London91裸聊视频檚 transit authority on Monday refused to renew Uber91裸聊视频檚 operating license over concerns about impostor drivers, with the ride-hailing company vowing to appeal the decision as it struggles to secure its future in the British capital.
It91裸聊视频檚 the latest chapter in Uber91裸聊视频檚 rocky history with London transport officials, who have subjected the San Francisco-based tech company to ever tighter scrutiny over concerns about passenger safety and security.
Uber called the decision 91裸聊视频渆xtraordinary and wrong,91裸聊视频� and has 21 days to file an appeal, which it said it would do. It can continue operating during the appeals process.
Transport for London cited 91裸聊视频渟everal breaches that placed passengers and their safety at risk91裸聊视频� in its decision not to extend Uber91裸聊视频檚 license, which expires at midnight Monday. Among other things, unauthorized drivers carried out thousands of rides, the regulator said.
91裸聊视频淲hile we recognize Uber has made improvements, it is unacceptable that Uber has allowed passengers to get into minicabs with drivers who are potentially unlicensed and uninsured,91裸聊视频� said Helen Chapman, director of licensing and regulation at Transport for London, known as TFL.
91裸聊视频淲e cannot be confident that similar issues won91裸聊视频檛 happen again in future.91裸聊视频�
The company fired back, pointing out that TFL had found it fit and proper in its most recent license renewal in September.
91裸聊视频淲e understand we91裸聊视频檙e held to a high bar, as we should be. But this TFL decision is just wrong,91裸聊视频� CEO Dara Khosrowshahi tweeted. 91裸聊视频淥ver the last 2 years we have fundamentally changed how we operate in London.91裸聊视频�
The denial in a lucrative European market is a big setback for Uber as it struggles to turn a profit. The company posted a $1.16 billion loss in the latest quarter and Khosrowshahi forecast it wouldn91裸聊视频檛 make a profit until 2021. Shares fell 1.3% in New York.
TFL had already been keeping Uber on a tight leash. It had revoked Uber91裸聊视频檚 license once before, in 2017, but a court later granted it a license lasting 15 months, which TFL then extended for two more months in September, but added 20 conditions.
In the latest decision, the transit authority said it was concerned Uber91裸聊视频檚 systems 91裸聊视频渟eem to have been comparatively easily manipulated91裸聊视频� by drivers.
One key issue was a change to Uber91裸聊视频檚 systems allowing unauthorized drivers to upload their photos to other driver accounts.
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This let them pick up passengers as though they were the booked Uber driver on at least 14,000 trips, which means all those journeys were uninsured, TFL said.
The change also resulted in some passengers travelling with unlicensed drivers, including one whose license was previously revoked by TFL.
The Associated Press
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