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<ul><li><keyword id="19945904" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ola" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Ola" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Ola">Ola</keyword> is reportedly looking to re-enter the <keyword id="19963428" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="quick-commerce" source="keywords">quick commerce</keyword> business.</li><li>The company is also planning to offer UPI services to customers.</li><li>The company’s earlier quick commerce service, <keyword id="22710114" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ola-dash" source="keywords">Ola Dash</keyword> was shut in 2022.</li></ul> Ola tried its hand in the quick commerce business with Ola Dash but failed to crack the market and wind up operations in 2022. Amid the rising popularity of quick commerce apps such as <keyword id="20069203" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Blinkit" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Blinkit" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Blinkit">Blinkit</keyword>, <keyword id="19939135" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Swiggy-Instamart" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Swiggy Instamart" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Swiggy Instamart">Swiggy Instamart</keyword> and Zepto, Ola is now looking to re-enter the business. According to a<a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/technology/ola-drawing-up-a-route-map-to-join-quick-commerce-party/articleshow/112354202.cms"> report</a> by Economic Times, <keyword id="20138354" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ANI-Technologies" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="ANI Technologies" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="ANI Technologies">ANI Technologies</keyword>, the parent company of <keyword id="20138355" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ola-cabs" source="keywords">Ola Cabs</keyword> is planning on setting up <keyword id="21641710" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="dark-stores" source="keywords">dark stores</keyword> to ride the quick commerce wave. <h2>What are dark stores?</h2>Dark stores are special warehouses used to fulfil online orders. They are not open to the public and are designed to make packing and shipping items fast and efficient. Dark stores are often used by grocery stores, supermarkets, and other retailers to handle the growing demand for online shopping. The term "dark" refers to the fact that these stores are not open to the public, as they are not intended for in-store shopping. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112288793" title="Electric two-wheeler sales cross the 1 lakh mark after four months, Ola Electric leads the market" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> According to the report, the dark stores will be operated by Ola and the company is planning on deploying robots to minimize human involvement. “It's a dark store as a service where the whole setup will be delivered with significant automation but there will be some people involved,” a source familiar with the matter told ET. <h2>Ola plans to offer UPI services</h2>It’s not just quick commerce, Ola is reportedly planning on offering UPI services to its customers. The company already has the Ola Money app, which has found few takers. The company had converted from a full wallet to a small prepaid instrument (PPI) wallet earlier this year. <keyword id="19914967" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bhavish-Aggarwal" source="keywords">Bhavish Aggarwal</keyword> is expected to talk about the company’s upcoming initiatives at an event on August 15. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/tata-curvv-ev-with-up-to-585-km-range-launched-starting-at-17-49-lakh/slidelist/112342769.cms">Tata Curvv EV with up to 585 km range launched starting at ₹17.49 lakh</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/webstories/top-10-selling-cars-in-india-in-july-2024/slidelist/112337262.cms">Top 10 selling cars in India in July 2024 – 6 out of 10 are from Maruti Suzuki</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/ola-electric-ipo-allotment-how-to-check-allotment-ipo-gmp-listing-date-and-more/articleshow/112319824.cms">Ola Electric IPO allotment – How to check allotment, IPO GMP, listing date and more</a>

Ola wants to re-enter the quick commerce business to take on Blinkit and Swiggy Instamart

