Uber offers $0 delivery for Black-owned restaurants
NEW YORK -- Uber is offering free delivery for Uber Eats orders from Black-owned restaurants through the remainder of 2020 and announced a number of other initiatives to help support minority communities and employees in a Friday blog post.The announcement comes as U.S. companies, including Amazon and Netflix, step up efforts to become more inclusive and supportive of minority employees and communities in the wake of George Floyd's killing, which sparked global protests and conversations about racial inequality in the U.S. and elsewhere."In addition to extending the $0 delivery fee for Black-owned restaurants for all of 2020, we are taking steps to more effectively identify and highlight the diversity of restaurants on our platform, including Black-owned restaurants, permanently," Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi wrote in a blog post.
Uber buys Postmates in $2.65 billion all-stock deal
SILVER SPRING, Md. — Uber finally got its food delivery company, acquiring Postmates in a $2.65 billion all-stock deal, the ride-hailing giant confirmed Monday.Uber and its Uber Eats food-delivery division will gain ground against DoorDash, which controls about 37% of the U.S. food delivery market.
Uber to require drivers and riders to wear face masks beginning May 18
SAN FRANCISCO -- Uber will start requiring all drivers and riders to wear face masks as part of new safety measures being implemented in order to help combat the spread of COVID-19 as states begin reopening and people return to work.Starting May 18, the ride-sharing company said it will begin requiring a mask or face-covering in the U.S., Canada, India, most of Europe and Latin America.Uber said it will enforce the rule by making drivers upload a selfie in the app that can detect if they’re wearing a mask.
Report: Uber considering buying Grubhub food delivery service
NEW YORK — Uber is considering acquiring Grubhub in a deal that would give the companies control over a majority of the U.S. food delivery business, according to published reports.Ride-sharing and food delivery giant Uber Technologies Inc.
Lowe's delivering $1M worth of Mother's Day flowers to moms isolated in senior facilities due to COVID-19
MOORESVILLE, N.C. -- For moms unable to be with their loved ones on Mother’s Day due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Lowe’s is partnering with growers and Uber to brighten the day for many across the country.The home improvement chain is donating $1 million worth of flower baskets to 500 long-term care and senior living facilities located in cities hardest hit by the pandemic, including New York, Seattle, Chicago, Boston, Houston and Miami.Each basket will be wrapped individually and include a special note of appreciation, the company said.
California sues Uber, Lyft over alleged labor law violations
LOS ANGELES, Calif. - California is suing ride-hailing companies Uber and Lyft, alleging they misclassified their drivers as independent contractors under the state’s new labor law.Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced the lawsuit Tuesday during a news conference.
Uber to suspend accounts of drivers, riders who have coronavirus
CLEVELAND (WJW) — Uber is adding new precautions as the coronavirus continues to spread across the globe, including suspending accounts of drivers and riders who have the illness.Uber announced Thursday that they are taking the following steps to prevent the spread of the virus:
Cameras captured Uber Eats driver kicking in drive-thru at West Allis Burger King
WEST ALLIS -- A fast-food freakout was caught on camera in West Allis on Jan. 23 -- at the Burger King near 68th Street and Greenfield Avenue.An Uber Eats driver kicked in the drive-thru window at the restaurant.
Man accused of beating Madison Uber driver unconscious
MADISON, Wis. — Madison police are looking for a man suspected of beating an Uber driver unconscious near the University of Wisconsin campus.Police say the 22-year-old driver picked up a man and two women last Saturday evening near the end of the Wisconsin-Iowa football game.
Uber driver suffers heart attack after surviving mid-ride assault
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- An Uber driver managed to fight off a violent attack by one of his passengers Sunday night, Sept. 29, but he was hospitalized Monday after suffering a heart attack.His family said the shock of the assault was too much for Joseph McVey to handle.“It’s been really hard,” Joseph's wife, Holly McVey, told KTXL.Holly McVey said she spent the days since the incident fighting back tears and putting on a brave face for her daughters.“We have two little girls, and they keep asking me, ‘Is dad going to die?'” Holly McVey said.Joseph McVey was at work when a passenger attacked him mid-ride, police said.Cedric Jeter was accused of wielding a knife while they were on Stockton Boulevard, according to police.Nearby security saw the attack and radioed the police.After surviving the assault, the 41-year-old suffered a major heart attack, according to the family.“I was in disbelief," said Holly McVey. "I was like, 'You’re kidding me.
