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<keyword id="20448705" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Waymo" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Waymo" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Waymo">Waymo</keyword>, the self-driving car whiz kid from Alphabet (aka Google’s big parent company), just made a splash by launching its robotaxis in Los Angeles! This means that anyone with the Waymo One app can now call up a driverless cab across a whopping 129-square-kilometre stretch of the city. It’s like having a robot chauffeur — without the awkward small talk! This isn’t Waymo’s first rodeo with robotaxis. They’ve been rolling around Phoenix since 2020 and then hit up San Francisco last year. In Los Angeles, after a short trial for some lucky early testers, Waymo opened up rides to the public. Now anyone can zip around L.A. traffic in style, with the car’s AI brain in control. Waymo’s journey started as a secret project back in 2009 and has come a long way since then. The company’s <keyword id="19967698" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="self-driving-cars" source="keywords">self-driving cars</keyword> have logged over 20 million miles without any major accidents — a record that certainly leaves human drivers in the dust. Meanwhile, Waymo’s competitor, Cruise (owned by General Motors), ran into some trouble when one of its <keyword id="21485769" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="driverless-cars" source="keywords">driverless cars</keyword> was involved in an accident with a pedestrian, resulting in a license suspension in California. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="107634470" title="A crowd set fire to a Waymo taxi in San Francisco, as tensions about driverless tech grow" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>But Waymo’s big moves in the US raise an interesting question: what would happen if robotaxis rolled out in a place like India? The impact could be massive! India has millions of taxi drivers, and many rely on their daily fares to support their families. Not only is the work gruelling, such “gig workers” often earn shockingly less, and at increasingly shrinking profit margins. One source even noted earning only around Rs 30,000 a month while working as an Ola captain from Bengaluru. Thus, a widespread shift to driverless cars could be a serious blow to their livelihoods, especially in a country struggling with rampant levels of inflation. Therefore, there exists an issue of livelihoods on one hand and technological progress on the other, so if companies like Waymo ever bring robotaxis to India, it could shake things up in a big way. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="102751416" title="Sex in self-driving cars: Passengers are reportedly hooking up in San Francisco&amp;#39;s driverless taxis" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>However, on the other side of the spectrum, there are undoubtedly some benefits to moving towards a fully-automated robotaxi fleet. For instance, road accidents cause over 1,50,000 deaths annually in India. Autonomous vehicles,which are designed to follow traffic rules strictly and reduce human error, could help lower these numbers. Additionally, driverless taxis could make transportation more accessible and affordable, especially in densely populated cities with high demand. Furthermore, such robotaxis would also provide a solution for passengers who experience language barriers or inconsistent service quality, as these vehicles are designed for efficient, standardised rides. There is also the hope that they could reduce traffic congestion and pollution with AI-driven routes that minimise idle time and fuel use. Waymo may be rejoicing in the spotlight at the moment, but there are several other companies in the robotaxi race, including Tesla, which has its “Cybercab” in the works, and Amazon’s Zoox, aiming to hit the streets of Las Vegas next year. Baidu’s Apollo is already making robotaxi runs in some Chinese cities, but each company faces its own unique set of challenges. In India, where roads are a blend of honking scooters, zig-zagging rickshaws, and plenty of cows on the streets, introducing robotaxis would require some serious tech tricks and regulatory green lights. Until then, L.A. can enjoy the driverless rides while the rest of us wait to see how this wild technology shapes the future.

No Driver? No Problem! Waymo’s driverless robotaxis make Los Angeles debut — but what could the tech mean for India?