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Uber is being sued by thousands of London cab drivers over claims it operated illegally.</li><li>The suit could ultimately be worth over £250 million ($313 million) law firm Mishcon de Reya said.</li></ul>Over 10,000 London taxi drivers are suing Uber for £250 million ($313 million), the legal firm <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mishcon.com/news/mishcon-de-reya-issues-claim-against-uber-on-behalf-of-over-10500-black-cab-drivers">Mishcon de Reya</a> announced.The lawsuit alleges <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/is-driving-for-uber-worth-it-declining-pay-more-competition-2024-4">Uber</a> misled authorities to get its license to operate in the British capital, and that it intended to gain market share unlawfully — taking business away from the existing <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/black-cab-driver-london-crazy-famous-passengers-2022-11">black cabs,</a> which have become an icon of the city."Uber knew this at all material times; and that in order to obtain its licence Uber deliberately misled Transport for London as to how that operating system worked," said RGL Management, the legal firm working with the drivers, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-02/uber-hit-with-250-million-suit-from-london-s-black-cab-drivers?utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=bd&amp;cmpId=google">per Bloomberg.</a>An Uber spokesperson told Bloomberg the claims are "completely unfounded."Mishcon de Reya filed the suit on behalf of RGL in London's High Court."Uber has consistently failed to comply with the law that applies to private hire vehicles in London and so we are pleased to be issuing today's claim on behalf of almost 11,000 London cab drivers," said Richard Leedham, partner and head of commercial disputes at Mishcon de Reya.

Uber is being sued for over $300 million by thousands of London's iconic black cab drivers

Industry players on Monday hailed the government's move to enhance the scheme outlay of Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles (<keyword id="19912965" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="fame" source="keywords">FAME</keyword>) <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="india" source="keywords">India</keyword> <keyword id="20527557" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="phase-ii" source="keywords">Phase II</keyword>, saying it will enhance infrastructure, foster widespread adoption and longevity of electric vehicles across the country. The Ministry of Heavy Industries announced that the scheme outlay of FAME India Phase II has been enhanced from Rs 10,000 crore to Rs 11,500 crore under FAME India scheme Phase II in order to give a further push to clean mobility in the country. The ministry also said that it is a "fund and term limited scheme", which means that the subsidies for demand incentive will be eligible for e-two-wheelers, e-three-wheelers, and e-four-wheelers sold till March 31, 2024 or till the time the funds are available, whichever is earlier. "We applaud the government's decision to enhance the FAME India Scheme Phase II outlay to Rs 11,500 crore. This timely boost in investment is a shot in the arm for the EV industry, accelerating its growth trajectory and paving the way for a cleaner, more sustainable future," VG Anil, CEO of EV battery manufacturer Arenq. The main objective of the scheme is to encourage faster adoption of electric and hybrid vehicles by way of offering upfront incentives on purchase of EV and also by establishing a necessary charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. "This Rs 1,500 crore boost sends a clear message: India is serious about electrifying its mobility landscape. Lower upfront costs for EVs, coupled with enhanced charging infrastructure, will incentivize riders to choose eco-friendly travel, accelerating the transition to a zero-emission future," Mayank Bindal, Founder and CEO, <keyword id="20078292" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="snap-e-cabs" source="keywords">Snap E Cabs</keyword>, told IANS. The number of EV charging stations that are operating in the country has gone up to 12,146 (as of February 2 this year), according to the government data. "The extension of FAME II until the end of March with a substantial outlay of 1,500 crore is a positive move," said <keyword id="20300065" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="avinash-sharma" source="keywords">Avinash Sharma</keyword>, Co-Founder of ElectricPe. "This not only strengthens consumer-side subsidies but also enhances infrastructure, fostering widespread adoption and longevity of electric vehicles across the country," Sharma added. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/wd-black-sn850x-ssd-review/articleshow/107557627.cms">WD Black SN850X SSD review – a reliable gaming SSD</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/oneplus-open-review/articleshow/106961567.cms">OnePlus Open review – Feature-packed foldable in a premium design</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/vivo-x100-review-top-end-camera-centric-smartphone-with-sleek-design/articleshow/106539033.cms">Vivo X100 review – Top-end camera centric smartphone with sleek design</a>

