The French ban on Uberpop, the version of Uber that allows riders to connect with amateur drivers in private cars for a paid ride, It’s been banned since January, and France’s highest court has now confirmed the ban.
As in a number of other companies, Uberpop raised concern on two fronts: opposition from regulated cab drivers angry that they could lose customers to drivers with no license or business expenses, and from the government, concerned over lack of insurance and avoidance of taxes. Drivers in France and other countries have held sometimes-violent protests.
After the original ban, Uberpop kept operating, apparently believing that the difficulty of enforcing the ban would let them get by. After violent protests in June, however, the government put a stop to the operation by arresting Uber’s two top executives in France for “misleading commercial practices…complicity in the illegal exercise of the taxi profession.” The company responded by turning off the app.
Uber also operates other services in France, including Uber X, which costs more, but uses professional and insured drivers.
Map: Taxi-deutschland.net