<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

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Waymo's autonomous robotaxis were made available to the public in San Francisco last week.</li><li>I made two trips across the city during peak hours.</li></ul><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/waymo">Waymo</a>, Alphabet's autonomous taxi cab company, is now available to the public in San Francisco — a culmination of more than a decade of testing and wading through regulatory hoops.About 300 cars are operating in the city. The company has about 700 robotaxis in total — most in SF and Phoenix — but Waymo's spokesperson told Business Insider there are plans to expand access to the public in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/waymo-now-approved-to-operate-in-los-angeles-2024-3">Los Angeles</a> and Austin.I took two rides on June 27 to and from the Financial District of SF during peak morning commute hours.My verdict? Waymo's autonomous driver is pretty damn smart, and aside from a few hesitations, the robotaxi offers a smooth, comfortable experience with competitive pricing against other ride-hailing apps.Here's how the rides went:<h2 id="6524a8dd-2f4a-4f18-bb28-dc3a19309574">Hailing a ride</h2><div type="image" title="Side-by-side image of screenshots showing the Waymo's app experience." height="3000" width="4000" msid="111557784" hostid="261" sizebytes="151414"></div>The user experience of Waymo's app is straightforward and similar to that of other ride-hailing apps: You pick a destination and adjust the pick-up location as needed.For now, Waymo's robotaxi fleet is limited to the all-electric Jaguar I-PACE SUVs, which have a maximum of four seats. There are no other options.A Waymo spokesperson told BI that the company plans to add the Geely Zeekr, an all-electric van, to its fleet when it rolls out the 6th-generation autonomous driver software. The van will have five seats.A neat feature of Waymo's cars is that riders can set a unique vehicle ID or initial that appears on top of the car. This will make your ride more easily identifiable, especially since all of Waymo's cars look the same for now.<h2 id="9b73b53b-df17-4cbe-a019-c5502957cdc2">Pricing</h2><div type="image" title="Screenshots show prices of Waymo, Uber, and Lyft for rides to the same location." height="3000" width="4000" msid="111557782" hostid="261" sizebytes="332680"></div>Prices will always vary, but on that Thursday morning, Waymo's prices were <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-make-money-uber-lyft-driverless-san-francisco-waymo-2024-2">competitive with Uber and Lyft,</a> which took me a bit by surprise.A nearly six-mile trip across SF was $24.19 with Waymo. An UberX for the same trip was $26.96, and a Lyft with standard pickup time was $23.94.A few things to consider, however. With Waymo, riders know what vehicle experience they're going to get. For now, the Jaguars are clean and have comfortable leather seating. With Uber and Lyft, the vehicles can be a toss-up unless you pay extra for a higher-quality experience.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/is-driving-for-uber-worth-it-earning-strategies-gig-economy-2024-5">Uber</a> offers an all-electric car option, while <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-lyft-driving-worth-it-low-tips-rare-minimum-wage-2024-6">Lyft</a> offers "extra comfort" vehicles that are supposed to be "roomier &amp; quiet." Waymo's cars already cover both options.Plus, Waymo riders don't have to tip a driver because there isn't one.A Waymo spokesperson told me that the company continues to evaluate its pricing structure but anticipates staying competitive over time.Spokespeople for Uber and Lyft noted to BI how autonomous vehicles will be integrated into the companies' existing network of ride-share drivers."A lot has happened in the autonomous landscape over the past two years, but one thing remains clear: Autonomous vehicles will be a part of the mobility fabric of the future," Andrew Macdonald, Uber's senior vice president of mobility, said at February's investor meeting. "Our strategy is to be the platform partner of choice for AV tech. Rather than building AVs ourselves, we are bringing developers' fleets onto our network."<h2 id="128c3169-7524-4cac-86a9-5d4cd2ec2585">Pick up</h2><div type="image" title="The interior of Waymo's robotaxi with black leather seating." height="2705" width="3606" msid="111557786" hostid="261" sizebytes="678034"></div>Waymo's car took about 21 minutes to arrive and pick me up that morning.But pick-up times will vary, as my second ride showed. That time, the car arrived in less than two minutes. Riders should plan accordingly.I stood near busy streets for both rides to see where Waymo would pull over.Both times, Waymo found a safe place to stop and avoided double parking the car. However, this may mean walking a block or two away from the original pick-up location.After I unlocked the car through the app, stepping inside was a jarring experience, as I quickly noticed that there was no driver.But Waymo appeared to try its best to soothe the riders: The vehicle was automatically playing ambient neo-classical music, and the climate was set at a precise 69 degrees Fahrenheit. It's as if the car was telling me, "Relax, and welcome to the future."All of this can be adjusted to a rider's preference, which is a plus. A little <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sexyy-red-facts-biography-what-to-know-2023-8">Sexyy Red</a> during the morning commute, anyone?Instructions are played once you press "Start Ride" on the touchscreen located at the center console, telling riders to buckle up and not to touch the steering wheel at any time.The auto message also indicated that there was a camera inside the car. The message added that the vehicle has a microphone that only operates when passengers need to connect with rider support.<h2 id="b9edf1d1-5212-40b1-85cc-ca21c8f86d91">Driving in SF</h2><div type="image" title="Side-by-side image of the Waymo steering wheel and the vehicle's center touch screen console." height="3000" width="4000" msid="111557789" hostid="261" sizebytes="509712"></div>Waymo's 5th generation autonomous driver could be best described as a safe but not an annoyingly cautious driver.It maintained the city's speed limits, caught yellow lights from a reasonable distance without speeding, and could make a succession of lane changes smoothly on busy streets.What impressed me more, however, was how it handled riskier drivers on the road and maneuvers necessary to execute in SF.For example, double-parked cars are a common sight in the city. Sometimes, this means drivers will have to briefly move into the lane of opposing traffic to get around a vehicle.The Waymo driver knew how to do that, recognizing that the car in the opposing traffic lane stopped to give us the right of way.The Waymo also appeared to detect a person on an e-scooter coming from behind and inched a little to the left of the lane to give room for the scooter rider. It did the same thing to give itself more room when it detected a large parked bucket truck slightly in Waymo's lane.In one instance, when another driver cut off Waymo, the autonomous driving system handled it with poise since the other driver had plenty of room to go in front of the Waymo.At yellow lights, the Waymo made good judgment calls about whether it had enough space to catch the light or stop without pressing the brakes hard.The expectation I had that the Waymo driver would be stiff, as the term "robot taxi" might suggest, was dispelled throughout the rides.As small as it was, one moment stood out to me the most — almost a "Blade Runner" moment that convinced me that Waymo is getting close to making their autonomous driving system "more human than human."At the intersection of Grant Avenue and Bush Street — the busy cusp of the Financial District — the Waymo stopped at a red light.As it dutifully waited, the Waymo car inched up twice ever so slightly, almost like a human driver would to adjust her distance from the crosswalk or anticipate a light that was about to turn green."Why did it do that?" I wondered.<h2 id="7007d5bf-a688-41ab-b8f4-e31edb3ff3b2">Moments of hesitation</h2><div type="image" title="Waymo's white robotaxis parked on a street in San Francisco." height="2540" width="3387" msid="111557791" hostid="261" sizebytes="684208"></div>Still, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/waymo-self-driving-robotaxi-cars-without-drivers-amazing-tech-review-2024-4">Waymo driver isn't perfect</a>, as BI's Peter Kafka recently noted.I counted three moments of — let's call them hesitation — during my second ride in a Waymo.One was when the Waymo made a right turn on a quieter street, changed lanes, and then returned to the other lane for no apparent reason. This is not to say the car swerved. The Waymo still signaled lane changes, but I couldn't immediately see why it chose to do that.When the vehicle was driving downhill on the road, Waymo braked a few times — not harshly, but still noticeably.Lastly, once on Pine Street, the Waymo hesitated for about a second to fully complete a lane change to the left. The vehicle appeared to ride a bit too close to the original lane it was coming from.A Waymo spokesperson told me it's hard to determine what happened in those moments without examining the driver logs. The company continues to work out kinks as it gathers more data and feedback.The spokesperson said it's also possible I failed to notice something the Waymo car picked up.Fair enough, I suppose. I only have two decent eyes compared to Waymo's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/waymo-lidar-went-from-science-fiction-to-self-driving-cars-2020-9">lidar sensors</a>, radar system, and 29 cameras.<h2 id="ecd1d5a6-5855-41f4-9103-a7c331eb4a81">Drop off</h2><div type="image" title="Image of Waymo's touchscreen console indicates to the rider that the vehicle is attempting to pull over." height="2576" width="3434" msid="111557793" hostid="261" sizebytes="311340"></div>As Waymo approached the drop-off, the system notified me that I was close to my destination and reminded me to take all of my belongings.One feature I appreciate is the ability to ask Waymo to pull over — like telling an Uber driver, "Right here is good."By pressing "pull over" on the touchscreen console or your phone, Waymo will find the closest spot to pull over.<h2 id="ac8dd6b5-d8f2-4c1c-8a85-be93cc4e550d">Verdict</h2>Waymo makes a convincing case for the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/self-driving-cars-fully-autonomous-vehicles-future-prediction-timeline-2019-8">autonomous driver</a>.Even in the hectic streets of San Francisco, where people have to deal with risky drivers and a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-fsd-full-self-driving-san-francisco-sunset-district-testing-2024-5">relatively complex street grid</a>, the Waymo delivered a smooth riding experience.Plus, the ability to adjust the climate, blast music, and talk in the car would probably be a boon for riders — perhaps more so for introverts. I say this as someone who rolls their eyes at dudes who complain about having to talk to their Uber drivers.Riders can also bring their service animals without worrying about a driver's discretion. Other pets are not allowed.Waymo's service could be even more valuable if the company offered more seating. A Waymo spokesperson told BI it is testing the five-seater Zeekr vehicles, but the company has no roll-out date to share.As I was dropped off from my second ride, a passerby noticed I was taking pictures of the Waymo."Cool, right?" he said. "Everything about it, I love 'em."