Industry hails extension of FAME II scheme to bolster EV infra

New Delhi, Youths should learn to balance hard work with a healthy diet, proper sleep and timely exercise, doctors said while cautioning that overwork is leading to early onset of lifestyle diseases. Some medical experts also said that a 70-hour-week regimen would be "far too ambitious," and urged team leaders at workplaces to divide work in an optimised manner among members and "not try to extract too much work from an individual", which often leads to physical or psychological burnout. Their comments come in the wake of Infosys co-founder <keyword id="6448574" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="n-r-narayana-murthy" source="Orion">N R Narayana Murthy</keyword> recently suggesting that young people should work <keyword id="19286531" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="70-hours-a-week" source="Orion">70 hours a week</keyword> to boost the country's productivity. Murthy's remarks were criticised on social media for allegedly promoting an 'overwork culture' by some, and praised by several others. Doctors in Delhi warned that overwork was leading to early onset of lifestyle diseases like diabetes and cervical spondylitis. Smoking, drinking and consumption of junk food at work or home are also adversely affecting their health, and compounding their health issues, they said. Dr Suranjit Chatterjee, senior consultant, internal medicine at Apollo Hospital in Delhi said, "Hard work doesn't mean you neglect or compromise your health. Hard work is fine, but a person should take care of one's health too while following their ambition. "So, it has to be balanced with a healthy diet, healthy lifestyle, proper sleep and timely exercise," he told PTI. The 70-hour-week regimen would be "far too ambitious, I feel, and 60 hours per week with a balanced and optimised lifestyle" should be the way forward, the doctor said. "Many people work hard and then resort to eating junk food or smoking at regular intervals, of course, having this myth that it is helping them de-stress, but it's not, it's only making their health even worse," Chatterjee said. Some resort to regular drinking and frequent parties, driven at times by the idea that 'I can afford it, so I will do it'. This attitude has to change if a person has to grow professionally without compromising one's health, he cautioned. Doctors at other government and private hospitals also warned about the consumption of junk food, at times for "snob value" at the workplace, which in turn leads to a "wrong ripple effect". Recreation is important, but it should be done after putting in hard work on working days, for both personal and professional growth in any organisation, the medical experts underlined. A senior doctor at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital said the OPD of internal medicine there is seeing a "paradigm shift" in the nature of patients visiting it. "We are seeing now more younger people than the elderly population who are coming to us with early onset of lifestyle diseases like diabetes. They are glued to their computer screens or mobile phones all the time, so they complain of pain in the eyes, neck pain, backache and many other issues," the doctor said. Consumption of junk food, lack of proper sleep, negligible or no exercise, coupled with the sedentary lifestyle at work, is making matters worse, he added. The senior doctor advised youths to balance ambition with a healthy diet and lifestyle, and not give in to any pressure from peers or otherwise. There have been many cases of physical or mental burnout and overwork is a major cause for that, he added. Ambition is good for work, good for the country, and a person can work for even 10 hours or so per day "while ensuring health is not compromised," Chatterjee said. In a conversation with former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai in the inaugural episode of 3one4 Capital's podcast 'The Record,' Murthy had said that youngsters should put extra hours at work to compete with leading economies. "India's work productivity is one of the lowest in the world. Unless we improve our work productivity...we will not be able to compete with those countries that have made tremendous progress," he said, comparing India with China, Japan and Germany. "So, therefore, I request that our youngsters must say, 'This is my country. I'd like to work 70 hours a week," he added. Murthy's remarks have drawn mixed reactions on social media. Comedian and actor Vir Das wrote on X, "Life's hard. You meet a girl, fall in love, get married. Her dad wants you to work 70 hours a week. You can't work that hard, you just wanna chill and run England." Another user on X said "overwork" gave him stress and health complications. Bhavish Aggarwal, CEO, <keyword id="6362049" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="ola-cabs" source="Orion">Ola Cabs</keyword>, also posted, saying, "Totally agree with Mr Murthy's views. It's not our moment to work less and entertain ourselves. Rather it's our moment to go all in and build in one generation what other countries have built over many generations!"

