Uber hits roadblock in Florida

Ubers exponential growth has not been without problems. After amazing advances throughout the United States and Europe, they have hit a roadblock in Florida. Uber is now fighting it out with Miami and Tampa, where they are currently illegal. Understand it is against the law to ride in an uber car in Tampa. It's currently against the law for an uber car to be dispatched in under an hour.

Tampa and Miami classify ride-share as a limousine company. The rules are a $50 minimum, and 1 hour advance notification. Why? This rule is to protect taxi ccompanies and drivers, who've invested in medallions. Travis Kalanick says these rules are crazy. he says he is spending too much time fighting the officials in Florida. he says he would rather be at the Miami Shore Club. that is a swanky boutique hotel in South Beach. google it and see if you have the money to stay there.

As much as people say they like uber, they are contributing to the demise of a regulated industry that serves the general public. When the local Tampa news caster asked the Hillsborough County Commissioner if it was still legal for her to use uber, he tried to be polite about it. I am NOT polite about it. Your made up fake ass should be thrown in jail miss channel 8 news caster. sorry about mincing words.

Tampa suing Uber

This is what happened to an Uber driver in Germany. I hope Hillsborough County can shut Uber down to avoid potential violence. ..

The request for a cease-and-desist order, which names 53 drivers in addition to the company, says Uber behaves like a taxi service but operates outside of the PTC's legal purview.

"They have to agree to operate by the rules and regulations that we put in place," said PTC chairman Victor Crist. He said that includes commercial liability and personal injury insurance, vehicle safety inspections, and Level 2 fingerprint background checks on their drivers.

Ride-share companies Uber and Lyft have long quarreled with PTC regulators over whether they must meet those and other requirements. The companies, which use smartphone apps to connect riders with private drivers, started operating in Tampa in April 2014. Almost immediately, the PTC began issuing tickets, calling the services illegal.

The cease and desist order does not mention Lyft. And Crist said Tuesday that Uber could operate in Hillsborough County tomorrow if they met legal requirements. "But they come into town and claim, 'we're not a cab, we're not a limousine,' " said Crist, who also is a Hillsborough County commissioner.

This is not the first attempt by the PTC to close Uber down. The commission voted in early February to pursue injunctive relief against Uber and Lyft after both ride-share companies failed to comply with a cease-and-desist letter.

"Anyone providing for-hire transportation service to the public within Hillsborough County … must comply with these regulations or be subject to civil penalties and even criminal prosecution as a misdemeanor," Kyle Cockream, the PTC's executive director, wrote in a memo issued last December.

Uber declined to comment Tuesday.

Contact Zack Peterson at zpeterson@tampabay.com. Follow @zackpeterson918.

Uber driver Victorious52 is demented

Don't ride with Victorious52 if you use Uber. This gavone has been fired by every cab company in Tampa for reasons they will not say (one could only guess the horrible acts he committed). He is with Uber now. This dumb shit has been a failure at everything he has ever done in life. He now thinks he will find success with Uber. Life doesn't work that way. A loser is a loser.

Uber dominates at U.S. airports

This blurb in the business section of the Tampa Times pretty much confirms my worst fears. Uber has cracked the last vestige of protected business that the taxi companies have. If that percentage is even close st TIA, then the writing is on the wall. The authorities at the airport are extending their middle finger at the cab companies and drivers. They charge an outrageous fee for the right to serve them, force drivers to follow stupid rules. Then, they allow an unlicensed and uninsured Uber to operate at the airport. That is wrong and I swear to God we Will stop it.

The Bobby Hicks Pool

Its about time they started using this excellent facility. On the south side of Tampa is a long course pool called Bobby Hicks. The problem has been in recent years, it just remains closed. Don't know why.


Florida is the place where there is a demand for a pool. You have fitness folks and your 26.2 folks. I will try to get there soon and start regular exercise. You know I will stop about as soon as I start.

Lets see what happens this time.

Houston UBER DRIVER ARRESTED for rape

Duncan Burton served 14 years for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, according to court records and the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. He was convicted by a jury in Houston and served time in Beaumont, Louisiana and Georgia before being released in 2012, according to the federal prison agency.

Although sentenced originally to 18 years, he had earned nearly three years of good conduct time and had about two years of jail time.

