Uber China offices raided
Chinese police raided the offices of San Francisco based car hailing app Uber Technologies in the southern city of Guangzhou and seized cellphones and other equipment. The Chinese government in January banned drivers of private cars from offering such services through apps.
Guangzhou city government’s transportation, police and business-licensing departments officials conducted the operation at Uber’s office Thursday 30th April 2015, and an on going investigation. The operation was conducted on a company that was “organizing private drivers without operational qualifications to engage in business activities.”
The official Xinhua News Agency on Friday reported that a Guangzhou transportation official confirmed the raid on Uber’s office, but said it was part of a broader crackdown on illegal taxi services and that Uber wasn’t being specifically targeted. “Uber is closely co-operating with local authorities and continue offer our service to 13 million residents of Guangzhou” according Uber spokeswoman.
Photos of the raid were posted on web site of Guangzhou Daily which accused Uber of running an “illegal” transport service and company lacking proper commercial registration documents of organising public taxis lacking business qualifications in China.Uber was valued $41bn £27bn making it the second most valuable start-up after Xiaomi, $50bn £33bn the Chinese Mobile Phone maker.
Licensing of taxi service provisions include include 26 international code of conduct the drivers must use. The drivers must not eat food with an unpleasant smell, must not smoke, spit and litter out of taxis. The drivers must leave at least two thirds of space in the trunk for the passenger’s baggage. The taxi companies should better provide all-day telephone booking service and must solve passengers’ complaints within 10 days.
.The power of the ordinance of Guangzhou is proven by a senior executive of a taxi company. “If a taxi driver refuses to pick up a passenger without reasonable cause, he will be in a very difficult situation simply if the passenger marks down the license number and complain to 96900 (public transportation service hotline),” the executive said, “The driver will receive an investigation and be suspended from work at first, and take training if the complaint is proven to be true; he will be fined at least 500 RMB.”