Waymo's robotaxis are better than some San Francisco drivers

<div type="image" title="One Planet Banner Test" height="138" width="1100" msid="109509214" hostid="261" sizebytes="5076"></div>On one Upper West Side side street, you can hear the quiet hum of electric vehicles almost all day and night.Manhattan isn't known for its plentiful parking. But this street has something even rarer: two public spots reserved for EV charging. Often, vehicles linger for hours.On a recent weekday, one licensed ride-hailing driver had been charging for more than 12 hours. Another EV sat for more than five hours at the neighboring plug. For the ride-hailing driver, that's 12 hours they didn't work. For other EV owners, it's one less charger to plug in to. A Tesla slowed as it drove by in hopes the spaces weren't occupied.This snapshot in time comes as New York City aims to convert almost its entire ride-hailing industry to EVs by 2030, with the exception of wheelchair-accessible vehicles. Mayor Eric Adams' Green Rides Initiative affects the city's more than 84,000 Uber and Lyft drivers — among the largest markets in the world. It's an ambitious target, given that under 10% of rides were taken in an EV in March, according to city data.The biggest hurdle is building enough public chargers, especially in such a densely packed city with an old power grid and lengthy bureaucratic delays. For Uber and Lyft drivers, time is money, so widely accessible charging is key to the EV switch. The majority live in NYC's outer boroughs, such as Queens, and park on the street, where chargers are sparse. A <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy22osti/82293.pdf">study by the US Department of Energy</a> found that 1,000 fast chargers were needed for every 20,000 EV drivers on the road. Currently, there are fewer than 200 across NYC. Plus, building thousands of new chargers requires billions of dollars of investment.City officials and ride-hailing companies told Business Insider that electrifying the sector could unlock a broader EV revolution because it could solve a crucial conundrum: Companies won't build charging stations if there aren't enough drivers, but drivers won't buy an EV if charging isn't widely accessible."This is the industry that's going to get this infrastructure off the ground because a ride-share driver is a great customer for a charging station," said Bobby Familiar, a spokesperson for Revel, an all-electric ride-hailing service that operates three public fast-charging stations in NYC. "They have to charge every single day that they do a shift. They want fast charging because every minute spent at the charger is time they could be on the road earning a fare."Electrifying the ride-hailing industry also has big returns for the environment, Michael Replogle, a former deputy commissioner for policy at NYC's Department of Transportation, said."If you can electrify Ubers, Lyfts, and taxis that drive several hundred miles a day, it will really reduce the city's carbon footprint and clean up the air," he said.Given the stakes, a lot has to go right in the coming years. The city has to strike a balance between the number of EV drivers and charging sites. Long wait times risk turning off drivers from making the switch, but if there isn't enough demand, the economics could fall apart for stations run by the government or private entities. Chargers also must be in neighborhoods with a history of underinvestment.<h2>A mad dash for EV licenses</h2>The transition is getting an early test this year now that thousands more ride-hailing drivers have licenses.In October, the Taxi &amp; Limousine Commission opened applications for this gig work for the first time in five years — but for EV drivers only. A cap had been in place since 2018 to stabilize drivers' wages and decrease traffic congestion.The TLC approved about 8,400 EV licenses. That brought the total to more than 11,000, a huge jump compared with several years ago.The program is on hold because of a lawsuit filed by the New York Taxi Workers Alliance. It represents the yellow-cab industry, which isn't under the EV mandate but can voluntarily make the switch to certain models. The alliance argued that the market would become oversaturated.TLC Commissioner David Do said many of those who applied were ride-hailing drivers already and the total number of drivers in NYC was still lower than pre-pandemic levels.A lot of ride-hailing drivers are excited about the EV push because it's a pathway to owning their own car, rather than renting from fleet owners, according to Aeraj Qazi, the owner of Primetime Brokerage, which helps drivers through the TLC licensing process."Rentals are like handcuffs for drivers, so EVs provide an opportunity for drivers to own their own plates," Qazi said.Weekly rental rates average between $450 and $600, several drivers told BI. That's more than a typical monthly car payment.Qazi said he and other brokerages helped file thousands of EV applications before the court-ordered injunction took effect late last year."We didn't realize how crazy it would get. The charging infrastructure isn't there right now," Qazi said.Guillermo Fondeur, an Uber driver who bought a Tesla in 2021, charges at home. He said the switch had saved him money on gas and maintenance, and he earns some perks from Uber, including an extra $1 on every ride.But he's heard complaints from other EV owners about the lack of public charging infrastructure."It's very inconvenient to find chargers," Fondeur said. "There are one- to two-hour waits to plug in some places."He added: "Drivers want to charge on the block where they live. The city could put chargers in the parking spaces. There's also a lot of parking lots."