The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Uber

  • RRS nabs suspected Uber taxi thief

    RRS nabs suspected Uber taxi thief

    Rapid Response Squad (RRS) operatives have arrested a member of a syndicate that hires and steals Uber Taxi in Lagos.

    Emmanuel John Ugbomah, 37, from Ndokwa, Delta State, was arrested in Oshodi Oke early hours of Friday while trying to escape after a botched attempt to snatch, a black Toyota Corrolla, 2009 model belonging to one Adebisi.

    In a statement yesterday, RRS said the suspect and two others boarded Adebisi’s Uber taxi in Lekki. They told him they were going to Oshodi and he charged them N4,000. But on getting to Ikoyi, they told him to head to Dolphin Estate in order to pick a female friend.

    RRS quoted Adebisi as saying: “Two of them came down from the vehicle and some minutes later they were back saying that their female friend was not going to join them and that I should keep driving to Oshodi-Oke.

    “When I was about to climb the Oshodi-Oke Bridge, one of them grabbed me from the back seat, another closed my mouth with his hand. A gun-like object was pointed at my head and they were shouting that I should come down and come to the back seat.

    “Immediately I unbuckled the seat belt and opened the door, I saw some RRS policemen at the front. I screamed robbers! Robbers!! and ran towards them.

    They immediately swung into action after I explained to them that my car was about to be stolen. They ran towards the direction of my car. They apprehended one but two escaped.”

    The victim claimed that he lost his Tecno C8 phone and N80,000 cash.

    He identified Ugbomah as one of the suspects.

    The suspect claimed he is an automobile mechanic. He said he was on his way to Oshodi from Lekki where he went to fix a customer’s vehicle when he was arrested by RRS at some minutes past midnight.

    Some charms, a master key and a pistol shaped device were recovered from him.

    The suspect has been transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Ikeja.

  • Police arrest suspected Uber taxi hijacker

    Police arrest suspected Uber taxi hijacker

    The Police in Lagos on Sunday said they had arrested a member of a syndicate notorious for hiring and hijacking Uber Taxi in the state.

    The Commander of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Lagos State Police Command, ACP Olatunji Disu, confirmed the arrest to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    Disu said the suspect was arrested by his men posted to Oshodi Oke early Friday morning.

    According to the commander, the suspect operate with two others, who are now at large.

    “The suspect, Emmanuel John Ugbomah, 37, from Ndukwa, Delta State, was arrested in Oshodi Oke at 12:30 a.m. on Friday while trying to escape after a botched attempt to hijack an Uber taxi, a black Toyota Corrolla, belonging to one Adebisi.

    “The suspect, in company of two other accomplices, had boarded Adebisi’s Uber taxi in Lekki.

    “They reportedly told the victim they were going to Oshodi for which he charged them N4,000.

    “On getting to Ikoyi, the trio told the driver to head to Dolphin where they said they were going to pick a lady friend.

    “At Ikoyi, two of the suspects came down from the vehicle and some minutes later, they came back, saying that the female friend was not going to join them and that he should keep driving to Oshodi-Oke.

    “While about to climb the Oshodi-Oke bridge, one of them grabbed the driver from the backseat, while another closed his mouth with his hand.

    “A gun-like object was pointed at the driver’s head and they were shouting that he should come down and come to the backseat.

    “Immediately he unbuckled the seat belt and opened the door, he saw some RRS policemen at the front.

    “He ran toward them shouting robbers, robbers.

    “The police immediately swung to action after he explained to them that his car was about to be stolen.

    “They ran toward the direction of the car and apprehended one, but two escaped,” he said.

    Disu said the victim, however, claimed that his mobile phone and a sum of N80,000 were missing.

    He said some charms, a master key and a pistol-shaped device were recovered from the suspect, stressing that efforts were being made to arrest others still at large.

    Meanwhile, the arrested suspect had been transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Ikeja, for further investigation.

