London isn't totally sold on ???? ??? ?? ??Uber.
The city's transportation authority, Transport for London, renewed Uber's license Friday -- but only for four months.
Uber's current 5-year license, which it won in 2012, expires May 30.
Uber wants another five-year agreement — not a measly four-month extension. And Uber's opponents aren't thrilled about the short-term approval either.
“Uber has still not answered questions that TfL asked months ago. We say they are either safe to licence or they’re not. You can’t be a little bit pregnant. We think that TfL’s reason for this temporary licence is unlawful. This is totally unprecedented," Steve McNamara, general secretary of London's Licensed Taxi Drivers' Association, told The Guardian.
Uber has been fighting with London for a while. The ride-hailing giant lost a battle over new rules that will require Uber drivers in the city to pass an English-language test.
“Millions of Londoners rely on Uber to get a reliable ride at the touch of a button and thousands of licensed drivers make money through our app. We look forward to continuing to help keep London moving," Uber said in a statement.
There's some behind-the-scenes stuff happening here, though. London might soon raise the licensing fee for large-scale transportation operators from about £3,000 to what could be more than £2 million in Uber's case over five years. So Uber's temporary extension could be a way to make sure the company has to pay the much higher fee when it takes effect.
Anyway, Uber is facing another headache as the question of its future in London drags on. See you in September, Uber.
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