Ex-Google worker charged with stealing secrets sold to Uber
SAN JOSE, Calif. — A former Google engineer was charged Tuesday with stealing closely guarded secrets that he later sold to Uber as the ride-hailing service scrambled to catch up in the high-stakes race to build robotic vehicles.The indictment filed by the U.S. Attorney's office in San Jose, California, is an offshoot of a lawsuit filed in 2017 by Waymo, a self-driving car pioneer spun off from Google.
Uber driver convicted of raping intoxicated passenger
CHESTER, Pa. — An Uber driver has been found guilty of raping an intoxicated woman he picked up at a casino near Philadelphia.Ahmed Elgaafary was found guilty Thursday of rape of an unconscious person, sexual assault and indecent assault.Elgaafary, 27, of Lansdale, will be sentenced at a later date and then likely deported to Egypt, where he is a citizen, said Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan.The driver picked up the woman at Valley Forge Casino Resort in February.
She didn't have an Uber account, but charges to the ride share company maxed out her credit card
DENVER -- Brenda Fields is a single mom working hard to support her family, which is why the last thing she needed was for someone to use her credit card to pay for trips using Uber."They maxed out my credit card once and my credit went down 30, 40 points, very frustrating," Fields said.She told KDVR she has never used ride sharing apps, which makes the charges even more mysterious.
Report: Many Uber, Lyft drivers fail to respond to recalls
NEW YORK — One out of six Uber and Lyft drivers in the New York City and Seattle areas are driving vehicles with outstanding recalls, according to Consumer Reports.But taking a taxi or limousine isn't necessarily a safer option: nearly a quarter of traditional for-hire vehicles in New York City such as taxis, limousines and livery cabs also need repairs due to outstanding recalls, Consumer Reports said .That means that many of the cars people jump into using the most popular ride-hailing apps have outstanding issues that they haven't repaired such as faulty air bags, possible engine failure and potential car fires.Consumer Reports analyzed nearly 94,000 ride-hailing vehicles in the New York City and Seattle areas and about 30,000 traditional for-hire vehicles including taxis and limousines in New York City.
Uber's hyped-up IPO hits a few potholes on its first day
NEW YORK — After much hype leading up to the largest initial public offering in five years, Uber hit a few potholes on its first day of trading, closing down 8% and reflecting lingering doubts about its future prospects for profitability.The ride-hailing company injected investors with a dose of reality right out of the gate, trading at $42 a share Friday — or nearly 7% below its IPO price of $45 on an already volatile day for the markets.
Your Uber has arrived, on Wall Street
NEW YORK — With a ring of the opening bell Uber began picking up passengers as a newly public company Friday and investors waited to bet on a service with huge potential, but a long way from turning a profit.Shares in the ride-hailing giant were sold in an initial public offering for $45 each, raising $8.1 billion, but it will take several hours for new investors to show whether they're interested.
Police: Uber driver picked up 2 riders in Texas; 1 passenger killed, 1 passenger fled
HARRIS COUNTY, Tex. -- Texas police are looking for an Uber passenger who shot and killed another rider Friday near Houston, authorities said.Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez identified the victim as James Grant Booker II, 26.
'What's my name?' Killing of South Carolina student inspires ride-share safety campaign
People across the country have taken to social media to spread #WhatsMyName following the death of a University of South Carolina student who got into a car she assumed was her Uber ride home.
Police: Ride-share mistake led to death of 21-year-old University of South Carolina student
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The man accused of killing a woman who got into his car thinking it was her Uber ride had activated the child locks in his backseat so the doors could only be opened from the outside, police in South Carolina say.Columbia Police Chief Skip Holbrook also said investigators found the victim's blood in Nathaniel Rowland's vehicle.
Uber driver’s viral 'menu' includes 'therapy,' 'creepy' and 'standup' rides
KIRKLAND, Wash. – A Washington state Uber driver's "ride menu" is getting a lot of attention on social media.Inside George Ure's car, no one is a stranger – just a friend he hasn’t met yet.