Houston Uber News
Houston is in the midst of a major debate on Uber's future. A new law, Proposition 1, is under way in Texas. If passed, the law would repeal a requirement for ride-hailing drivers to be fingerprinted. While many people see fingerprinting as unnecessary, Uber and Lyft disagree. The Houston regulations were passed in August 2014 and have become a political chess piece in the upcoming Austin election. car wreck lawyers near houston
Many drivers in Houston are concerned about Uber's grip on the Houston market. Uber's drivers have been concerned about the eviction notice and the fact that they were not getting enough money. However, this issue has gotten so bad that drivers are deciding to quit the company and switch to a different one. For example, one part-time UberX driver recently changed insurance companies. The new forms asked if drivers thought they were driving for a commercial purpose.
While the city of Houston has a thriving taxi industry, they are still battling a city over illegal charging. In the past two weeks, city officials have issued 11 citations to drivers of Uber and Lyft in Houston for using their services without a valid license. Both companies are battling this issue in court. The lawsuits accuse Uber of misleading consumers about the legality of their services and of avoiding permits. They are seeking an injunction and damages for unfair competition under Texas law.
Although drivers say that Uber prices are unpredictably high, Houston residents should take comfort in the fact that the company's fare policy is flexible. The company has introduced a new $7.13 flat fare in Houston for rides in the popular 610 loop area. This fare is effective from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays. It also applies to UberX and UberACCESS trips. The difference between a fixed rate and regular fare is reimbursed to drivers.