The Fall of Travis Kalanick Was a Lot Weirder and Darker Than You Thought

A year ago, before the investor lawsuits and the federal investigations, before the mass resignations, and before the connotation of the word “Uber” shifted from “world’s most valuable startup” to “world’s most dysfunctional,” Uber’s executives sat around a hotel conference room table in San Francisco, trying to convince their chief executive officer, Travis Kalanick, that the company had a major problem: him.

The executives were armed that day with something unusual for Uber Technologies Inc.: the results of a survey. Kalanick operated by gut feeling and with a stubborn sense of how people should feel, not how they did. Jeff Jones, Uber’s new president and former chief marketing officer for Target Corp., wanted more substantial insights. 

Conclusions drawn from the survey were printed and hanging on the walls. About half the respondents had a positive impression of Uber and its convenient ride-hailing app. But if respondents knew anything about Kalanick, an inveterate flouter of both workplace conventions and local transportation laws, they had a decidedly negative view.

As usual with Kalanick, the discussion grew contentious. Jones and his deputies argued that Uber’s riders and drivers viewed the company as made up of a bunch of greedy, self-centered jerks. And as usual, Kalanick retorted that the company had a public-relations problem, not a cultural one.

Then a top executive excused herself to answer a phone call. A minute later, she reappeared and asked Kalanick to step into the hallway. Another executive joined them. They hunched over a laptop to watch a video that had just been posted online by Bloomberg News: grainy, black-and-white dashcam footage of Kalanick in the back seat of an UberBlack on Super Bowl weekend, heatedly arguing over fares with a driver named Fawzi Kamel.

“Some people don’t like to take responsibility for their own shit!” Kalanick can be heard yelling at Kamel. “They blame everything in their life on somebody else!”

As the clip ended, the three stood in stunned silence. Kalanick seemed to understand that his behavior required some form of contrition. According to a person who was there, he literally got down on his hands and knees and began squirming on the floor. “This is bad,” he muttered. “I’m terrible.”

Then, contrition period over, he got up, called a board member, demanded a new PR strategy, and embarked on a yearlong starring role as the villain who gets his comeuppance in the most gripping startup drama since the dot-com bubble. It’s a story that, until now, has never been fully told.

   

Read full article here:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2018-01-18/the-fall-of-travis-kalanick-was-a-lot-weirder-and-darker-than-you-thought?cmpid=socialflow-twitter-businessweek&utm_content=businessweek&utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social

from Taxi Leaks http://ift.tt/2rn4LdW
via IFTTT

CASA Trained Compliance Officers Now Have New Powers To Stop And Inspect Vehicles

Until recently, the officers carried out road stops with the police while checking drivers’ licences and their vehicles. 

But with the number of licensed vehicles in London rapidly expanding, the officers have now been given new powers by the Metropolitan Police under the Community Safety and Accreditation Scheme (CSAS). This enables them to stop vehicles for inspection, testing and verification of licensing conditions, and the power

to demand the name and address of the driver.

If a driver fails to stop when directed by a CSAS-trained officer, it is a criminal offence and will be reported to the police and TPH for investigation and action.

Cliff Llewellyn, compliance manager at TPH, explains: ‘We have more officers on the streets now, with a higher visible presence carrying out our own road stops, letting the police get on with other things.

‘It’s a smarter way of working giving us an additional option to deal effectively with illegal activity and also allows us a wider coverage across London.’

The new road stops were introduced at Heathrow earlier this year and will be rolled out across London as more officers are trained and gain the relevant qualifications.

Under the new system, groups of six compliance officers cordon off a stop area which enables them to inspect both sides of the vehicle safely. Stops are carried out as quickly as possible so if there are any passengers on board, they are not held up unnecessarily.

Accredited officers have been issued with new CSAS hi-visibility jackets and so far drivers have welcomed this increase in compliance activity. 

Existing compliance officer powers:

• Can request a copy of the certificate of insurance for inspection

• Inspect a driver’s badge or photo ID

• Ask for a driver, vehicle or private hire operator licence for inspection

• Remove and retain a licence and vehicle plate/disc of a licence that has expired, or been suspended or revoked

• Request a vehicle to be inspected

New CSAS powers:

• Requiring a person’s name and address for road traffic offences or antisocial behaviour

• Stopping a vehicle for testing

• Controlling traffic 

• Stopping cycles 

from Taxi Leaks http://ift.tt/2ETlV4P
via IFTTT

Day 5 : ITA Exercising Our Right To Legitimate Protest. Biggest AndBest So Far.

Yesterday's massive demonstration saw thousands of Taxis flock to London Bridge, with drivers protesting against TfL's reasons for allowing an illegal dangerous app to continue to function without a licence.

The protest was a fantastic success, the largest attendance so far. Drivers realising that the diplomatic route isn't working and now it's time for direct action. 

The venue London Bridge, was attacked in a pincer like operation, with Taxis coming up from Blackfriars staton along Cannon Street and venturing south over the bridge. The second claw left Great Southwark Street and heading north across the bridge. 

The surrounding area was bought to complete gridlock. 

The police cordoned off access to the bridge but were allowing Taxis to join their colleagues on the protest. 

In all the police were great and allowed drivers to protest unhindered. However a couple of TfL spy's were seen illegally taking photos and notes.

