Uber now lets you message your driver through in-app chat

Uber has just solved another small but niggling problem with its service. The transportation company has announced a new chat system, that allows drivers and riders to communicate through the Uber app,...

Uber SA drivers can now choose to accept your cash trip or not

Paying for an Uber is usually a seamless affair involving a credit...

SA government to include e-hailing services in act says Maswanganyi

The South African government is considering an amendment to the National Land Transport...

You can now tip your Uber driver in the US and Canada

If you're an Uber or UberEATS user in North America, you can...

Uber hits 5 billion trips milestone

It's the week of milestones and today it's Uber's turn: the company...

Uber employees sign petition to reinstate ex-CEO Travis Kalanick
By Julia Breakey on 23 June, 2017
More than one thousand Uber employees have signed a petition calling for the reinstatement of former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick, according to a report by Axios. Kalanick was forced to resign on Wednesday after pressure from shareholders, and has not yet been replaced. The founder had tackled many a controversy in the past year, but it was a personal family tragedy that eventually led to his resignation. According to an email obtained by Recode, employees understand that he is a flawed leader, but believe he should be reinstated anyway. "Nobody is perfect, but I fundamentally believe he can evolve into the leader Uber needs today and...
Uber promises drivers tipping, paid wait times & more
By Julia Breakey on 21 June, 2017
Just before news of Uber CEO Travis Kalanick's resignation surfaced, the company was trying to grab attention in a more positive light -- with promises to its drivers. The company sent out an email to its drivers yesterday announcing the launch of its 180 Days of Change. The email detailed the "meaningful changes and improvements" it was bringing to drivers' experiences with the app. The campaign appears to be a six month project that reveals a new improvement every month. The first month, Uber assured, was dedicated to earnings. The biggest improvement it focused on was tipping -- "the feature asked for most." Only...
Uber CEO Travis Kalanick resigns – report
By Hadlee Simons on 21 June, 2017
Travis Kalanick has resigned as CEO of Uber due to pressure from investors, it has been reported. The Uber CEO resigned after five of the firm's key investors demanded he do so, the New York Times reported, citing "two people with knowledge of the situation". It's claimed that several investors sent a letter to Kalanick in Chicago, demanding that he step down. The Uber CEO had been on an indefinite leave of absence after the death of his mother in a boating accident last month. "I love Uber more than anything in the world and at this difficult moment in my personal life...
Uber CEO Travis Kalanick takes indefinite leave of absence
By Staff Reporter on 14 June, 2017
Uber CEO Travis Kalanick has announced that he will take an indefinite leave of absence after the company's tumultuous past year. The announcement comes after a slew of issues regarding policy, leadership and prejudice plaguing the transport company in 2017. "For the last eight years my life has always been about Uber," Kalanick wrote in a letter to employees, announcing his move. "Recent events have brought home for me that people are more important than work, and that I need to take some time off of the day-to-day to grieve my mother, whom I buried on Friday, to reflect, to work on...
Cape Town women ‘assaulted’ by Uber driver, ‘threatened’ by SAPS
By Andy Walker: Editor on 3 June, 2017
Update: Upon request for comment, Uber's representatives sent Memeburn the following statement. We are deeply committed to the safety of all who use the Uber app. Immediately upon hearing of any situation involving a rider or driver, Uber takes the necessary steps to investigate the allegation and is in contact with both the rider and driver to offer support. Uber has an incident response team who are trained to deal with any critical safety issues and works with the relevant stakeholders in order to resolve any incident with a matter of urgency. We are constantly developing new technologies to ensure safety before,...
Uber, Snapchat giving custom filters to riders in African markets
By Andy Walker: Editor on 25 May, 2017
Great news for you antisocial riders who never bother chatting to your Uber drivers. The transportation company has today announced a collaboration with Snapchat, which allows riders to "personalize their riding experience" using a number of custom filters. "Riders will be able to have a little extra fun by unlocking custom Snapchat filters so they can Snap while they ride," the press release continues. These custom filters include ETA filters, a number of custom Uber ride filters and a mystery filter for an "added surprise". 'Riders will be able to have a little extra fun by unlocking custom Snapchat filters so they can...
Uber’s ‘route-based pricing’ system is charging riders more for popular routes
By Julia Breakey on 22 May, 2017
Uber is charging riders in 14 US cities more for taking popular routes, reports from Bloomberg and Business Insider have found. The majority of UberX's trips are priced on mileage, time and general demand in the area, but some guinea pigs in areas with its carpooling service UberPOOL have found they are being charged more for specific routes. Uber has confirmed this silent test, dubbed 'route-based pricing', claiming that it's separating time-sensitive users (those who use UberX) and price-sensitive users (UberPOOL riders). Whereas the former willingly choose to pay higher rates for private rides directly to their destination, the latter are more concerned with cheaper...
#SAAStrike: 32 flights grounded as SAA trends once again