<h2>NYC's most valuable asset</h2>Today, there are nearly 200 fast chargers in NYC and more than 1,900 Level 2 chargers. The Adams administration <a target="_blank" href="https://climate.cityofnewyork.us/subtopics/electric-vehicles/">wants to grow the network</a> this decade to 6,000 fast chargers and 40,000 Level 2 plugs."We need every space we can find," Do said.In general, EVs can get up to 30 miles of range for every hour they're plugged in to a Level 2 charger. That makes them ideal for overnight street parking, or for several hours during the day while drivers run errands or go to work. Fast chargers, such as those in Tesla's Supercharger network, can add up to 200 miles of range in just 15 minutes, helping ease range anxiety among road trippers and ride-hailing drivers who need a quick refill but don't want to lose too much time.Making progress in NYC requires coordination across the government, power utilities, and private companies. Do is part of a charging task force that brings those parties together.The TLC is sharing data on where drivers live and where and how often trips happen to help inform where chargers should be. The utility Con Edison is identifying where enough power is already available for new chargers and expanded a statewide program that subsidizes the cost of bringing electricity to chargers to $585 million. The Department of Transportation is investing in some curbside charging and fast chargers <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/pr2023/fast-charging-hubs.shtml">in municipal parking lots</a>.The department's efforts build on a <a target="_blank" href="https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/68833">curbside-charging pilot</a> with Con Edison and a Canadian company, Flo. It created 100 Level 2 plug-ins across all five boroughs, a spokesperson for the department said, and there are plans for hundreds more.But those efforts alone won't spur enough development, Replogle, the former DOT official, said."It took us 3 ½ years to stand up that pilot," he said. "We recognized we would not be getting thousands of on-street Level 2 chargers by scaling up that model. It's going to take some competitive procurement with the private sector to make this happen."There are barriers, Replogle added. There isn't a clear path for private charging companies and real-estate owners to get regulatory approval for installing curbside plugs."Street space is one of the most valuable assets the city owns," Replogle said. "There are 3 million parking spaces, and less than 250,000 of them are priced. So there are a fair number of spaces that can produce the kind of economic return for electrification to happen."A DOT spokesperson said the department last year sent out a request for information from EV-charging companies, which will inform future partnerships.Beyond curbside, there are hurdles for companies such as Revel that are building larger fast-charging stations with dozens of plugs. These sites often need electrical-power upgrades to connect to the grid, a lengthy process with Con Edison."We're approaching every charging station like it's a new high-rise building," Familiar said. "But the timeline for getting a charging station up and running is a lot different than a building. If we have power, we can get a site done within months, not years. The power-upgrade timeline does not match that."Charging stations should go to the front of the line, he added.A spokesperson for Con Edison said the utility was evolving its grid-planning process to prepare for large EV loads."When upgrades are needed at the customer property, we are working to reduce interconnection timelines at every step in the process from early customer engagement and education through improved work coordination and collaborating closely with municipalities on permitting," the spokesperson said.<h2>The charging pipeline</h2>Despite the delays, Revel has a pipeline of 300 fast chargers over the next two years, Familiar said. That figure reflects active site leases in various phases of design and construction.Revel owns a fleet of 500 vehicles and more than 50 plugs in NYC that are open to any model.One of the new stations is set to be at LaGuardia Airport, one of the busiest areas for ride-hailing trips in the city. Installing 48 plugs would make it the largest fast-charging location at any airport nationwide. It's expected to open next year.Revel in March also struck a deal with Uber that guaranteed its drivers would use at least 250 of Revel's plugs a certain amount of the time. If Uber doesn't meet the use threshold, it's financially liable. In exchange, Uber drivers will get up to a 25% discount when they charge.The agreement could help Uber meet its own goal to have its drivers go fully electric this decade. So far, more than 6% of Uber's fleet in the US and Canada has zero emissions, and more than 17% of trips in NYC were in EVs last year. The company said it's spending $800 million by 2025 to encourage drivers to make the switch.Josh Gold, Uber's senior director of public policy, said that after the TLC lifted its cap on EV licenses, he saw longer lines at Tesla's Superchargers. And for years, many of the platform's early EV adopters were going to Manhattan to charge, often in paywalled parking garages."That's not where our drivers live," he said. "So that's been a worry, but now we're seeing the charging infrastructure develop more."Uber is sharing ride data with Revel so it can locate chargers in the most convenient places for drivers. Uber has a similar agreement with Tesla.Lyft, for its part, said it's investing $80 million through 2025 on its EV push and working with charging companies including EVgo and Electrify America to offer discounts. Nearly 17% of NYC Lyft rides were in EVs last year.The rising demand from the ride-hailing industry for EV charging could help buoy other startups. Itselectric is piloting some Level 2 curbside charging using excess power from buildings, which avoids the need for utility upgrades and therefore could speed up the build-out. In a parking garage in midtown Manhattan, Gravity in March opened what it says are the 24 fastest chargers in the country.Almost everyone BI interviewed for this story acknowledged that the city's EV's ambitions were lofty.There are some promising signs, however.Do said that the Green Rides Initiative was two years ahead of schedule. By 2025, at least 15% of ride-hailing trips were supposed to be in zero-emissions or wheelchair-accessible vehicles. That threshold was crossed in January and ticked up even higher in March to 17%. That month, more than 2 million trips were taken in an EV — a fivefold increase compared with November.Do said he wanted to boost the TLC's outreach to drivers so they could understand the perks of switching to an EV."There are so many more benefits to a green vehicle, not only for the future of our city but for kids who will breathe cleaner air, and it also might be a little cheaper," he said. "So we've laid the foundation, but now we need to convince many other drivers to convert."Juliana Kaplan contributed to this article.This article is part of "<a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/the-great-transition">The Great Transition</a>," a series covering the big changes across industries that are leading to a more sustainable future. For more climate-action news, visit Insider's <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/one-planet">One Planet</a> hub.

