Latest Sharing Economy Headlines
All the headlines from our Sharing Economy Topic Page, ordered by recency.
California Public Utilities Commission Oks New Ridesharing Regulations
Apr 25 2016 // The California Public Utilities Commission has approved new regulations for ridesharing companies like Uber and Lyft, including where identifying logos should go and stricter vehicle inspections. The San Francisco Examiner...
Hawaii Teenager Says Uber Driver Sexually Assaulted Her
Apr 25 2016 // A man who worked as an Uber driver is charged in the sexual assault of a 16-year-old passenger in Hawaii. Uber deactivated the driver, who was charged with two counts of first-degree sexual assault and one count of...
California Uber and Lyft Car Rental Decision Delayed
Apr 25 2016 // The first major product of General Motors Co.’s $500 million investment in Lyft Inc. was a short-term car-rental program. Last month, the companies began leasing Chevrolets in Chicago for up to eight weeks as part of...
4 More Upstate New York Mayors Join Call to Let Uber Expand
Apr 22 2016 // The mayors of four cities in upstate New York have joined an effort to allow Uber to expand outside of New York City. Mayors in Ithaca, Utica, Rome and Hornell on Thursday endorsed a proposal before the state Legislature...
Uber to Settle Suit for $100M, Drivers Stay Independent Contractors
Apr 22 2016 // Uber has agreed to pay up to $100 million to settle a class-action lawsuit which resolves a major challenge to its business model by allowing the ridesharing service to keep its California and Massachusetts drivers as...
Uber Settlement Doesn’t Settle Gig Economy’s Independent Contractor vs. Employee Dispute
Apr 22 2016 // Uber Technologies Inc. resolved the biggest threat to its business by settling with California drivers suing to be treated more like traditional employees, a move that could have broad-ranging implications for companies...
Rental Car Firms Losing Out to Ridesharing
Apr 22 2016 // Taxis aren’t the only ones that may be stressing out about Uber Technologies Inc. Transactions from the ride-hailing startup have surpassed rental cars among American professionals, according to Certify, the...
Uber Agrees to $10M Fee in Deal With Newark, New Jersey
Apr 20 2016 // The mayor of Newark, New Jersey, has released details on a tentative agreement he’s reached with ride-hailing company Uber to operate in the state’s largest city. The deal calls for Uber to pay Newark $1...
Rhode Island Bills Aim to Regulate Uber, Lyft
Apr 18 2016 // Rhode Island could become the latest state to set rules for ride-hailing companies such as Uber and Lyft, but first lawmakers must come to agreement on dueling bills — one favored by Uber and the other by traditional...
Hawaii Lawmakers Want to Regulate Rideshare Companies
Apr 18 2016 // Hawaii lawmakers are considering a bill to close the gap in car insurance coverage for transportation network companies like Uber and Lyft. Supporters of the bill say that, right now, Uber and Lyft drivers might not be...
Women-Only Rideshare Services Raise Legal Questions
Apr 15 2016 // Ride-hailing companies catering exclusively to women are cropping up and raising thorny legal questions, namely: Are they discriminatory? In Massachusetts, Chariot for Women is promising to launch a service featuring...
Connecticut Cab Companies Drop Lawsuit Against Uber
Apr 14 2016 // More than a dozen taxi and limousine companies in Connecticut have dropped their federal lawsuit accusing ride-hailing company Uber of failing to follow state laws and regulations on taxi services, their lawyer said...
BMW Wants on Uber Train with Car-sharing in Washington
Apr 11 2016 // Germany’s BMW has launched a car-sharing service in Seattle, Wash. where it will offer customers the use of 370 BMW and Mini vehicles, before expanding to other cities in the United States. Established carmakers...
Uber, Lyft Campaign to Expand Operations Into Upstate New York
Apr 8 2016 // Uber and Lyft are gearing up for a campaign to expand their ride-hailing operations into upstate New York to include Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Albany. New Yorkers for Ridesharing, a coalition of more than 50 groups...
California Prosecutors, Uber Settle Over Background Checks
Apr 8 2016 // Uber Technologies Inc. agreed to settle claims by California prosecutors that its background checks on drivers weren’t as thorough as advertised. The company is required to pay a civil penalty of $10 million within...
California Uber Drivers Seeking $1B Bounty Claim as Trial Draws Near
Apr 8 2016 // Uber Technologies Inc. drivers suing to be treated like employees are trying to add $1 billion in penalties under California’s unique “bounty hunter” statute as they prepare for trial in June. About...
Mississippi and West Virginia Governors Both Sign Ridesharing Laws
Apr 7 2016 // Mississippi and West Virginia have become the 30th and 31st states to pass legislation to create a statewide regulatory framework for ridesharing services offered by transportation network companies like Uber and...
Missouri Bill Requiring Rideshare Vehicle Insurance Advances
Apr 6 2016 // The Missouri House has advanced legislation that would impose statewide regulations on app-based ride-hailing services, a move companies Uber and Lyft support. House members voted 113-38 to give initial approval to a bill...
Uber Driver Mugged in Downtown Vegas
Apr 6 2016 // Police are looking for a suspect who knifed and robbed of an Uber driver in downtown Las Vegas. Authorities say the attack happened Friday around 2:15 a.m. near the Golden Nugget hotel. According to police, the driver...
Progressive Insurance Snags Texas Uber Drivers Account
Mar 31 2016 // Uber Technologies Inc. will use Progressive Insurance to provide coverage for drivers in Texas beginning on Friday, in a pilot that could lead the ride-hailing market leader to diversify its U.S. insurance purchasing from...
