rideshare

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

County Considering Rideshare Subsidies — Arlington County is studying a plan that would subsidize rides on Uber and Lyft for residents who live in “more remote residential areas of the county where bus service to Metro stations is limited.” The plan, if implemented, would “replace some fixed bus service in north Arlington.” [Washington Post]

APS SOL Results — The results of the Virginia Standards of Learning tests are out. In response, Arlington Public Schools released a press release with the title “APS Continues to Make Progress in Closing the Achievement Gap.” It says: “In 2016, the APS met or exceeded the state passing rates on 28 of 29 assessments, across all grade levels and subjects. APS exceeded the state passing rates by 5 to 13 percentage points on 16 of the assessments.” [Arlington Public Schools, InsideNova, Washington Post]

Go to Morning Notes Read more
Around Town

Uber Expands Food Delivery Service to Arlington

By ARLnow.com

Hungry Arlington residents and workers can now use the UberEATS app to order food from local restaurants. Users can order off the full restaurant menu, rather than having to choose between a few select items.

“Uber is partnering with over a dozen restaurants in the Arlington area and working to add more every week,” said Uber spokeswoman Kaitlin Durkosh. “Depending on your location, you can also order from restaurants in D.C., too.”

Go to Uber Expands Food Delivery Service to Arlington Read more
News

Three Men Arrested for Assaulting Uber Driver With Beer Bottle

By ARLnow.com
File photo

The incident happened just before 11 p.m. on Washington Blvd near Columbia Pike. It started, police say, after the driver picked up six passengers, then later noticed that they were drinking alcohol from open containers inside the vehicle.

“The driver could smell alcohol,” said Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage.

Go to Three Men Arrested for Assaulting Uber Driver With Beer Bottle Read more
Around Town

Arlington’s Red Top Cab Trying to One-Up Uber With App Features

By Heather Mongilio
Red Top cabs in 2013 (file photo)

The recently-updated Red Top Select app features allow users to reserve a cab in advance or repeat one of their previous trips with the touch of a button. The company says those features go beyond the functionality of Uber, which has been the scourge of traditional taxi companies and driver everywhere it operates.

“With Uber, riders have to wait until they are ready to ride and hope there is a car available near them and also hope that Uber is not charging surge prices at the time they need their ride. With the Red Top Select app, riders can select the date and time in advance and their car will be waiting for them, instead of them waiting for the car,” said Red Top Cab spokesman Von Pelot.

Go to Arlington’s Red Top Cab Trying to One-Up Uber With App Features Read more
News

Columbia Pike Resident Surprised to Get $1,537.13 Uber Bill

By ARLnow.com

Jenny Partington says she was trying to call an Uber ride Friday night, but the app told her she couldn’t because she was “still on a trip.” The last time she had taken an Uber was the previous Saturday, Aug. 8, when she visited her friend. Partington canceled the trip, then was shocked when a four-figure bill arrived via email.

Partington was charged $1,537.13 for the ride — which was debited from her checking account because she pays for rides via Paypal.

Go to Columbia Pike Resident Surprised to Get $1,537.13 Uber Bill Read more
News

Police Seek Uber Driver for Alleged Sex Assault

By ARLnow.com
File photo

The incident happened early Sunday morning, on the 900 block of S. Randolph Street in the Alcova Heights neighborhood. It started with an Uber ride that left D.C. at some point between 2:45 and 4:00 a.m.

Police say an intoxicated woman, 29, and her friend ordered an Uber, but ended up getting in “an Uber cab that was not her intended ride.”

Go to Police Seek Uber Driver for Alleged Sex Assault Read more
News

Bicyclist ‘Doored’ by Uber Passenger in Rosslyn

By ARLnow.com

A cyclist was hurt this morning in Rosslyn when the backseat passenger of an Uber car opened a door in his path.

The incident happened around 8:30 a.m. on N. Lynn Street, just south of Wilson Blvd. Initial reports indicate that the white BMW was stopped next to the bike lane when the Uber rider opened the rear passenger-side door just as the cyclist was about to roll by on a Capital Bikeshare bike. The cyclist slammed into the door.

Go to Bicyclist ‘Doored’ by Uber Passenger in Rosslyn Read more
News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

New Chinese Restaurant? — Noted chef Peter Chang appears to be planning to open a new Chinese restaurant at the Lee Harrison Shopping Center on Lee Highway. [Washington Business Journal]

Rosslyn: Hub of Hillary Intrigue — Rosslyn is home to an organization devoted to helping Hillary Clinton’s presidential prospects, an organization that spends much of its time trying to dig up dirt on Hillary, and a news organization that is covering the 2016 presidential race. This has created some awkward moments at Rosslyn’s few after-work watering holes. Concludes a magazine article: “The epicenter of the country’s great Hillary debate remains a small, charm-deficient enclave across the river from D.C.” [National Journal]

Go to Morning Notes Read more
News

Police: Man Tried to Kiss Uber Driver, Then Stole Her Phone

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 2:50 p.m. on 12/23/21) A drunk Arlington resident tried to kiss the driver of his Uber ride then stole her phone when his unwanted advances were rebuffed, according to Arlington County police.

The incident happened just after 6:00 p.m. Saturday evening, on the 2200 block of S. Garfield Street in Nauck. Police say 31-year-old Richard [Redacted], who was intoxicated, became belligerent after trying to kiss the Uber driver.

Go to Police: Man Tried to Kiss Uber Driver, Then Stole Her Phone Read more
News

Virginia Repeals Ban on Uber and Lyft

By Ethan Rothstein

Gov. Terry McAuliffe and Attorney General Mark Herring announced today that they reached an agreement with the two smartphone transportation companies with stipulations that will allow them to operate in Virginia. The conditions “will help ensure the safety of passengers, bring the companies into compliance with Virginia law, provide transparency into their operations, and promote a level playing field for transportation providers,” according to a press release.

The state Department of Motor Vehicles issued a cease-and-desist order to the companies on June 5 for doing business in Virginia without an operating permit. Uber and Lyft have continued to operate in the state, including in Arlington, which has led to protests from taxi drivers and a lawsuit from taxi companies. The decision to allow the companies to operate did not come with a penalty for flouting the cease-and-desist order for two months.

Go to Virginia Repeals Ban on Uber and Lyft Read more
News

County Board Sympathetic to Taxi Drivers in Uber Dispute

By Ethan Rothstein

None of the County Board members expressed an explicit desire to ban Uber, citing its popularity, but Board Chair Jay Fisette, Vice Chair Mary Hynes and Board member Walter Tejada each expressed sympathy for the county’s taxi drivers — who have organized protests of Uber and Lyft — who are losing business to the ridesharing services.

“As a Board, as individuals, there is a recognition that some of these new services have stolen some people’s hearts or gotten their business because of the technology they provide and some of the customer service they provide,” Fisette said. “We are very respectful of the drivers… that do need to make a living in this community and do a fine job of it, and then we need to figure out as a state and as a community what authority we have and how we might effect and take advantage of that authority as that unfolds.”

Go to County Board Sympathetic to Taxi Drivers in Uber Dispute Read more
View More Stories