NYC's EV revolution is riding on Uber and Lyft drivers

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Mhay-Ann Carriza De Felipe, 29, began driving part-time for <keyword id="1042120" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="uber" source="Orion">Uber</keyword> and Lyft in <keyword id="12003793" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="las-vegas" source="Orion">Las Vegas</keyword> in 2021.</li><li>She says she doesn't feel unsafe but does encounter drunk men who proposition her.</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Mhay-Ann Carriza De Felipe, a 29-year-old Uber and Lyft driver in Las Vegas. Insider has verified her income and employment with documentation. The following has been edited for length and clarity.Last year, I began driving part-time for Uber and Lyft as a way to help pay off medical bills and bring in some extra cash to cover basic necessities like groceries to feed our family of four. Since then, I've driven about 20,000 miles, done more than 2,200 rides, and earned more than $50,000.Prior to the pandemic, I'd shop at designer outlets like Coach and Michael Kors and then resell the merchandise at a markup online, but when my sales started to suffer, I knew it was time to find a more lucrative alternative. That's when I turned to rideshare driving.<h2>I drove part-time at first, usually working 3 days a week for between 8 and 12 hours a day </h2><div type="image" title="Mhay-Ann Carriza De Felipe with her family" height="3024" width="4032" msid="91774004" hostid="261"></div>Due to COVID-19, my sons, now 5 and 9 years old, were in remote school. My husband, who worked for a <keyword id="11894924" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="transportation" source="Orion">transportation</keyword> company, was working from home, so it was easy for me to drive during school hours and on my husband's days off. Three months into doing rideshare, after earning as much as $500 in a day, I saw the potential and began driving full-time. For a mom like me, it's a great job because I'm able to set my own hours and work when it's best for my family's schedule. I can turn off the app whenever I want and spend time with my family without a boss or coworkers pressuring me to stay late or work more, and having that kind of convenience and flexibility is my favorite part of the job. <h2>These days, my least favorite part of my job is the increased gas prices that affect my earnings</h2><a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/?state=NV">According to AAA</a>, gas prices in Las Vegas are now more than $5 per gallon, which is higher than the national average. I have a 5-star rating, so based on that and my low cancelation rates, I've achieved Uber Platinum status — a level that unlocks a variety of benefits, including a complimentary annual Costco membership. I try to fill up my tank on discounted gas there as often as I can.We used to own a Honda Fit and a Chrysler van, and I would take turns driving them both. The bigger the vehicle, the higher the rate, so I could earn more driving the van through Uber XL. But in January we sold the van at my husband's recommendation. Just last month we went electric, replacing it with a Tesla Model Y to save on gas. <h2>People often ask me if as a woman I feel safe doing this kind of work, especially since I often drive at night </h2>This March marked one year that I've been rideshare driving full-time, and the truth is, I do feel safe — even driving up until 2 a.m. As far as vehicle safety, both cars are equipped with dual-facing dashcams. That means one camera faces inside the vehicle while the other faces the road.As for personal safety, my husband bought me pepper spray and an electric shock taser. I'm prepared to defend myself should the need arise, but luckily it hasn't. In addition to these safety devices, once I turn on the Uber app and begin driving, my location can be shared with family and friends through the "Follow My Ride" feature. They're then able to track my whereabouts at all times. My husband, who died in a recent motorcycle crash, always liked the fact that wherever I was out there driving, he could glance at his phone and know where I was and that I was safe. <h2>While I've never feared for my own safety, I've certainly had my share of awkward situations</h2>Driving late at night in Vegas pretty much guarantees sooner or later, you'll pick up a drunk guy. Some guys will flirt and ask for my number. Others ask if I want to hook up with them. The more aggressive types will offer me money to go up to their hotel room with them. I always decline and then I give them three choices: I can drop them off at their hotel, leave them stranded in the middle road, or drive them directly to the police station. That's when I hear them start to squirm in the back seat as they mull over their choices. They usually let out a nervous laugh and apologize before choosing the first option. After that, they remain quiet the rest of the ride. Right before they get out of the car, they typically apologize again and tip me in cash.<h2>One time, my passenger was a drunk rapper who kept insisting I find his song on Spotify </h2>He wanted me to blast it on repeat while he sang in the back seat at the top of his lungs. In between singing, he'd proposition me. I politely declined and gave him my standard three options. Like all the other guys before him, he chose to be dropped off at his hotel and then shut up. The next day I got a message that he left his wallet filled with cash in my car.I had the feeling it was just a ploy to see me again, so I took a video of me retrieving the wallet from the back seat. I opened it to reveal its empty contents with my mother-in-law alongside me as my witness. Then I drove to meet him and return his empty wallet. I remained inside my car and handed it over, telling him he'd probably spent or lost the cash in the bar that I'd picked him up from the night before. He apologized for his behavior and tipped me $20. I thanked him and warned him not to try that type of stuff with other women drivers because next time he might not be so lucky and they'd call 9-1-1 on him. Since my husband was killed in a crash while riding his motorcycle recently, I can no longer share my location with him when I get in the car and turn on my Uber app. I pray he's still looking out for me and protecting me from up above as I continue to drive and care for our two boys.Are you a current or former rideshare driver and have a story to tell? Email akalish@insider.com.

