Category: uber

Smart and Uber partner up for free rides with free Wi-Fi

Kevin Bruce Francisco Leave a comment

Smart announces its partnership with ride-sharing company Uber in offering their users free rides with the vehicles equipped with an in-car Smart Wi-Fi  for the convenience of their passengers.

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The promo gives away two free rides worth Php300 each to Metro Manila-based subscribers who are also first-time users of the Uber app. To avail of this exclusive treat, just head over to their website and register your Smart number. After which you will receive a confirmation message together with a promo code that you can use on the Uber app right before booking a ride.

Once inside the vehicle you will be treated to an available Wi-Fi hotspot powered by Smart so you can either work or pass the time browsing online while on your way to your destination. It’s important to note that this Wi-Fi service will only be initially available in select Uber Black vehicles, with their other cars following suit “over the next few months”.

This service is limited to Metro Manila only and the special free ride promo will last until September 30, 2015.

{Smart}

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LTFRB stops Uber, then announces a new car service called Premium Taxi

Kevin Bruce Francisco Leave a comment

The dance between Land Transportation Franchising & Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and Uber has been around for quite a while now with LTFRB wanting to shut down the car service company due to lack of proper accreditation, among other things. Fast forward to just recently, LTFRB announced that it will hold a consultation of sorts regarding new franchises for a car service called Premium Taxi. Could the two instances be just a coincidence?

ltfrb-logo

Late last month, LTFRB on its page posted an invitation for interested parties for a “public consultation” that will talk about the issuance of new franchises for Premium Taxi. Premium Taxi, according to them, is a car service that requires a  “four- or five-door automobile, sedan type, with engine displacement of 2000cc or higher (or its equivalent, if electric-, hybrid-, or alternate fuel-Powered vehicle)” that comes with the following operating conditions as per DOTC:

1. The operator must have at least twenty (20) premium taxi units in his/her fleet;
2. All vehicles must be brand-new at the time of franchise application;
3. All vehicles must be in color set by the LTFRB (Note: It is proposed that the color will be black);
4. All vehicles shall have a maximum age of 7 years;
5. All vehicles must be equipped with a GPS vehicle tracking and navigation device;
6. All vehicles must be equipped with an on-board electric taxi fare payment device capable of processing payments made with credit card or debit card;
7. The operator must have a facility for booking and dispatching by way of an online or smartphone-based application; and
8. The operator must have his/her own workshop and depot with a space of at least 15 sq.m. per vehicle.

Interested parties are cordially invited to a public consultation on Friday, July 24, 10:00 at 4th Floor, LTFRB Bldg.,…

Posted by LTFRB Citizen Enforcer on Monday, July 20, 2015

With these happenings, netizens can’t help but think that the reason why Uber (and even GrabCar) have been under fire and are being kept under the radar of LTFRB and DOTC was because of this pending project that they were planning from beginning.

For more information on the Premium Taxi, you may view the draft of the Memorandum Circular from LTFRB’s page.

What’s your take on this subject? The comments section awaits.

{Source}
{Via James Deakin}

The post LTFRB stops Uber, then announces a new car service called Premium Taxi appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines, Tech News & Reviews.

LTFRB stops Uber, then announces a new car service called Premium Taxi

Kevin Bruce Francisco Leave a comment

The dance between Land Transportation Franchising & Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and Uber has been around for quite a while now with LTFRB wanting to shut down the car service company due to lack of proper accreditation, among other things. Fast forward to just recently, LTFRB announced that it will hold a consultation of sorts regarding new franchises for a car service called Premium Taxi. Could the two instances be just a coincidence?

ltfrb-logo

Late last month, LTFRB on its page posted an invitation for interested parties for a “public consultation” that will talk about the issuance of new franchises for Premium Taxi. Premium Taxi, according to them, is a car service that requires a  “four- or five-door automobile, sedan type, with engine displacement of 2000cc or higher (or its equivalent, if electric-, hybrid-, or alternate fuel-Powered vehicle)” that comes with the following operating conditions as per DOTC:

1. The operator must have at least twenty (20) premium taxi units in his/her fleet;
2. All vehicles must be brand-new at the time of franchise application;
3. All vehicles must be in color set by the LTFRB (Note: It is proposed that the color will be black);
4. All vehicles shall have a maximum age of 7 years;
5. All vehicles must be equipped with a GPS vehicle tracking and navigation device;
6. All vehicles must be equipped with an on-board electric taxi fare payment device capable of processing payments made with credit card or debit card;
7. The operator must have a facility for booking and dispatching by way of an online or smartphone-based application; and
8. The operator must have his/her own workshop and depot with a space of at least 15 sq.m. per vehicle.

