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San Francisco Goes After Uber, Lyft For Data On City Trips, Driver Bonuses (sfchronicle.com)

Posted by msmash on from the more-transparency dept.

Carolyn Said, reporting for San Francisco Chronicle: It's a San Francisco truism: Every other car on the streets these days seems to bear a logo for Uber or Lyft -- and many are double-parked as they pick up or drop off passengers. Now the city seeks to compel Uber and Lyft to share details on how many cars are roving the streets, so it can ensure that they comply with local laws; assess their impact on traffic congestion, safety, pollution and parking; and ascertain if they are accessible for disabled and low-income riders. City Attorney Dennis Herrera on Monday subpoenaed Uber and Lyft to disgorge records on four years of driving practices, disability access and service in San Francisco. "No one disputes the convenience of the ride-hailing industry, but that convenience evaporates when you're stuck in traffic behind a double-parked Uber or Lyft, or when you can't get a ride because the vehicle isn't accessible to someone with a disability or because the algorithm disfavors the neighborhood where you live," Herrera said in a statement. The subpoenas seek information on "miles and hours logged by drivers, incentives that encourage drivers to 'commute' from as far away as Fresno or Los Angeles, driver guidance and training, accessible vehicle information, and the services provided to residents of every San Francisco neighborhood," Herrera's office said.

6 of 58 comments (clear)

  1. It's a tax play. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    They want taxes per mile like any other commercial vehicle pays(although usually at the state level not local). This is setting the framework

    1. Re:It's a tax play. by sexconker · · Score: 4, Insightful

      If they cared about double parked cars, they'd issue tickets.
      If they cared about congestion, they'd put down the car counting strips and adjust signal timing.
      If they cared about accessibility, they'd run more buses to residential areas.

      I don't see a legal reason Uber or Lyft would have to give up that data. My standard policy is "fuck them" for both Uber and Lyft, but they should laugh at this "subpoena".

    2. Re:It's a tax play. by xevioso · · Score: 2

      Except those businesses are hindering other businesses. When trucks can't make deliveries on time because of double-parked Ubers, and buses are constantly dodging people getting in and out of lyft cars and get stuck behind these drivers making illegal left-hand turns, and when cyclists are nearly killed on a daily basis because idiot tourists are opening the doors of their Uber driver into traffic and "dooring" them, then it's hindering the business of other people getting to THEIR business. I know this for a fact because it happens to me daily here in SF. I see all this shit regularly.

    3. Re:It's a tax play. by TsuruchiBrian · · Score: 2

      Why not just give out tickets to EVERYONE who is double parked? Why is this just an uber/lyft problem?

  2. San Francisco Wants to enforce the traffic laws? by OYAHHH · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I call BS on that.

    At any moment in time it would take me probably less than 5 minutes to locate a delivery truck parked on a city street while being unloaded.

    When I see that being curtailed I will believe the rest.

    --
    Caution: Contents under pressure
  3. Re:Enforce the current laws... by rogoshen1 · · Score: 2

    I would. it's a silly restriction designed to appease people's feelies. On one hand we can trust people to be responsible enough to navigate 3,500 pounds of steel going 60+ mph, but we don't trust them enough to use some discretion for using a phone.

    (see also: cupholders, screaming kids in the back, make-up, radios, in-dash turn by turn navigation systems)

    basically it's the new virtue signaling outrage issue. The real problem is distracted drivers.

    Good luck legislating away every conceivable cause of distraction while driving. But don't worry, you look totally awesome and civic minded by decrying those foul heathens who'd divert their hands from 10 and 2, or their momentary gaze from the road.

    (or maybe it's a conspiracy between some shadowy cartel representing future self driving car makers, and the police looking for additional excuses to pull people over for nuisance stops.)