I'm a woman and drive for Uber and Lyft. I've made $50,000 in a year and never felt unsafe, despite a lot of drunk passengers.

<keyword id="1042120" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="uber" source="Orion">Uber</keyword> on Thursday refuted a report that claimed the ride-hailing major planned to exit the Indian market and held discussions with potential buyers to sell its India business. Bloomberg reported that the US-based company explored selling the India business, but "suspended discussions after tech startup valuations cratered." In a statement shared with IANS, an Uber spokesperson said the company never explored exiting India -- not even for a minute -- and the report is "categorically false." "India is as important to Uber today as it was when we launched nine years ago. We are serving riders and drivers across more than 100 cities, hiring Indian talent aggressively, and planning for the next decade and beyond," the company spokesperson said. Uber competes with SoftBank-backed <keyword id="6354720" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ola" source="Orion">Ola</keyword> in the country. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said in April that it will expand its product offerings and its team in India. "We continue to expand the product offerings for the Indian consumer. Whether it is autos, motos or high-capacity vehicles or rentals, India has always been a very big part of the Uber journey," he said during the Virtual i3 summit organised by Times Bridge. Uber aims to expand its engineering talent in India to more than 1,000 people from 700 at present, he had announced. Last month, <keyword id="2502101" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="uber-india" source="Orion">Uber India</keyword>'s Director of Central Operations, Nitish Bhushan, said that they are "always striving to make driving with Uber a viable and attractive option for drivers and the recent hike in fares will directly boost their earnings per trip". To remove frustration for riders and drivers alike, the company is also showing trip destinations to drivers before they decide to accept the ride. "Drivers at the Uber advisory council meeting told us they would like more flexibility around payments. We are now showing drivers the mode of payment (cash or online) before the trip starts," the company said. To make the cash or online decision irrelevant, the company has also introduced a daily pay process for drivers. With these changes, the company said that they are also reinforcing their service quality expectations with drivers, especially in areas like cancellation and ensuring AC rides. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/most-underprivileged-women-are-keen-to-start-businesses-but-lack-skills-and-financial-know-how/articleshow/92411578.cms">Most underprivileged women are keen to start businesses but lack skills and financial know-how</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/tata-consumer-sees-growth-on-the-back-of-starbucks-tea-and-salt/articleshow/92410036.cms">Tata Consumer sees growth on the back of Starbucks, tea and salt</a>

Uber dismisses report that said it's planning to sell off its India business

<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.

