Uber's legal challenges around the world

The company has drawn criticism that its vehicles increase congestion and take business from regular taxis

Uber was stripped of its London operating license on Monday for the second time in just over two years as the city’s regulator said the taxi app had put passenger safety at risk.

The company faces legal action in several cities around the world and has drawn criticism that its vehicles increase congestion and take business from regular taxis.

“Over the last two years we have fundamentally changed how we operate in London,” tweeted CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, who took over weeks before Uber first lost its London license in 2017.

Here are some of its recent legal battles:

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UNITED KINGDOM

In 2017, Transport for London removed Uber's license in the capital, citing failings in its approach to reporting serious criminal offenses and to background checks on drivers.

Last year, it was given a 15-month license in London after making changes to improve relations with city authorities.

In September, it received only a two-month license, which expired on Monday.

UNITED STATES

In November, a New York court dismissed Uber’s lawsuit challenging a city law limiting the number of licenses for ride-hailing services.

Uber sought in September to get a new rule overturned that limits how much time drivers can spend cruising busy Manhattan streets without passengers.

As US lawmakers threaten tighter regulation, Uber and Lyft skipped a US congressional hearing last month on the industry’s safety, labor and congestion.

In September, an Uber driver sued the company for misclassifying its drivers as independent contractors. In March, the company paid $20 million to settle a long-running lawsuit brought by drivers claiming they were employees and entitled to certain wage protections.

AUSTRALIA

In May, a law firm filed a class action on behalf of thousands of taxi and chartered drivers, accusing the company of operating illegally and harming them financially.

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GERMANY

Germany’s highest court ruled in December 2018 that a defunct limousine service offered by Uber but taken out of service in 2014 was illegal, a setback for the company in Europe’s largest economy.

NETHERLANDS

In March, Uber paid around $2.5 million to settle a case that found it had offered unlicensed taxi services in 2014-2015.

British and Dutch regulators last year fined Uber for failing to protect customers’ personal information during a 2016 cyber-attack involving millions of users.

INDIA

In November 2018, the country ruled that ride-sharing firms Uber and Ola did not break price-fixing rules following a complaint about their pricing strategy.

AUSTRIA

Uber was suspended for two days last year due to a local taxi firm’s lawsuit but resumed operations after making concessions