SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Uber picked up a hefty tab Wednesday when a judge fined the taxi-alternative company $7.3 million for refusing to give California regulators information about its business practices, including when its drivers turn down ride requests and how accessible vehicles are to disabled riders.
The fine was part of a ruling by an administrative law judge at the California Public Utilities Commission, the regulatory agency that allowed Uber and its competitors such as Lyft to operate in the state as long as the companies reported aspects of their activities.
The judge agreed with utility commission staff who said Uber has not filed all required reports, specifically about how often it provided disabled-accessible vehicles, places where drivers tend to turn down ride requests, and the causes of accidents.
Uber’s app allows passengers to request a ride directly from drivers in the area – and allows drivers to decline the request. The utilities commission wants to see whether drivers are accepting fares evenly.
Uber had argued that it provided sufficient information to the commission. The judge acknowledged that Uber provided some of the contested information but said it was not enough.