<ul><li>The Indian Federation of App-based Transport workers (IFAT) have filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking social security benefits.</li><li>They demanded that gig workers should be considered as “unorganised workers”, which will make their employers liable to pay them certain benefits.</li><li>The lack of employment contracts between gig workers and new age platforms does not mean there is no employer-employee relationship, the petition read.</li></ul>Some of India’s gig workers — associated with new age firms like Uber, Ola, Zomato and Swiggy — are seeking government intervention to help them overcome the impact of the pandemic and make their employers pay for it. The Indian Federation of App-based Transport workers (IFAT) filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Supreme Court two days ago, seeking their inclusion as “unorganised workers” or “wage workers” within the Unorganised Workers Social Welfare Security Act, 2008. The association, in collaboration with concerned individuals and organisations, noted that the denial of social security to gig workers and “platform workers’ has resulted in their exploitation through forced labour. The transport gig workers, in the petition accessed by Business Insider, noted that the failure to register them as unorganised workers or provide them with social security is violating their right to life and personal liberty as well as right to equality. They also added that app-based companies — Zomato, Swiggy, Uber, Ola and others — currently claim that they are in partnership with gig workers, therefore there is no contract of employment between the two parties. Hence, they want their hands off any responsibility or accountability over the lives and livelihood of the contractual workers associated with them. “The mere fact that their employers call themselves “aggregators” and enter into the so-called “partnership agreements” does not take away the fact that there exists a jural relationship of employer and employee; master and servant and worker within the meaning of all applicable laws,” the petition read. IFAT added that the contracts were made in a way to disguise the nature of the relations between the gig workers and these apps. They also cited a recent Supreme Court ruling in the United Kingdom, which <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-reclassify-uk-drivers-minimum-wage-benefits-supreme-court-defeat-2021-3">stated</a> that Uber Drivers are in fact workers in the company and are entitled to certain benefits. The workers’ association added that the transport gig workers in India are struggling with decreasing income, increasing fuel prices, immense pressure from loan recovery agents as well as state officials, who too are trying to make a living in this pandemic. SEE ALSO <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/zee-entertainment-merges-with-sony-pictures/articleshow/86416420.cms">Marriage Story! Zee gets a white knight in Sony</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/infosys-hdfc-bank-vedanta-and-other-top-stocks-to-watch-out-for-on-september-22/slidelist/86415930.cms">Zee Entertainment, Infosys, HDFC Bank and other top stocks to watch out for on September 22</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/zee-entertainment-shares-hits-upper-circuit-after-two-independent-directors-resign-on-investors-demand/articleshow/86189814.cms">Zee Entertainment hits 33% after two independent directors resign on investor’s demand</a>

Gig workers move Supreme Court seeking social security benefits from Zomato, Swiggy, Ola and Uber

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The Montgomery Bus Boycott began in December 1955 after Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat.</li><li>Black taxi drivers provided alternative transportation for thousands of boycotters.</li></ul>On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks was commuting home from her job as a seamstress on a bus when the driver asked her to vacate her seat for a white rider. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/15-surprising-facts-about-rosa-parks">Parks' refusal</a> to do so sparked one of the seminal moments of the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/civil-rights-moments-historic-past-150-years-2019-1">civil rights movement.</a>Within days, calls for a boycott spread throughout Montgomery. The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/montgomery-bus-boycott-photos-anniversary-civil-rights-movement-2019-12">Montgomery Bus Boycott</a> not only catapulted figures like Parks and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/martin-luther-king-jr-facts-2019-1">Martin Luther King Jr.</a> to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/speeches-martin-luther-king-jr-2019-1">national fame</a>, but also galvanized the city's African American community to action.Black-owned newspapers and church ministers <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nps.gov/articles/montgomery-bus-boycott.htm">spread</a> the news of the boycott. On December 5, around 40,000 Black bus riders — representing at least 75% of Montgomery's bus ridership — <a target="_blank" href="https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/montgomery-bus-boycott">refused</a> to take the bus, delivering a critical blow to the city's transportation system."We came to see that, in the long run, it is more honorable to walk in dignity than ride in humiliation," King <a target="_blank" href="https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/documents/statement-ending-bus-boycott">said</a> when he announced the end of the boycott, a year later, on December 20, 1956.Without the help of Black taxi drivers, the boycott would have been severely hampered.<div type="image" title="montgomery bus boycott" height="1556" width="2348" msid="106864875" hostid="261" sizebytes="296546"></div><h2>A need for alternative transportation</h2>After recognizing the resounding success of the boycott's first day, Black leaders met to discuss how they could continue the boycott until the city met their demands to end busing <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-segregation-looked-like-jim-crow-era-america-2023-3">segregation laws</a>.The organizers knew that to continue the boycott, they would need alternative transportation. Montgomery's Black-owned taxi companies, which operated a total of around 210 cabs, volunteered to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ineteconomics.org/perspectives/blog/how-black-businesses-helped-save-the-civil-rights-movement">lower</a> their fares to just 10 cents, so passengers paid the same as they would for a bus ride.The city's bus system felt the squeeze, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nps.gov/articles/montgomery-bus-boycott.htm">losing</a> 30,000 to 40,000 bus fares daily."Without the automobile, the bus boycott in Montgomery would not have been possible," Gretchen Sorin, author of "Driving While Black: African American Travel and the Road to Civil Rights," <a target="_blank" href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/how-automobiles-helped-power-civil-rights-movement-180974300/">told</a> Smithsonian Magazine.<div type="image" title="Woman walking to work during the Montgomery Bus Boycott." height="2366" width="3155" msid="106864876" hostid="261" sizebytes="579060"></div><h2>Facing police pressure</h2>In the face of the mounting boycott, Montgomery police <a target="_blank" href="https://prologue.blogs.archives.gov/2015/11/30/the-montgomery-bus-boycott">instituted</a> a minimum fare law and <a target="_blank" href="https://shec.ashp.cuny.edu/items/show/1829">even arrested</a> taxi drivers who helped the city's Black residents. In 1956, King was <a target="_blank" href="https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-arrested-speeding-mia-holds-seven-mass-meetings">arrested and jailed</a> for driving 30 miles per hour in a 25 miles per hour zone.The city also pressured car insurance companies to revoke or refuse insurance to Black car owners, according to the National Archives.But Black organizers refused to cave to the pressure. Protestors simply chose to walk to places and organized carpools. More than 200 people volunteered their cars to stop between roughly 100 pickup stations throughout the city, according to the National Park Service.In his <a target="_blank" href="https://shec.ashp.cuny.edu/items/show/1829">diary</a>, civil rights leader <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bayard-rustin-walter-naegle-march-on-washington-civil-rights-history-2023-11">Bayard Rustin</a> remembered speaking with men who walked as much as 14 miles every day in honor of the boycott, and reflected on the Black drivers who helped keep the city moving."I wondered what the response of the drivers would be, since 28 of them had just been arrested on charges of conspiring to destroy the bus company," Rustin wrote in his diary. "One by one, they pledged that, if necessary, they would be arrested again and again."On June 5, 1956, a Montgomery federal court ruled that laws requiring racial segregation on buses violated the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/roe-wade-loving-virginia-interracial-marriage-scotus-overturns-2022-6">14th Amendment</a>. Six months later on December 21, Montgomery's buses were integrated.