By Andy Walker: Editor on 26 April, 2017
If you're travelling to or from South Africa today on a South African Airways (SAA) flight, you're one of the lucky few it seems. The majority of the national airline's in-flight staff are on strike today, demanding more money to spend on food when flying abroad. According to reports, SAA and the association that represents the SAA cabin workers, SACCA, were not able to come to an agreement Tuesday night. The impact of this is widespread. 32 flights have been cancelled today -- one international, three regional and 28 due to depart and land within South Africa's borders. As a result, passengers have...
[Update] Uber passengers ‘threatened’ at Centurion Gautrain station
By Andy Walker: Editor on 25 April, 2017
Update, 11.40am: In light of the incidents in Sandton and Centurion and a request for comment, Uber South Africa explains that it is "engaging with all relevant stakeholders and are taking all of the necessary steps to ensure riders" are safe around Johannesburg. Read the full statement below. We take any situation where driver safety is compromised extremely seriously. Driver-partners have access to a 24/7 emergency line in the event they feel unsafe in any way. Threats and intimidation against those who want to use Uber to boost their income is unacceptable. Violence only underlines why people are increasingly choosing safe, reliable...
Twitter mourns victims of Bronkhorstspruit taxi crash
By Andy Walker: Editor on 21 April, 2017
A crash near Bronkhorstspruit, Gauteng has today claimed the lives of at least 20, most of whom were children. The incident, which involved a collision between a truck and a taxi, took place Friday afternoon It was first reported by ER24 EMS via its Twitter account, and quickly spread to major news outlets across South Africa. - Fatalities on the R25 collision has risen to 17 children. @ewnupdates @eNCA @_ArriveAlive @JacaNews @SABCNewsroom pic.twitter.com/AumRsLrjFC — ER24 EMS (Pty) Ltd. (@ER24EMS) April 21, 2017 "Approximately 13 children had been killed and several other injured this afternoon when a taxi and truck collided head-od on...
#BusStrike: slew of commuters left stranded across South Africa
By Staff Reporter on 12 April, 2017
If you logged in to Twitter or Facebook this morning, you probably would've noticed the hashtag #BusStrike trending across South Africa. Employees of the country's larger bus operators are partaking in strike action today, that is until demands for a 12% wage increase are met. The strike has left a number of commuters across the country's urban and rural hubs stranded or searching for alternative transport, as a slew of popular services were suspended. This includes Cape Town's MyCiti and Johannesburg's Rea Vaya. The #BusStrike affects a number of services across South Africa, including Cape Town and Johannesburg's inner city networks As a...
This is what happens when a pelican strikes a Mango Boeing 737 mid-air
By Andy Walker: Editor on 11 April, 2017
What happens when a large bird strikes a commercial passenger plane? That's the question pilots and passengers onboard a Mango flight from Cape Town International answered this weekend. According to reports, a Mango-operated Boeing 737 passenger plane struck a pelican shortly after departure from the Western Cape's largest airport. The impact left a massive dent in the plane's left-hand side horizontal stabiliser. The stabiliser (part of the tail section) is largely employed to provide stability and tail lift as the plane travels through the air. #birdstrike on @FlyMangoSA flight out of @capetownint this afternoon. Poor pelican didn't make it pic.twitter.com/jGYKjWPRks — Derek Smith...
Uber banned in Italy due to ‘unfair competition’
By Julia Breakey on 10 April, 2017
Uber has been deemed "unfair competition" and is barred from operating in Italy, a Rome judge ruled Friday. The company is not able to use its Black, Lux, Suv, X , XL, Select, and Van cars in the country, nor is it allowed to advertise its services. Conflict between Uber and Italian taxi services turned legal in 2015, when locals argued that they are unable to compete with the app. "This is the fourth ruling by an Italian judge that ascertains Uber’s unfair competition," lawyers for Italy's top taxi association said in a statement to Corriere della Sera. " the latest battle in a legal war that began...
Transnet debuts first locomotive designed and made in South Africa
By Andy Walker: Editor on 4 April, 2017
South Africa's first locally engineered locomotive has today been unveiled in Pretoria. The Trans African Locomotive, or TAL2001, "is the first ever train that has been designed, engineered and manufactured locally by the State-Owned Entity, Transnet, which will serve the African continent," the SA government writes in a press release. Launch of @TE_Transnet African locomotive TAL2001 pic.twitter.com/RR9ao4hPvs — Railways Africa (@RailwaysAfrica) April 4, 2017 Government officials including President Jacob Zuma and Minister of Public Enterprises Lynne Brown launched the locomotive, and also hitched a ride on it at its launch in Pretoria on Tuesday. President Zuma and Minister Brown boarding for a maiden trip...
Uber psychologically manipulates drivers like it’s a game, report reveals
By Julia Breakey on 4 April, 2017
Last month Uber CEO Travis Kalanick was caught on video arguing with a driver about fares. The driver complained that he was bankrupt because of the app; Kalanick told him it was his own fault. The company has since apologised for this misstep, and noted that it needs leadership help. In a press conference to discuss its relationship with drivers -- as well as the sexism that pervades the institution -- head of US and Canada business Rachel Holt assured that the most important change is its relationship with its drivers. "Drivers are at the center of the Uber experience, and...