5 Places in America Where Uber Hit a Wall The ridesharing service that was just banned in India's capital has suffered its share of operational setbacks on its home turf.
By Carly Okyle •
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Uber's quest for global domination has had its share of serious roadblocks -- most recently, in India's capital.
The ridesharing service was banned in Delhi today, just days after a driver was accused of raping a passenger. Uber's screening processes came under fire after it was revealed that the same driver had been arrested three years ago on similar sexual assault allegations. The driver had ultimately been acquitted of those charges.
In a statement issued yesterday, before the ban was enacted, Uber CEO Travis Kalanick emphasized the company would do everything it can to bring the perpetrator to justice. He said Uber would collaborate with the government to "establish clear background checks currently absent in their commercial transportation licensing programs" and invest in technology advances to make New Delhi safer for women.
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Still, an official with the Delhi Transport Department reportedly said that the ban wasn't connected to the alleged incident. Instead, it was a result of the company misleading customers and ignoring parking rules and GPS tracking regulations, among other infractions.
India is not the first country to take strong action against Uber. The company has run into regulatory problems in Frankfurt, Germany; Toronto, Canada and the Netherlands.
Here in Uber's homeland, there have been clashes with local lawmakers, too. We've put together a list of some of the locations within the United States that have asked the company to stop, to yield or to otherwise pump the breaks on their operations.
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1. Nevada.
Nevada's Washoe County District Court recently ruled that Uber could not continue to operate in the state because its refusal meet requirements for state licensing constituted a public safety risk. Uber has put together a petition to rally support; so far, it has more than 22,200 signatures.
2. Portland, Ore.
Although Uber has been "working with the Mayor's office for over a year," it is still illegal for the company to operate there. The oversight for rideshare services rests with the Portland Bureau of Transportation, as of July 1. The company has asked the city to change some of its ordinances, but without success.
3. Little Rock, Ark.
As of September, Uber was still prohibited from offering its services in the historic city, despite offering an FAQ sheet to city directors that addressed -- with varying degrees of transparency -- issues with insurance, employee screenings and payment structure. Some board members had concerns about the qualifications of drivers and how this would affect current laws about permits. Officials seem open to working with the company to find an agreement that would allow Uber to operate.
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4. Richmond, Va.
Although the state originally gave a cease-and-desist letter to Uber, along with some fines, the state later gave UberX the green light. As part of the agreement, Uber drivers in Richmond are required to pass a background check and a driver history check, among other "quality controls." Since then, cities like Charlottesville and Blacksburg have hopped on the Uber bandwagon as well.
5. Cambridge, Mass.
With so many college kids (and therefore, bars) in the area, and a mass-transit system that stops running before last-call, the Cambridge area seemed ripe for an on-demand car service. Still, officials didn't see it that way. After proposing rules that would end Uber's operation in the city, Cambridge agreed to discussions with Uber.
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