Black taxi drivers helped fuel the Montgomery Bus Boycott, even as they faced arrests and police pressure

<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

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="1042120" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="uber" source="Orion">Uber</keyword> is entertaining the idea of dispatching yellow cabs, per a <a href="https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/elobbyist_search/pdf/CPR466263.pdf">city lobbying disclosure</a>.</li><li><keyword id="11892836" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="new-york" source="Orion">New York</keyword> City app users could potentially see <keyword id="44434" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="taxi" source="Orion">taxi</keyword> cabs as another option alongside "UberX." </li></ul>Uber is looking into the possibility of dispatching New York City's famous yellow cabs from its app, in addition to its usual private hire options.A September <a href="https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/elobbyist_search/pdf/CPR466263.pdf">city lobbying disclosure</a> lists Uber executive Josh Gold as having a discussion with Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) chief Aloysee Heredia Jarmoszuk on "the potential for a yellow taxi dispatch." There are no further details given.Per <a href="https://nypost.com/2021/11/06/uber-exploring-dispatching-yellow-cabs/">The New York Post</a>, <keyword id="12484068" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="uber-app" source="Orion">Uber app</keyword> users could potentially see yellow cabs as another option alongside "UberX," facilitated through the TLC's <a href="https://www1.nyc.gov/site/tlc/businesses/e-hail-providers.page">"E-Hail"</a> program. "As a regulatory agency, the TLC meets frequently with all its Licensees to discuss ideas, individually and including during our monthly Taxi Working Group convening," a TLC spokesperson told The Post. Uber and TLC did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. Whether New York's cab drivers feel any appetite to pair up with Uber remains to be seen, given they felt <a href="https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/uber-making-york-city-cab-190942773.html">the app decimated their business</a> in its first few years of operation. It also comes at a time when ride-hailing apps struggle with a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-uber-lyft-expensive-taking-long-driver-shortage-2021-4?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">depleting labor pool fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic</a>. "I think they want to replace their volume," New York Taxi Workers Alliance leader Bhairavi Desai told The Post. "Especially in a moment when a lot of the drivers are not going back."Industries in all corners of the US economy, from <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/construction-industry-needs-staggering-22m-more-workers-2021-11?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">construction</a> to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/arkansas-restaurant-owner-pays-teen-employees-homework-labor-shortage-2021-10?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">hospitality</a>, have been hit hard by a crippling <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/massachusetts-restaurant-lafrance-hospitality-manager-labor-shortage-kitchen-staff-2021-10?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">labor shortage</a>. Insider had conversations with <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-uber-lyft-expensive-taking-long-driver-shortage-2021-4?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">22 current and former Uber and Lyft drivers</a> across the US who revealed the reasons for not wanting to return to the apps. Some drivers said they're simply waiting for more of the public to get vaccinated while others said they're holding out for better pay. But as cities get moving again, demand for cabs is growing. This, combined with the shortage, <a href="https://nypost.com/2021/06/06/new-yorkers-cant-get-taxis-amid-shortage-uber-price-hikes/">has led to price hikes</a>. In April, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-spending-250-million-driver-pay-pandemic-shortage-2021-4?r=US&amp;IR=TIR=T">Uber spent $250 million</a> on "boosted incentives and guarantees" to persuade drivers to get back on the road, Insider reported. <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211104006166/en/Uber-Announces-Results-for-Third-Quarter-2021">In its third-quarter financial report</a> released this week, Uber reported a $2.4 billion loss, mainly thanks to its investment in Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi. However, its earnings were otherwise fairly positive, with the firm reporting a 72% jump in revenue to $4.8 billion."Our early and decisive investments in driver growth are still paying dividends, with drivers steadily returning to the platform, leading to further improvement in the consumer experience," said CEO Dara Khosrowshahi at the time."It is not yet known whether Uber would get a cut of <keyword id="12319376" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="taxi-cab" source="Orion">taxi cab</keyword> rides it dispatches, but according to Desai, the company's usual 25% commission would not work given the costs that come with operating a traditional taxi.

You Searched For "cab driver" and got 12 results

No Driver? No Problem! Waymo’s driverless robotaxis make Los Angeles debut — but what could the tech mean for India?

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

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Waymo's robotaxis are better than some San Francisco drivers

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NYC's EV revolution is riding on Uber and Lyft drivers

Catherine Boudreau

I'm a woman and drive for Uber and Lyft. I've made $50,000 in a year and never felt unsafe, despite a lot of drunk passengers.

Jenny Powers

Uber dismisses report that said it's planning to sell off its India business

IANS

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.

Olivia Atkins

Gig workers move Supreme Court seeking social security benefits from Zomato, Swiggy, Ola and Uber

Kritti Bhalla

Black taxi drivers helped fuel the Montgomery Bus Boycott, even as they faced arrests and police pressure

Yoonji Han

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

Kwan Wei Kevin Tan

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

Rounak Jain

Uber is looking at dispatching New York's yellow cabs from its app amid a driver shortage

Zahra Tayeb

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