Interested parties are cordially invited to a public consultation on Friday, July 24, 10:00 at 4th Floor, LTFRB Bldg.,…

Posted by LTFRB Citizen Enforcer on Monday, July 20, 2015

With these happenings, netizens can’t help but think that the reason why Uber (and even GrabCar) have been under fire and are being kept under the radar of LTFRB and DOTC was because of this pending project that they were planning from beginning.

For more information on the Premium Taxi, you may view the draft of the Memorandum Circular from LTFRB’s page.

What’s your take on this subject? The comments section awaits.

{Source}
{Via James Deakin}

The post LTFRB stops Uber, then announces a new car service called Premium Taxi appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines, Tech News & Reviews.

Congress wants to suspend operation of Uber, GrabCar

Ronnie Bulaong Leave a comment

In a hearing earlier today, the Technical Working Group of the Committee on Transportation expressed their intent to suspend the operation of app-based transportation services like Uber and GrabCar over some legalities and the lack of accreditation from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).


Spearheaded by 2nd district of Batangas Representative and Technical Working Group (TWG) Chairman Raneo Abu, TWG insists that cars which belong to the GrabCar and Uber pool are considered as ‘colorum’ vehicles because they operate without proper accreditation from LTFRB.

The Congressman also questioned some of the provisions of the memorandum of agreement between LTFRB and app-based transportation services, particularly the guideline that allows LTFRB to delegate the task of accrediting drivers to Transportation Network Services.

In line with this, Congressman Abu reiterated that the Congress still has the authority over issuing of franchise and that LTFRB was just tasked to implement it on its behalf. Therefore, the agency is not allowed to pass the accreditation to companies like Uber.

grabcar

Concerns over passenger safety and payment of tax were also raised during the hearing. The Committee on Transportation claims that it wasn’t specified who would shoulder the tax and how these companies (or operator) will be reprimanded if something wrong happens to the passenger.

Just when we thought that companies like Uber will officially be allowed to operate in the country after getting a nod from LTFRB, it seems that they still have another hurdle to overcome before it’s all said and done.

RELATED STORIES:

LTFRB sets accreditation rules for Uber to go legal
The Uber Case: In defense of LTFRB

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LTFRB sets accreditation rules for Uber to go legal

Abe Olandres Leave a comment

The Philippines is among the first countries in the world to legalize and create specific regulations for ride-sharing services like Uber. The LTFRB will start accepting applicants for formal accreditation this June 1.

Here are the list of guidelines and accreditation requirements for the likes of Uber.

1) Passenger Personal Accident Insurance

2) Allowed vehicle type: sedan, AUV, SUV, van only

3) No fixed route

4) Air-conditioning required

5) Driver must be 21 years old and registered with LTFRB (perhaps to get professional driver’s license)

6) Vehicle must not be more than 3 years old from date of manufacture

7) Maximum vehicle age limit of 7 years from date of manufacture

8) Maximum 7 passengers, including driver

10) One year validity of accreditation

11) Vehicles will need to put some sort of signage to differentiate them from private vehicles

12) Drivers are prohibited from regular hailing passengers not using the app

13) Drivers must provide receipts

14) Must register with the BIR (probably sole prop)

Accreditation fee is Php10,000 and an application fee of Php510 is charged for the first 2 cars.

There has been a lot of debate surrounding the growth of ride-sharing apps since last year. The discussion revolved around the struggle between technology innovation vs. security and regulation (see our story “The Uber Case: In defense of LTFRB“).

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