  • Uber reduces Lagos fares by 40%, see new prices

    Uber reduces Lagos fares by 40%, see new prices

    The United State transportation giant, Uber has announced a 40% reduction in Lagos rates effective from Thursday 4th May 2017.

    This is in response to the latest price rate reduction by Taxify, an Estonian international transportation network company, which means individuals can travel for business or explore cities for less than ever before.

    According to the management in a statement, “we want to make sure that Uber is an affordable way to move around your city, so we’re dropping rates in Lagos by 40% from Thursday 4th May 2017.

    “Therefore you can now request a high-quality ride for the same price as small chops!” Whether you’re running a quick errand, visiting friends or commuting to work, Uber has got you covered for less.

    Uber Technologies Inc. is a transportation network company headquartered in San Francisco, California, United States, operating in 570 cities worldwide.

    It develops, markets and operates the Uber car transportation and food delivery mobile apps.

    In furtherance, the management stated that decreasing the fares should get more people requesting more rides with Uber, which leads to drivers spending more time with paying riders and standing a chance to earn the same or more. We aren’t asking drivers to just take our word for it, we are providing temporary earning guarantees until it is clear that this will be the case. These earning guarantees help to ensure driver-partners, who put in the time, don’t lose out. So get riding with Uber and experience the same rides but now at a more affordable price.

    New fares for Lagos mainland:

    Sample Locations                                                    Formerly                                          Now
    Magodo to Gbagada                                              From N1,100                             From N600
    Yaba to Ilupeju                                                       From N1,300                            From N800
    Surulere to Ikeja                                                     From N2,000                           From N1,200

  • Uber arraigned for stealing passenger’s phone

    Mobosi Ikechukwu, A driver with American online car hire service firm, Uber, has been arraigned by the police for theft of his passenger’s N235,000 phone.

    Ikechukwu, 32, was arraigned on Thursday before Mr. B. A. Sonuga of an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, on one count charge of stealing.

    Prosecuting police officer, Corporal Friday Mameh, said Ikechukwu was assigned by the transport network firm to pick up a passenger, Mrs. Fatima Eshotune, who requested for a driver on the night of February 28.

    Ikechukwu picked the woman up in his Toyota Corolla saloon car with Registration No. SMK 124 EJ, but along the way, she allegedly requested to charge her phone on a phone charging device in the car.

    The police said the complainant forgot the phone, a gold coloured Samsung Galaxy S6 valued at N235,000, in the car when she got off at about 8:10 p.m.  at No. 16, Agodogba Street, Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos.

    The defendant allegedly denied seeing the phone.

    The prosecutor said the offence contravened Section 287 (9) (c) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    Magistrate Sonuga granted him bail in the sum of N200, 000 with two sureties in the like sum.

    He adjourned the matter till May 15.

     

  • S/Africa taxi drivers protest against Uber

    S/Africa taxi drivers protest against Uber

    Hundreds of South African taxi drivers on Friday blocked roads to Johannesburg airport, holding up thousands of travelers and causing traffic chaos in a protest against the app-based taxi service Uber, local media reported.

    “The train going to the airport was packed with passengers trying desperately to catch their flights,’’ witnesses said.

    The local media reported that some travelers were seen walking toward the airport, hauling their luggage.

    The taxi drivers accused U.S.-based Uber, which operates in South Africa’s main cities of pulling down prices and preventing them from making a living.

    “From this day, we don’t want to see Uber in our country, because it’s illegal,’’ one taxi driver said to newsmen.

    According to the local media, metered taxi drivers say Uber drivers do not pay licence fees.

    Meanwhile, the local media was unable to obtain a comment from Uber’s South African branch Uber has faced protests from other taxi drivers in Europe, Latin America and Asia.

    It was not immediately known if the protest would lead to flights being delayed.

    The local media was also unable to reach the communications department of Johannesburg airport.