A 70-hour-week regimen 'far too ambitious' say medical experts

Leading US asset manager <keyword id="174755" type="General" weightage="70" keywordseo="vanguard" source="Orion">Vanguard</keyword> has further slashed its holding in ride-hailing major <keyword id="6354720" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="ola" source="Orion">Ola</keyword> by more than half, which takes the Bhavish Aggarwal-run company's valuation down to nearly $3.5 billion from $7.3 billion at the end of 2021. According to a TechCrunch report, citing Vanguard's filings, the investment firm has cut the worth of its shares in Ani Technologies, Ola's holding firm, by 51.6%. "The asset manager marked down the holding of its Ola shares to $25 million, from the $51.7 million purchase price years ago, the filings showed," according to the report. Vanguard had valued its Ola's shares at about $33.8 million in February this year. In May, Vanguard had slashed Ola's valuation by 35% amid global macroeconomic conditions, reducing its valuation to about $4.8 billion. Ola has raised more than $3.9 billion over the years, according to public data. IPO-bound Ola Electric has also recorded an operating loss of $136 million (roughly Rs 1,116 crore) and revenue of $335 million (roughly Rs 2,750 crore), missing its revenue goal disclosed publicly. The company reported sales of over 1,50,000 electric scooters for FY23, according to a Reuters report. In the first two months of FY23, Ola Electric claimed to have surpassed Rs 500 crore in revenue and was on track to surpass $1 billion by year's end. In January, Ola laid off 200 employees from its <keyword id="6362049" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="ola-cabs" source="Orion">Ola Cabs</keyword>, Ola Electric and Ola Financial Services verticals as part of the "restructuring" exercise. Ola joins a growing list of Indian unicorns who have significantly lost their valuations. Invesco lowered Swiggy's valuation by almost half to $5.5 billion in earlier this year while leading US investment firm Fidelity reportedly slashed the estimated worth of its holding in homegrown conversational engagement platform Gupshup by over 20% in a month.

Ola's valuation slashed by more than half by Vanguard

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Sick of long waits at the airport cab pickup line? </li><li>This traveler has a life hack to beat the wait: Head to the airport's departures level.</li></ul>A traveler on TikTok has shared a life hack to avoid being stuck in an airport cab pickup line. "Here is my airport secret," Lindsay Mukaddam said in a <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@onegirlwandering/video/7255436465415425322" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TikTok video that was posted in July</a>. Mukaddam was seen standing outside an airport terminal in her video. "Come to the departures level if the arrival level is completely slammed with cars because then the person who's picking you up can get up here with no issues, and they don't have to wait in line," she continued.The travel content creator told Insider that "this tactic works about 90% of the time" for her."When I have had a hard time using it, it has usually been during a very busy travel period, like a holiday weekend," Mukaddam said.And it seems that more people are picking up on the trick. Mukaddam told Insider that she has seen other people using the travel hack at airports."I definitely see other people using this tip and have even had Uber drivers ask if it is okay to drop me off at arrivals when the departure level is super crowded," Mukaddam said. Mukaddam said she <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/airport-pickup-waiting-tip-trick-travel-hack-viral-tikok-1823487" target="_blank" rel="noopener">found out about the hack while passing through the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport,</a> and praised the airport for being thoughtful to travelers. "I think airports that encourage this hack — like the Austin airport posting signs telling travelers to utilize both levels — make it easier on everyone trying to get to the airport," Mukaddam said. "No one likes to start or end their vacation frustrated with long lines, so I applaud Austin for encouraging travelers to utilize all options to reach the airport," she continued.

This traveler has a genius life hack to slash your waiting time in the airport cab pickup line