Burton, 57, was arrested Wednesday and charged with one count of sexual assault, a second-degree felony. If convicted, Burton faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. He remains in the Harris County Jail without bail.

Uber spokeswoman Debbee Hancock said Monday that  Burton passed the company's background checks. She could not immediately be reached Tuesday to respond to the disclosure of Burton's drug conviction.

Someone with a negotiated drug conviction on his or her record would not be eligible for a city-issued permit, but could appeal and attempt to receive one, said Lara Cottingham, deputy assistant director in the city's Regulatory Affairs Department.osted by: william2000 (ZEROCENSORSHIP.COM)

An Uber driver is accused of sexually assaulting a customer in Houston. Police say Duncan Eric Burton raped a passenger.

According to the Houston Police Department, the victim, who was visiting from out of town and out with a group of friends at a bar in the Midtown area, was picked up by the driver.

Police said she was too drunk to tell the driver where she was staying, so he offered to take her to his home to sleep. That's when she alleges he raped her.Would you get into a cab with this guy?

UPDATE: this Uber driver was released in 2012 from Federal Prison on a drug cconviction. After serving 14 years in Prison, he still cleared tthe Uber background check



Read more: http://www.zerocensorship.com/bbs/uncensored/103935-texas-uber-driver-duncan-eric-burton-accused-of-sexually-assaulting-customer#ixzz3WLYxL7HW

Revolt at the airport

I heard Ron Seaman was fired after a group of airport drivers went into the office to complain. It seems the rules he implemented (that would make us more efficient in the Uber era) were more then the guys could stand. Face it, the taxi industry has received bad press in the last year for dirty cars and poor service. We have lost accounts to Nancy, and business to Uber. The airport is our last vestige of protection. Zellow app was a good idea but the drivers wanted to go back to the old way..everyone loses. ..Uber wins..Mark My words.

Two Hall of Fame guys in one day

Tony Dungy (just blocks from Uncle Toby's)

Two future NFL Hall of Fame guys were photographed by me on the same day, with the same roll of film, that the Uncle Toby images were taken with. How cool is that! Tony Dungy and Warren Sapp were leaving the old training camp at the University of Tampa and I got there shots. We had no idea back then what an impact they would make to Buc and football history.

Warren Sapp was in shape back then

The Bucs practice field was in the shadow of downtown Tampa

Uncle Toby's HOT & ALOT

Uncle Toby's HOT & ALOT

Uncle Toby was very proud of what he was cooking up.

If you drove cab in Tampa in the late 1990's and early 2000's, you

may remember "Uncle Toby's HOT & ALOT" diner. It was home cooked gourmet diner food. I used to eat there because I  like that type of food. Toby would pile it on and I was in my glory.

Toby was a retired Navy guy who always wanted to open a restaurant. He found the vacant building three blocks down from United can, and just around the corner from Yellow Cab. The location was ideal for many industrial business were in the area and many lacked a chow hall. Toby would pack them in for breakfast and lunch. The place did well for a long time.

Toby had a simple formula. Feed people decent portions without a high price and they will come back. Repeat customers will make or break a business. His claim to fame was meatloaf on Tuesdays. This photo of me is eating his award winning meatloaf with mash potatoes, green beans, and roll. Yum!

Making like a pig

His business did well over the years and Toby finally had a chance to sell at a good profit. He went into the hurricane shutter business, the last I heard. I lost touch with Toby and have not seen him in years.

Others tried to make a go of the location without much success. In fact, there were a couple of guys that tried to run it before Toby. They shut down and the property laid fallow for many years. That is why I was so excited to see Toby come along.

Keep in mind there was business back then. I did work more hours because the call count kept me interested. Now, a baloney sandwich is the order of the day. 

Uber driver arrested for burglary

Uber driver arrested for burglary 

A Denver Colorado Uber driver has been arrested for burglary on the house of a fare he dropped off at the airport. It seems the Uber driver had found an angle for his life of crime, become an Uber driver. They don't screen drivers and it gets you in close proximity to hot women, and knowledge of people's whereabouts. This is scary folks. Uber drivers are committing crime on a daily basis. Why do people think they are safer? Because they are mostly American born?