  • Uber CEO pulls out of Trump’s business council

    Uber CEO pulls out of Trump’s business council

    The chief executive of Uber, Mr Travis Kalanick, on Friday backed out of a business advisory council set up by Donald Trump, a week after the new U.S. president issued an immigration order that raised concerns for the ride-hailing company and its employees.

    Kalanick spoke briefly with Trump about the order “and its issues for our community,” and told the president he “would not be able to participate” in the council, he said in an email sent to employees and seen by newsmen.

    “Joining the group was not meant to be an endorsement of the president or his agenda but unfortunately it has been misinterpreted to be exactly that,’’ Kalanick wrote.

    The immigration order temporarily suspended the U.S. refugee programme and banned travellers from seven Muslim-majority nations.

    Mr Travis Kalanick
    Mr Travis Kalanick

    Kalanick was one of 16 company executives chosen to participate on the council.

    The group was scheduled to have its first meeting on Friday.

    The report says there have been protests worldwide against Trump’s executive order.

    Many U.S. multinationals, technology companies, in particular, were also outraged by it, pointing, among other things, to the importance of immigration and certain visas in contributing to their success.

    “Immigration and openness to refugees is an important part of our country’s success and quite honestly to Uber’s.

    “There are many ways we will continue to advocate for just change on immigration but staying on the council was going to get in the way of that,’’ he said.

  • Industry 4.0: How Cloud drives ‘the rise of the machines’

    Industry 4.0: How Cloud drives ‘the rise of the machines’

     

    • Oracle finds 62% of businesses are currently implementing robotics technology or planning to do so

    The technologies defining the ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’, more commonly referred to as Industry 4.0, are being powered by cloud infrastructures. The Oracle Cloud: Opening up the Road to Industry 4.0 report has found that from robotics to artificial intelligence, businesses view the cloud as a blank canvas upon which to build their innovation strategies.

    The research investigated how companies in EMEA are managing the transition to Industry 4.0 and sheds light on which technologies they are investing in to continue succeeding in the data-driven age.

    The majority of businesses are currently implementing, or plan to implement, new innovation strategies:

    • 62% have or plan to implement robotics technology
    • 60% have or plan to work with Artificial Intelligence

    Most companies also recognize a cloud infrastructure is required to bring these technologies to life – 60% believe an enterprise cloud platform provides the opportunity for organizations to capitalise on innovation such as robotics and artificial intelligence.

    Encouragingly, a large majority of businesses are on course with their plans to establish a single integrated cloud model across their organization.

    While only 8% currently have an integrated cloud model in place that works for legacy applications and new platforms, 36% say they are implementing one this year and another 40% expect to do so in 2017. Only 5% have no plans in place to make this transition.

    Pascal Giraud, Senior Director IaaS Foundation & Cloud Platform Oracle EMEA, said: “Despite an uncertain economic climate, businesses understand that at the speed of today’s market a first-mover advantage has never been more valuable. Some of the world’s most successful companies, including Uber and Airbnb, were founded at the peak of the financial crisis. This just goes to show that opportunity never sleeps.

    The dawn of Industry 4.0 is seeing companies fall into either an innovation fast lane or slow lane, and the rise of integrated cloud infrastructures has made it cheaper and easier for businesses to outpace the competition.”

    Tim Jennings, Chief Research Officer at Ovum, said: “As businesses continue the process of digitization, they require a flexible and scalable digital infrastructure to underpin this change. An integrated cloud platform that delivers both infrastructure services and platform services enables enterprises to quickly develop new business solutions, taking advantage of new digital technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data and the Internet of Things.”

  • SA Insurance, Uber seal partnership deal

    SA Insurance, Uber seal partnership deal

    Standard Alliance Insurance Plc has entered into a partnership with Uber, a company that connects riders with drivers, to make moving around the city comfortable and affordable for its clients and staff who would need to be on the road to meet appointments.

    In a statement by the Head, Corporate Communications, Nelson Egboboh, the underwriting company explained that it went into the partnership due to its desire to help its clients and members of staff get ultimate value for their hard-earned money which they had hitherto been spending to meet up with the costly fares being charged by other transport service providers.