<ul><li><keyword id="42747" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="tata-motors" source="Orion">Tata Motors</keyword> has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with cab aggregator <keyword id="1042120" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="uber" source="Orion">Uber</keyword> to supply 25,000 XPRES-T electric cars. </li><li>Uber will integrate these cars in its premium category service, the two companies said in a joint statement. </li><li>Uber will kick off the electrification of its fleet in Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad. </li></ul>Tata Motors has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with cab aggregator Uber to supply 25,000 XPRES-T electric cars. Uber will integrate these cars in its premium category service, the two companies said in a joint statement on Monday. Uber will kick off the electrification of its fleet in Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad. The deliveries of the XPRES-T electric car from Tata Motors will start this month, and the induction in Uber’s fleet will be done in a phased manner. “Offering customers our environmentally friendly electric vehicle (EV) ride experiences via Uber’s Premium Category service, will accelerate the adoption of green and clean personal ride sharing. The XPRES-T EV is a very attractive option both for customers and operators,” said Shailesh Chandra, MD, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility. Tata Motors’ shares closed higher amid a wider market decline, gaining 0.7% to close at ₹443 a piece. The company’s stock has gained 12% in 2023 so far. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="50,000 EVs rolled out so far, says Tata Motors" comment="subhead" text="50,000 EVs rolled out so far, says Tata Motors">50,000 EVs rolled out so far, says Tata Motors</cmsannotation> Tata Motors said that it has rolled out 50,000 EVs from its manufacturing plants till date across the personal mobility and fleet segments. “This partnership will further cement our market position in the fleet segment,” Chandra added. The company launched the <keyword id="13603230" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="xpres" source="Orion">XPRES</keyword> electric car brand in 2021 exclusively for fleet operators. The XRES-T EV is the first car under this brand and comes in two range options – 277 kilometres and 315 kilometres. Since it is aimed at fleet operators, it can charge from 0-80% in 59 minutes. “Uber is committed to bringing sustainable, shared mobility to India, and this partnership with Tata Motors is a major milestone on that journey. It represents the largest EV partnership yet between an automaker and a ridesharing platform in India,” said Prabhjeet Singh, president, Uber India and South Asia. In addition to fast charging, the XPRES-T can also be charged using a standard 15 amp plug point, providing flexibility to Uber and its driver partners. Recently, Ola founder and chief executive officer Bhavish Aggarwal said that the cab aggregator was planning to launch a fleet of 10,000 electric cars. BluSmart, another cab operator, has a 100% electric vehicle fleet – which currently stands at 2,200 cars. It operates in Gurugram, and areas of Delhi and Bengaluru. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/adani-group-stocks-meltdown-continues-on-monday/articleshow/98084715.cms">Adani group stocks meltdown continues on Monday – Adani Enterprises sees the biggest decline</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/inflation-expected-to-cool-down-but-economists-expect-another-rate-hike-after-january-shocker/articleshow/97983231.cms">Inflation expected to cool down but economists expect another rate hike after January shocker</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/maggi-kitkat-maker-nestle-india-reports-highest-domestic-growth-in-a-decade-in-fy22/articleshow/97974283.cms">Maggi &amp; KitKat maker Nestle India reports highest domestic growth in a decade in FY22</a>

Tata Motors and Uber sign MoU to induct 25,000 XPRES-T electric cars

Ride-hailing major <keyword id="6354720" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="ola" source="Orion">Ola</keyword> has started to lay off 200 employees from its <keyword id="6362049" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="ola-cabs" source="Orion">Ola Cabs</keyword>, Ola Electric and <keyword id="7306214" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="ola-financial-services" source="Orion">Ola Financial Services</keyword> verticals as part of the "restructuring" exercise. The layoffs, which were first announced in September last year, happened across the teams. The company told IANS that it is "centralising operations and is undertaking a restructuring exercise to minimise redundancy and build a strong lateral structure that strengthens relevant roles and functions". The layoffs constitute 10 per cent of its 2,000-strong engineer workforce "as part of a larger restructuring exercise towards its electric dream". "Currently, the company has around 2,000 engineers and aims to increase its engineering talent pool to 5,000 over the next 18 months," according to the ride-hailing company. The Bhavish Aggarwal-run company has nearly 1,100 employees in its core ride-hailing business. Earlier, restructuring exercises impacted employees across product, marketing, sales, supply, tech, business, and operations verticals at the company, affecting nearly 500 employees that "were a result of restructuring in the cars and dash businesses". The ride-hailing major last year shut down its used vehicle business <keyword id="3295694" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="ola-cars" source="Orion">Ola Cars</keyword>, as well as its quick-commerce business, <keyword id="13052888" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="ola-dash" source="Orion">Ola Dash</keyword>, as the company shifted to focus on its electric two-wheeler and car verticals. Ola said it plans to hire 5,000 engineers as it doubles down on new engineering verticals and strengthens capabilities across the vehicle, cell, battery, manufacturing and autonomous streams. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/fugitive-diamantaire-mehul-choksi-buying-protection-by-bribing-antigua-officials-says-an-expos-on-blogger/articleshow/96956166.cms">Fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi buying protection by bribing Antigua officials, says an exposé on Blogger</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/oneplus-11-5g-launch-event-how-to-buy-event-tickets-price-benefits-and-more/articleshow/96956696.cms">OnePlus 11 5G launch event – how to buy event tickets, price, benefits, and more</a>

