Uber sued by London cabbies

11,000 Black Cab drivers in London are suing Uber!

Now just to be clear before I go any further, when I say Black Cab drivers, I’m referring to the drivers of Black Cabs.  The cabs are black; not necessarily the drivers, although I’m sure some of them are.

So London’s black cab drivers are claiming that Uber used some shady tactics to get their licenses and edge them out. Sounds familiar? 

This is the latest in a string of lawsuits against the ride-hailing company, which has found itself at the centre of several allegations of illegal practices, disputes over licensing and regulations, and conflicts with traditional taxi services around the world. 

In a recent incident, Uber reached a settlement with drivers in Australia, resulting in a payout exceeding AUD$250 million. That’s about US$165 million.

Additionally, Uber has faced legal challenges in Paris multiple times, with a recent successful outcome in December 2023.

Sounds like Uber’s legal team is always on standby. And Taxi drivers are like the Oprah of lawsuits, generously handing them out to Uber – you get a lawsuit!  You get a lawsuit! Everybody gets a lawsuit!

Now London’s Black Cab drivers have joined the line of claimants.  They’re suing for over £250 million in damages.  That’s over US$300 million.

London’s black cabs are traditional taxis known for their distinctive design, and are popular with both locals and tourists. Similar to the yellow cab in New York. 

The lawsuit, led by litigation firm RGL Management, alleges that Uber didn’t play by the rules when they got their operating license in 2012 and continued to make dodgy moves for six years after that. 

RGL says Uber’s app didn’t meet the UK’s legal requirements for private-hire vehicles and was trying to steal business from black cabs. 

Despite these claims, Uber made a surprising announcement in November of last year, that they would include black cabbies in their app as part of a diversification plan. 

However, the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association revealed that no taxi groups were informed about this plan prior to its public announcement.

Of course, Uber is denying these claims, saying they follow the law in London.  They say they have full licensing from Transport For London, the local government body responsible for transportation networks. 

Now this isn’t the first time Uber has encountered legal challenges in the UK. TFL tried to block their license renewals in 2017 and 2019, but Uber successfully fought back. 

And that’s the bottom line.