Barring private hire vehicles from bus lanes is legal Taxi Times Update 01-19-2015

What`s new in the taxi world? Our bilingual ‘Update’ summarizes the international news of the last days and hours. We recommend using a website-translator because some links can be in foreign languages.

International News

Barring private hire vehicles from bus lanes is legal: Allowing London’s trademark black cabs to use bus lanes while excluding minicab companies does not constitute state aid, the European Union’s highest court ruled on last Wednesday.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/european-court-london-taxis-drive-bus-lane-28213569

Quote of the day

„Drivers of black cabs are subject to strict standards in relation to their vehicles, their fares and their knowledge of London, whereas those standards do not apply to minicabs.“

From the verdict of the European Court of Justice on preferring  taxis over private hire cars in the use of bus lanes

The latest statements from the Uber CEO: Travis Kalanick spokes during a digital conference in Munich.

http://techcrunch.com/2015/01/18/ubers-kalanick-pitches-jobs-and-the-environment-to-europe-if-it-loosens-up/

Video 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iayagHygV0Q

Video 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-o8nmn4eD8&feature=youtu.be

Honda shows his next generation fuel cell car: the automaker rolls out a new concept vehicle that uses an advanced powertrain.

http://www.techtimes.com/articles/26412/20150114/honda-unveils-futuristic-fcv-concept-at-detroit-auto-show.htm

The Taxi Killer: An entertaining story about the ambiguity of a term.

http://vimeo.com/63106783

UberPOP drivers often earn less than Dutch minimum wage: This claim is based on Uber´s journey registration documents.

http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2015/01/uberpop-drivers-often-earn-less-than-dutch-minimum-wage.php/

News from Germany

A first for Germany: We have already reported on the plans, but now the Senate has done the job properly: A regulation stipulates that Berlin taxis must accept credit cards in future.

http://www.berliner-zeitung.de/berlin/zahlung-per-kreditkarte-taxifahrer-muessen-kartenzahlung-akzeptieren,10809148,29558180.html

press release from the Berlin Senate http://www.berlin.de/rbmskzl/aktuelles/pressemitteilungen/2015/pressemitteilung.250620.php

Sad but true: The offenders who assaulted and robbed a taxi driver in Koblenz two months ago are minors.

http://www.welt.de/regionales/rheinland-pfalz-saarland/article136288363/15-Jaehriger-gesteht-Raubueberfall-auf-Taxi.html

Market niche for taxi companies: An example from Lower Saxony shows that the transport of people with mobility handicaps on so-called „electric scooters“ can only be performed by taxis.

http://www.nwzonline.de/oldenburg-kreis/wirtschaft/nur-taxi-nimmt-behinderte-mit_a_22,0,2057951546.html