Layoffs begin at Ola, 200 employees to be impacted by restructuring exercise

<ul><li>Ola and Uber asked to showcase their algorithms related to ride cancellations and surge pricing.</li><li>Order came after CCPA received numerous complaints of unfair trading practices.</li><li>According to a survey by LocalCircles, 71% of customers continue to face ride cancellation issues.</li></ul>As thousands of commuters find themselves at the mercy of Uber and Ola drivers via ride cancellations, cancellation charges, random surge pricing and long waiting times, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) was set to grill cab aggregators over their algorithms on Tuesday. The regulator, under its Chief Commissioner Nidhi Khare, was set to ask cab-hailing platforms to showcase their algorithms related to ride cancellations and surge pricing, along with questioning them over other issues. The CCPA has received numerous complaints of unfair trading practices, such as cab drivers forcing riders to cancel trips that result in the customers paying the cancellation charge. The authority is of the view that old customers are being charged exorbitant rates while new riders are being wooed by low fares for the same distance. Despite the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines 2020, 71 per cent customers say that ride cancellation issues by drivers continue, according to a survey by community-based social media platform LocalCircles last month. Over 45 per cent of app-based taxi consumers stated they were charged more than 1.5 times in surge pricing despite the threshold being set by the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines 2020. The extortionist practices of some drivers to undertake private trips were reported by consumers as a major concern, the report said. As thousands of Indian riders continue to suffer from paying cancellation fees sans their faults, the ride-hailing major in Australia admitted that it made false or misleading statements in cancellation warning messages and taxi fare estimates, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). Uber now faces $26 million (Australian dollars) in penalties for adopting those illegal practices. More than two million Australian consumers were shown the misleading cancellation warning. Envisioned to lessen the travel woes, cab-hailing platforms like Uber and Ola have come a long distance in India, but riders are increasingly facing more issues. Most of the time, Uber and Ola drivers ask the riders to reveal what fare the Uber app is showing, and then decide if they want to take the ride or not depending on the amount and if it is in cash, forcing the riders to cancel the ride. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/10-things-in-tech-its-about-to-get-ugly/articleshow/91440115.cms">10 Things in Tech: It's about to get ugly</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/meditation-app-calm-launched-a-contest-to-find-tiktoks-smoothest-voice-the-winner-will-be-paid-5000-to-narrate-a-story/articleshow/91441165.cms">Meditation app Calm launched a contest to find TikTok's 'smoothest voice' – the winner will be paid $5,000 to narrate a story</a>

Indian regulator to grill Ola and Uber over rising customer complaints

Serum Institute of India, BYJU’S, Ola, OYO among top 10 valuable unlisted companies

