, scary! i don’t want to ride taxi like that.
I feel Uber & MyTeksi’s GrabCar is good competition for the local cab drivers on various points.
1) Many foreigners and even locals have been ripped off by cab drivers when they pass on a fixed rate to destinations and don’t use the meter.
2) We (foreigners & locals alike) have also been rejected profusely when asked to go to a congested area or a rural destination in which the cab driver may have to return in an empty cab(no customer on return trip)
3) Many a times we encounter rude taxi drivers and once in my personal experience an intoxicated taxi driver, I’ve also seen a taxi driver in KL Sentral smoking something over an aluminium foil in the taxi.
The cons of taking the local cab drivers overshadow the pros of using their service. I registered as a UBER Partner but I never activated my registration, hence never made a trip. The registration requirements are as follows (just to state a few)
1) Vehicle must not be older than 2 years from manufactured date
2) Vehicle has to be in pristine working condition
3) Driver’s name must be in the insurance cover note
The ratio of beat up, squeaky, foul smelling taxis are way more compared to the standards that Uber requires for a normal taxi ride at a cheaper price. I do not condemn all the taxi drivers, but I have to say…many would agree having an unsatisfactory experience in our local taxis compared to a commendable experience. Lastly, if the service of our local taxi drivers were brought up to par, then they can demand for the exorbitant claim of services like Uber & GrabCar is effecting their rice bowl.
PS: My uncle is a taxi driver in Klang, my cousin is a taxi driver in Damansara and I’ve taken many taxis in my life to say what I feel many would agree with
you cant say its “good competition” for local taxis.. why? because many local taxi drivers have to pay an expensive lease to get their cabs.. likewise.. many drivers do not have permits.. they have to pay some companies who hold large quantities of permits (a whole story on its own).. plus.. they must also maintain the taxis.. and also go and pay for puspakom inspection..etc. every 6 months and be at the mercy of puspakom inspectors.. Uber drivers do not have to do any of the above… if your cousin and uncle are taxi drivers.. maybe you should talk to them a bit more about the challenges of their jobs before you make a comparison again. find out why they dont like going certain areas or congested areas.. etc. etc.
Do you know taxi drivers will be fined for rejecting passengers in most of the countries? Of course no one likes to drive to those congested areas. But if you are a taxi drivers, where is your professional integrity and ethics?
remember the movie TAXI?
this can be the script for TAXI 5. the last one is taxi 4, right?
They have themselves to blame.
The reason why these taxi drivers are complaning is that they are losing income from the extra exorbitant pice that they charge by not using the meters.
The reason why the public want an alternative is because they are fed up with it.
Taxi drivers must innovate and so must the authority. Instead they run for protection like cry babies. No wonder we cannot move ahead. Just look at the taxis in Taipei for e.g., all new Toyota Wish, no haggling and can even pay with a touch n go.
Acting like samseng, don’t use meter,scolding passenger , drive fast like an idoit . these are the experience we all had with taxi drivers. Not all but most of them . they are breaking their own rice bowl not other ppl.
how come they scold u? What wrong did u do?
“We’re fine with GrabCar operating. But it has to go through legal means – the service must be operated by qualified taxi drivers; they cannot simply use personal vehicles, or those that are not permitted. That’s what we are not OK with. They are taking away our income, that’s the problem,”
So they protest because of personal vehicles not permitted or because of high competition that taking away their income?
So not using the meter are permitted lah?
Let’s put the legal debate aside for the time being.
Malaysians will have no need to support Uber if our taxis are reliable.
The fact is, people are willing to support a less-than-legal service not because they’re cheaper, but we get what we’ve been deprived of all these years.
A comfortable, clean, reliable and honest mode of transport, free of your ridiculous rip-offs. There is finally some form of accountability against drivers.
Got ripped off by a taxi driver? Go cry to SPAD. More often than not, nothing happens.
This is why we NEED Uber. The government is once again doing what it does best. Crackdown against the people trying to fix a situation while protecting your cronies and their taxi companies.
All these samseng is pembohong, is a really good news for them, congratulation to them.
Did you guys ever used myteksi at the initial stage when they utilized 100% taxi with permits? Once during peak hour I had to travel from ss2 to newtown and non of these clowns wanted to come pick me up despite the app showing 20-30 of these jokers roaming around within 800 metres. I had to bid addtional RM16 on top of the normal fare then only one of the greedy assholes came. Just close shop la if u cannot cari makan. Service like shit but want to charge like limousine.
The issue is the “commitments” or to put it in another way are we paying for these “commitments” through taxi fares that are not or insufficiently funded by taxpayers.
Since when taxi is the cronies of government??? This is a very unfair blind labelling to them. Anyone who obstruct you, who cheat you, who oppose you, who hold a different viewpoint or who make your life more difficult will be labelled as cronies to a certain party. This shows how ignorance a Malaysian Netizen compared to other parts of the world. Be a more responsible netizen and please give mature reply or comments.
Same for our ministers should be more mature than us right?Sadly,they don’t.
since when taxi is not owned by cronies? if not, why you think the colour of our taxi from yellow/black change to white and red? doesn’t the colour reminds your of some party? I’m not trying to be rascist here, as I’m also malay. But please check your fact 1st. Most if not all taxi company that holding the permit are from this umno or that umno.. or former menteri proxy company. This are the reason why SPAD is toothless when comes to enforcing any rules in malaysia or acting for any complaints on taxi services in malaysia? why? you complain to SPAD about their friend or brothers company, most they can do is give small pat at the back, saying – hey brother.. ada orang komplen laa., kasi up sikit service please.
if not for this reason, we have advanced long time ago. Just look south to singapore, uber there are having hard time finding customer, as customer there are happy with the current taxi services. Nobody dares to break rules there.. as 1 complaint to licensing board, means you’re out of income for next 3 months due to suspension! more complain? you’re fired!
The taxi drivers do not own the permit, that the reasons why taxi rates are higher compared to Uber or GrabCar. The permits is owned by the Ketua Cawangan UMNO. Each ketua cawangan have 4-5 permits.
See the video, like samseng make noise, they want make traffiic jam? why? because samseng feel act like samseng is the good solution? make traffic jam is a good solution? that why consumer pick uber and grabcar service rather than samseng service, is a good move fr our consumer.
Many people said there are licensing, inspection, insurance, misc. extra cost. I believe this kind of extra cost is for yearly. Anyone can shed a light how much roughly this kind of extra cost? In figure and divided into 12 months or days. Just to see how much extra cost need to pay in every month or in days. Then only compare the red/white taxi charging per trip with extra rate. Let’s see whether they are over charging or not.
Its irony that taxis that undergo regular inspections end up being in worst condition than uber cars. So what are those inspection for? Its either inspectors are blind or the taxis sent for inspection are totally different cars used in the street.
All for level playing field.
But legal taxi’s should ensure all members stick to rules,dont overcharge and follow meter.
Only then will public opinion be for you.
Otherwise stop threatening public.
We Uber drivers also have maintenance to do. We pump petrol, not NGV, which is more expensive. The other day my tyre puncture just after 2 months of driving, need to fork out RM200. Uber is also taking a fee from us, but currently they have good incentives, so the incentives are more than the fees.