While Uber is introducing new services that are meant to develop new ways of getting around, some cities have declared war on the American giant. Others have simply banned Uber in an effort to stop its expansion.
In Paris, nothing presages the disappearance of the Uber group for the moment, regardless of its detractors. In April, the transport company launched Jump, their new self-service electric bicycle and scooter service.
While the giant confirms its place in Paris – one of its largest markets – and extends to other provincial cities in France (Avignon, Aix-en-Provence, and Toulon recently), metropolises all over the world are shutting the door and many have banned Uber altogether. The reason given is often the unfair competition from VTCs denounced by traditional taxis.
In Europe, the list is long: Frankfurt (only Berlin and Munich still provide the service in Germany), Barcelona, Budapest, Sofia (Uber suspended its services in Bulgaria in September 2015 after the company was widely criticized for its unfair practices regarding licenses, competitors like TaxiMe and TaxiMaxim continue to operate here). Turkey banned Uber last June after numerous conflicts between the taxi drivers and Uber drivers.
In Denmark, Uber was forced to withdraw from the country after severe regulations left the company unable to operate. The authorities began requiring fare meters and occupancy sensors in all cars providing taxi services in 2017.
In London, the situation is more complicated. The license was withdrawn from Uber in 2017 by the London Transport Authority. The reasons included Ubers' approach to reporting criminal offenses and the way it carries out background checks on drivers. However, the license was finally extended by 15 months by a London court in June 2018.
In large countries such as Australia, Uber operates throughout the country with the exception of the Northern Territory, after the company refused to pay the proposed $300 per car license fee. The two major cities in the region, Alice Springs and Darwin, have recently benefited from a carpooling company called Hi Oscar, which replaces it.
Asia is also served randomly by regions. China banned Uber to make way for a more local service, Didi Chuxing. In Singapore, the situation is reversed: the American company had ceased its activities in the city and has in fact recently declared its return with the opening of its Asia-Pacific hub on April 2.
Finally, other municipalities simply did not allow Uber to enter their territory. This is the case of Vancouver, a rare example in North America to simply ban VTCs. As a result, car-sharing, public transit or even cycling are very popular in the Canadian metropolis. Moreover, some cities in the United States also banned Uber. The company has fallen out of favor with some local governments following concerns about the company's practices and the way it influences local economies. Today, Uber is illegal in most places in Oregon besides Portland.