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Asher Moses completed The Knowledge, a memory test, and became a London black-cab driver in 1989.</li><li>He said the test was very challenging and that he loved the excitement of graveyard shifts.</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Asher Moses, a former cab driver and the CEO of Sherbet, an all-electric taxi fleet in London. The following has been edited for length and clarity.London is the most incredible capital in the world, and I've been a cab driver in the city since 1989.What I love most about being a black-cab driver is meeting and talking to new people. Taxis used to be such open environments, and you'd hear so many stories — people do feel very comfortable in the back of a licensed cab.<h2>Memorizing 46,000 London streets made me to my career as a cab driver</h2>I qualified as a London cab driver after doing The Knowledge, a memory test, in 1989, inspired by the success of the Jewish men in my community who were in the taxi business and worked for themselves. Before completing The Knowledge, I worked as an electrician, a baker, and in insurance. Learning London's road map committed me to become a taxi driver. Memorizing the 46,000 London streets in the 6-mile radius around Charing Cross was one of the most challenging things I've ever done.I spent a lot of my days navigating the city by bike and four hours a day studying the map; that's how it becomes forever imprinted in your mind. I started training in 1985 and passed in 1989. The Knowledge usually takes three or four years to complete. I worked other jobs on the side. The Knowledge is a verbal test that requires you to recite routes around London and detail how you'd get there and which turns you'd take.<h2>Anything could happen on a graveyard shift</h2>Once I was qualified, I worked the graveyard shift, which started at 8 p.m. and ended in the early-morning hours, once I'd taken the last of the revelers home.I loved the graveyard shifts; they felt exciting and reckless. Back then, I drove all sorts of people through London. You never know what goes on in the back of a cab. When I was on shift, I'd always have the windows down and the music blaring. I had long hair back then, and it would whip in the wind. A lot of people would be absolutely intoxicated. Interactions with them inspired me to join a drug-counseling charity to gain some counseling experience. I displayed the number for the charity's hotline in my cab.One of my favorite celebrities that I gave a lift to was Slash; he had long curly hair like me, and that instantly bonded us when he stepped into my car in 1992. We talked about how similar our hair was. Sometimes people would mistake me for him and even ask me for an autograph.<h2>I've gotten concert ticket upgrades and made lifelong friends from chatting with passengers </h2>Another time in '92, I had concert tickets for Prince because my partner, now my wife, was a massive fan, but they were terrible seats. I knew I wouldn't get to Prince in my taxi, but the crew was staying at the Royal Garden Hotel, so I made sure to hang around until I met someone in his entourage. I picked up a guy from the hotel who had an all-access pass, and he turned out to be Francis Jules, the boyfriend of Prince's right-hand singer Rosie Gaines. We got chatting, and he offered to upgrade our tickets.The next day, we headed into Wembley Stadium via the back gates and ate in the canteen with Prince and The New Power Generation. We befriended everyone so much that three months later, most of the band came to our wedding. Francis even joined me for my bachelor party in Barcelona, Spain.After Prince and his band left London, they recommended me to Wembley's road crew, and I did pickups for Madonna and Michael Jackson concerts. It was quite a ride.<h2>I'm worried about the future of London's black cabs</h2>London's licensed black taxis are a national asset, but their worth is being diluted. I fear for the trade. The taxi community is amazing — it's filled with people who really respect, trust, and cooperate with one another. We used to hang out in designated taxi cafés during changeover shifts, and there would be bacon sandwiches and cups of coffee for us; it was perfect for recharging and provided a real sense of comradery.I now run Sherbet, an all-electric black-taxi company, and I want to see a return to traditional taxi values that prioritize sustainability.

I've been a cab driver in London for 20 years. Graveyard shifts were the best — you never know what'll happen in the back of a cab.

In order to curb drunk driving accidents in the state, <keyword id="826" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="goa" source="Orion">Goa</keyword> will implement a new norm as per which bar and restaurant owners will have to arrange <keyword id="432469" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cabs" source="Orion">cabs</keyword> for their inebriated customers to drop them home or hotels in case of tourists. Speaking during 'Road Safety Week', Transport Minister Mauvin <keyword id="864619" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="godinho" source="Orion">Godinho</keyword> on Monday said that this is the new norm now. Earlier last year too, Godinho had announced this effort but it had not come into reality. However, recently police had intensified checks during the night and had fined those involved in drunk drinking. According to him if people are drunk, then bar owners should not allow them to go in their own vehicle, but they should arrange a cab to drop them off. "They can take their vehicles the next day," he said. "I am telling officers to liaison with <keyword id="6355410" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bars" source="Orion">bars</keyword> and restaurants with heavy footfall, where people go. If somebody is drunk, it is the responsibility of the bar owner to send them home by hiring a cab. Don't send them off driving their own car. This is a new norm in Goa for the safety of people. We will implement it very strictly," he said. He said that everyone has to follow rules just like they do in foreign countries. "Goans and tourists when they go abroad, don't they follow rules? Goa is somewhere you can break every rule because everybody knows everybody and is well connected, as we have only 15 lakh population. You can walk into the secretariat with the minister and phone that you are being caught and to not issue a challan. It is bad," Godinho said. "We want to discontinue it. Now henceforth those who break rules will be fined," he said. "I am really concerned with drunk cases. The cases of accidents are alarming. Around 20 per cent of cases coming to Goa Medical College are accidents. You may be so innocent on the road by driving so slow, but one fine day a drunk person can come and hit you. This should not happen. Therefore, I am telling Regional Transport Officers (<keyword id="48945" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="rto" source="Orion">RTO</keyword>) that you have to be ruthless as far as drunk and drive cases are concerned," he said. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/environment/news/mumbai-international-airport-switches-to-green-sources/articleshow/94761659.cms">Mumbai International Airport switches to Green sources</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sustainability/article/70-of-bengaluru-kids-have-lung-related-issues-environmentalist-warns-against-dangers-of-breathing-bengaluru-air/articleshow/94757838.cms">"70% of Bengaluru kids have lung-related issues": environmentalist warns against dangers of breathing Bengaluru air</a>