    According to the statement, Uber will be offering a free first ride of up to N5,000 when signing up for the service using the promo code SAINSURANCE. Uber offers reliable and affordable rides at the touch of a button.”

    While noting that this free offer was for first time riders only, the statement explained that to enjoy the service, “the individual will have to download the Uber app on his mobile devices and sign up with SAINSURANCE code indicating his location and destination,” stating that “driver-partners are at multiple locations which makes it easy for them to reach any interested person within few minutes.

  • KIA strikes strategic partnership with Uber

    With the growing popularity of urban culture and prevalence of hailing cab service in the metropolitan cities, Kia Motors Nigeria has entered into strategic partnership with Uber to provide lead generation software connecting riders to drivers in the area. The partnership is directly in line with the commitment to making the people become an Uber investor with an affordable state-of-the-art Kia model range.

    There is no gainsaying the fact that Nigeria has remained one of the commercial hubs of Africa with an estimated population of over 180 million. As the most populous African country in the world, the need to provide a seamless means of transportation system to meet the requirements of the public is germane and this has galvanised the strategic partnership between Kia and Uber.

    Globally, over 100,000 partner drivers are currently operating on Uber’s network. Uber is not only changing the way people connect with their cities, but also creating thousands of investment and work opportunities along the way.

    To make this a success in Nigeria, Uber is leveraging the low maintenance cost of Kia vehicles to increase the adoption of its services in the cities in which it has presence across the country.

    “In a bid to provide a stress-free transportation and provide investment opportunities for our teeming customers, we have deemed it necessary to partner with an internationally acclaimed technology company, Uber, which gives optimum value to customer satisfaction and a maximised return on investment for investors. The company has remained at the fore in creating a technology platform that is customer-focused,” Managing Director, Kia Motors Nigeria, Jacky Hathiramani said.

    Hathiramani added: “Uber’s technology continues to transform the way millions of people move around their city and our partnership with the company is to give people the best-in-class Kia model range that gives exhilarating experience to passengers on the go.”

    Uber is focused on building a service for hundreds of millions of Nigerians and creating investment opportunities. Premised on this, Kia’s leadership and experience in the auto industry will be crucial in helping the technological company accomplish their goals.

    As a part of the deal, interested Uber investors who do not want to make an outright purchase of the vehicle can avail the offer of an accessible financial scheme powered by Access Bank that gives 10 per cent equity contribution, competitive equated monthly instalment as low as N95,000 monthly, special pricing and flexible repayment tenure of up to 48 months.

  • Airtel, Uber seal internet deal

    Airtel, Uber seal internet deal

    Bharti Airtel and taxi hailing service Uber have announced a first-of-its-kind partnership in India, where riders across the country would now be able to pay for their trips using Airtel’s mobile wallet service — Airtel Money — while enjoying free high-speed internet powered by Airtel 4G.

    The service was launched in Mumbai today and it would soon be rolled out for Uber riders across the country.

    “You will be able to access free 4G internet, all cities, all riders, (there are) no exceptions. The service will be rolled out in a phased manner soon,” said Amit Jain, president of Uber India.

    “As part of the commercial agreement, Airtel will install Wi-Fi device in all its contract cars and will provide devices to its driver-partners. Additionally, Uber will accept money through Airtel Money as a mode of payment,” said Srini Gopalan, director, consumer business of Bharti Airtel.

    Apart from Airtel Money, Uber will continue to accept all modes of payments, including credit cards, debit cards, Paytm and cash.

    The US-based company has currently around 1,50,000 driver-partners across 18 cities. The taxi firm, which recently got close to $100-million investment from Tata group, is aiming a millionth ride by the end of March 2016.

    This integration will provide riders with another hassle-free payment option and will make Uber the first technology platform to officially launch Airtel Money. For a limited time, new Uber riders who top up their Airtel Money wallet will earn up to Rs 500 for free.