Close X
Thursday, November 14, 2024
ADVT 
International

Pennsylvania Fines Uber $11Million For Operating Without Approval

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 21 Apr, 2016 11:44 AM
    HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania regulators fined Uber $11.4 million on Thursday — a record for the utility commission — for operating for six months in 2014 without the required approval. The company said it would appeal.
     
    The Public Utility Commission, which also regulates buses and taxis, voted 3-2 for a penalty that was considerably lower than the $50 million fine recommended by a pair of administrative law judges in November.
     
    Commissioners who voted for it justified the lower amount because they said the ride-hailing company has modified its practices to comply with state rules and has not generated many consumer complaints while operating under emergency and experimental authority.
     
    San Francisco-based Uber Technologies, Inc. drew criticism from the judges last year for continuing to operate a month after being issued a cease-and-desist order and for what were described as obstructive actions during the investigation. Commissioners John Coleman and Gladys Brown said the company's actions warranted punishment.
     
    "It must be recognized that Uber has deliberately engaged in the most unprecedented series of wilful violations of commission orders and regulations in the history of this agency," they said in proposing the smaller fine. "A record number of proven violations should be expected to result in a record setting fine."
     
     
    The two commissioners who voted no said the fine was excessive compared to the commission's past actions. Its previous record fine was $1.8 million over an electric generation supplier's handling of a guaranteed savings plan for customers.
     
    Uber spokesman Jason Post said the company was "shocked" by the fine amount, adding Uber's actions did not harm anyone and the commission "subsequently approved the same operations."
     
    Other cases with large fines, said commissioner Pamela Witmer, "involved incidents of serious bodily injury, fatalities, significant property damage and/or patterns of unsafe business practices that jeopardized public safety." She called for "a more measured and reasonable outcome."
     
    Commissioner Robert Powelson, the other no vote, said he would have preferred a $2.5 million fine.
     
    "When Uber launched its operations in Pennsylvania, they were operating in a legally grey area," Powelson said. "The commission should take this into account."
     
    The two judges wrote in November that Uber had argued it was providing needed alternatives, it used a broker license held by a subsidiary and there was no proof that harm occurred.
     
     
    Uber was fined more than $7 million in January for failing to provide sufficient information to California regulators.

    MORE International ARTICLES

    Indian-Origin Student Ishaan Patel's Charity, Planting Pencils, Honoured In USA

    Indian-Origin Student Ishaan Patel's Charity, Planting Pencils, Honoured In USA
    Ishaan Patel, founder of Planting Pencils, was recently honoured by the Milan Cultural Organisation during the Republic Day celebration in the legislative office building in downtown Hartford

    Indian-Origin Student Ishaan Patel's Charity, Planting Pencils, Honoured In USA

    Chandigarh Born Judge Srikanth Srinivasan Seen As Obama's Choice For New US Apex Court Justice

    Chandigarh Born Judge Srikanth Srinivasan Seen As Obama's Choice For New US Apex Court Justice
    Srikanth Srinivasan, 48, who became a judge of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit -- a traditional launching pad for Supreme Court nominees - in May 2013 after a 97-0 Senate vote was on the short-list of many in the media.

    Chandigarh Born Judge Srikanth Srinivasan Seen As Obama's Choice For New US Apex Court Justice

    Who Is 'The Perfect Candidate', Wonders Indian-American Author Tamraparni Dasu

    Who Is 'The Perfect Candidate', Wonders Indian-American Author Tamraparni Dasu
    An Indian-American author of a new novel about a former spy-turned-politician has a piece of advice for Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump: "Veer to the centre, and pick a positive, uplifting message."

    Who Is 'The Perfect Candidate', Wonders Indian-American Author Tamraparni Dasu

    Indian Restaurant Chain Masala's $34 Million Assets Seized In New Zealand After Allegations Of Fraud

    Indian Restaurant Chain Masala's $34 Million Assets Seized In New Zealand After Allegations Of Fraud
    The restaurant chain owners, Joti Jain, Rupinder Chahil, Rajwinder Grewal and Supinder Singh have allegedly evaded paying tax by systematically stripping cash from the restaurants 

    Indian Restaurant Chain Masala's $34 Million Assets Seized In New Zealand After Allegations Of Fraud

    UK Hunts For Islamic State Suspect Who Joined Linkedin

    UK Hunts For Islamic State Suspect Who Joined Linkedin
    British and Turkish security services are concerned that Tahari has moved to Turkey where he gave away his location when he joined Linkedin recently.

    UK Hunts For Islamic State Suspect Who Joined Linkedin

    Spanish Man Skips Work For 6 Years; Gets Found When He Was To Be Awarded For 20 Years In Service

    Spanish Man Skips Work For 6 Years; Gets Found When He Was To Be Awarded For 20 Years In Service
    The 69-year-old civil servant was caught just when he was about to be awarded for his long service.

    Spanish Man Skips Work For 6 Years; Gets Found When He Was To Be Awarded For 20 Years In Service