Soon, bars might have to book cabs for their drunk patrons in Goa

Ride-hailing major <keyword id="6354720" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="ola" source="Orion">Ola</keyword> on Monday clarified that nearly 200 engineers, including some in the software vertical, have been asked to go from its 2,000-strong engineer workforce -- 10 per cent of the headcount -- as part of a larger restructuring exercise towards its electric dream. The company denied sacking 500 employees, adding that it is "centralising operations and is undertaking a restructuring exercise to minimise redundancy and build a strong lateral structure that strengthens relevant roles and functions". CNBC first reported that nearly 500 employees are being laid off from the various software verticals of <keyword id="21936" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="ani" source="Orion">ANI</keyword> technologies which operates as <keyword id="6362049" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="ola-cabs" source="Orion">Ola Cabs</keyword>. "The company currently has around 2,000 engineers and aims to increase its engineering talent pool to 5,000 over the next 18 months," said the ride-hailing company. The Bhavish Aggarwal-run company has nearly 1,100 employees in its core ride-hailing business. Earlier restructuring exercises impacted employees across product, marketing, sales, supply, tech, business, and operations verticals at the company, affecting nearly 500 employees that "were a result of restructuring in the Cars and Dash businesses". The ride-hailing major recently shut down its used vehicle business <keyword id="3295694" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="ola-cars" source="Orion">Ola Cars</keyword>, as well as its quick-commerce business, <keyword id="13052888" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="ola-dash" source="Orion">Ola Dash</keyword>, as the company shifted focus on its electric two-wheeler and car verticals. Ola said it plans to hire 5,000 engineers as it doubles down on new engineering verticals and strengthens capabilities across vehicle, cell, battery, manufacturing and autonomous streams. However, <keyword id="4393078" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="ola-electric" source="Orion">Ola Electric</keyword>'s sales are diminishing and it sold 3,421 EV two-wheelers in August, a drop from 3,862 units the company sold in July. More than half a dozen senior executives have quit Ola Electric in recent months while over 30 senior executives have left Ola in the past two years. Recently, Ola Electric's head of advanced battery engineering, Ashok Saraswat, moved on. Saraswat, who joined SoftBank-backed Ola last year, is reportedly joining a company that is entering the battery business. As EV two-wheeler sales drop amid battery fire fears, Okinawa Autotech, PureEV and Ola Electric recalled 6,656 vehicles after the battery explosion incidents increased in the country. The government has said it is extra vigilant about the safety standards of EVs and experts are on the job. SEE ALSO : <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/ev-battery-can-charge-in-three-minutes-a-harvard-backed-company-claimed/articleshow/94295446.cms">Harvard-backed company makes an EV battery that fully charges in three minutes</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/ola-laying-off-500-employees-from-its-software-verticals-report/articleshow/94294728.cms">Ola laying off 500 employees from its software verticals: Report</a>

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