So many Taxis turned up, they had to be diverted to Tower Bridge which was also bought to a standstill.

Today's Venue has been arranged but will be kept off social media until closer to the event.

So listen out on your WhatsApp groups, or word of mouth on the ranks and shelters. 

Well done everyone involved, let's make today the biggest and best attended so far. 

from Taxi Leaks http://ift.tt/2mTa8ga
via IFTTT

Sixth Former Political Students From Harrow: Sadiq Should Stand Down

ITN reporter that @SadiqKhan was accused of repeatedly failing to answer an important stop-and-search question: Can the mayor guarantee young, black men in London will not be targeted? 

https://t.co/S4ty7PDU7w

BBC London News Reported:

Mayor's Question Time at City Hall descends into farce as hugely important subject of knife crime discussed. 

https://mobile.twitter.com/Beaking_News/status/953956102693183489/video/1

Here is what the invited sixth form politic students thought of the Mayors debacle:

  

   

from Taxi Leaks http://ift.tt/2ETsOmD
via IFTTT

Judge paves way for taxi lawsuit Plate owners get green light to proceed with $215M class action over city's decision to allow Uber

judge has given Ottawa taxi plate owners the go-ahead to proceed with a lawsuit claiming the city's decision to allow Uber and similar companies to operate legally is discriminatory. 

Justice Robert Smith's decision, handed down Tuesday, acknowledges taxi drivers share the same concerns over the city's new rules. The ruling will allow members of the taxi industry to go ahead with a class action instead of pursuing the matter in court individually.

Uber began operating in Ottawa in 2014. In September 2016, the city amended its taxi bylaw by creating a new category of licence that legalized Uber's business model. 

Around this same time the taxi industry filed an uncertified class action against the City of Ottawa claiming $215 million in damages.

Claims of discrimination

The suit was filed by the parent company of Capital Taxi and Marc Andre Way, whose family is the single-largest owner of taxi plates in the city. It was the largest lawsuit ever filed against the city.

Taxi drivers claim the city is responsible for losses they suffered after Uber was legalized in Ottawa, according to an overview of the case. 

The plaintiffs allege that by welcoming Uber the city has discriminated against taxi drivers, many of whom are "members of minority groups." The plaintiffs also claim fees charged to them under the amended bylaw amount to illegal taxes. 

The city disagrees with the taxi industry's claims, but agreed with the court that a class action is the best way to proceed.

In its response to the lawsuit in 2016, the city said it has no obligation to protect the taxi industry from financial losses, and argued the claim of $215 million in damages is grossly exaggerated.

from Taxi Leaks http://ift.tt/2DInxil
via IFTTT

GMB victory over Amazon sees its delivery drivers paid £20,000 inbackpay

AMAZON delivery drivers have won up to £20,000 each in back pay after their union challenged the online retailer’s use of bogus self-employment to deny them rights at work.

General union GMB represents many drivers employed by delivery firm UK Express, which delivers goods for Amazon.

UK Express used bogus self-employment to deny its employees their rights such as the minimum wage, holiday pay, sick pay, paid rest breaks and employment rights such as protection from unfair dismissal.

GMB challenged UK Express and the company backed down before the cases reached an employment tribunal.

The union said the victory meant some drivers would receive up to £20,000 in back pay.

Similar victories have been won against minicab transnational Uber and delivery firm DX, which used bogus self-employment to deny workers their rights.

GMB legal director Maria Ludkin said: “This is yet another brick in the road in GMB’s battle against bogus self-employment.

“Some employers seem to think they can avoid paying the minimum wage or giving their workers the protection to which they are entitled.

“However, as Amazon and UK Express have now realised, this is not optional — it’s the law.

“The drivers delivering for Amazon, like Uber drivers and delivery drivers for DX, are clearly employees and it is gratifying that the company are shelling out 100 per cent of the amounts claimed.

“GMB will continue to fight bogus self-employment wherever it appears.”

Source Morning Star.

from Taxi Leaks http://ift.tt/2mMR8zp
via IFTTT

Day 4 : ITA Press Release On Yesterday's Mobile Protests.

THE AUTHORITIES WANTED TO DISRESPECT AND DISRUPT OUR RIGHT TO PROTEST IN ONE PLACE?

SO WE JUST MOVE IT TO ANOTHER VENUE.

WE CAN KEEP THIS UP ALL DAY, IF THATS WHAT THEY WANT.

Allow me to reiterate, the police (on the ground) were a credit to their uniform. 

The authorites who tried playing us at our own game today, were out of order. We will use our acumen to adapt and overcome any and all scenarios.

It appeared the police really didn’t have a clue once we moved on to Hyde Park Corner and then when the least expected it, we doubled back to Parliament Square.

It was so nice to see so many Taxi drivers full of the Dunkirk spirit.

Never, never, never surrender !

See you all tomorrow. 

London Bridge 3:30 pm

TAXI LEAKS EXTRA BITS: 

Letter to the editor from David in Goa.

Im following the demo on Twitter from Goa. Fantastic stuff. 

But one tweet I noticed a short time ago ‘Feeder out to Newall Road’. 

They would rather sit in the Feeder for 6 hours than fight for their jobs. That is why I have no sympathy for the Heathrow drivers!

from Taxi Leaks http://ift.tt/2mH9zFt
via IFTTT