Uber Granted Short-Term License To Operate In London (bbc.co.uk)

Uber has been granted a short-term license to operate in London following a court hearing. BBC reports: Transport for London (TfL) refused to renew the license when it expired last September, saying the U.S. taxi app was not a "fit and proper" operator. Uber has now been awarded a license but it has been put on probation for 15 months. The company had been seeking a five-year license when it was refused last year. Following a two-day hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court, Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot said Uber was now considered "fit and proper." She ordered the company to pay TfL's legal costs of [approximately $562,000].

Comments

Re:what about the knowledge test?

[Goose In Orbit]

Only black cabs need to pass "The Knowledge", if memory serves me correctly.

Uber (and many other) cabs aren't classified as such - so can happily just use a satnav (or any local knowledge the driver may actually have)

Re:what about the knowledge test?

[jeremyp]

Uber is a minicab company. Minicab drivers do not need to pass the knowledge. The difference between a minicab and a black cab is that minicabs can't just pick up customers off the street, they always have to be prebooked either by telephone or by app.

Uber drivers in the UK still have to get a Private Hire Licence and commercial insurance and if you check Uber's UK application page, you'll see that |Uber acknowledges this.