Uber has been ordered to shut down operations by regulators in South Carolina, until the company obtains all the necessary permissions to legally do business there.
The taxi company is in the process of submitting all the relevant paperwork, and this is the latest update in a series of bad press which is giving the Uber a bad name not only in the United States, but globally. Uber representatives stated that the company did not expect the order from the South Carolina Public Service Commission ordering Raiser LLC (a subsidiary of Uber) to cease operations since the company was working closely with state regulators to meet official demands.
Regulations of Columbia, Greenville, Charleston and Myrle Beach Not Met
“We have challenged the order and remain committed to providing South Carolinians with greater opportunity and choice,” Uber representatives commented. On the other hand, the commission says that Uber began operations in South Carolina in July, without yet having met all the required regulations and that the Uber website offers services in four South Carolina cities, namely: Columbia, Greenville, Charleston and Myrle Beach.
The cab-sharing service threatens tightly controlled taxicab markets with a more affordable and user-friendly service although the public is looking at Uber somewhat wearily following reports of Uber drivers sexually assaulting passengers in Chicago and New Delhi. This has put the San Francisco -based company in the spotlight regarding passenger safety issues and has raised doubts about whether Uber does thorough background checks on the drivers the company and its subsidiaries hires. Additionally, prosecutors in Los Angeles and San Francisco are suing the company for misleading customers about their background checks on drivers.
Uber Growth
Uber was valued at about US$40 billion in its latest fundraising, showing significant growth in the six years since the company was first founded. Uber services have been met with opposition worldwide, including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands and various other countries. Although there are many challenges and concerns that need to be met, the company is sticking to its vision of providing a service that could potentially revolutionise the transport industry.