Uber, Lyft, Instacart, DoorDash form coalition in Washington state to ‘protect driver independence’ Five evenings a week, sometimes more, Carmen Figueroa gets into her car, signs into her GrubHub account and sets out… Read More
Seattle-area counties’ experiment with on-demand, door-to-door public bus service is showing promise When Kitsap Transit began its experiment with app-based, on-demand buses on Bainbridge Island, Wash., in July, one of the primary… Read More
Amazon ends ‘binding arbitration’ for customer disputes — here’s what it means For a major corporate declaration, it was relatively brief. And as short as the email was, it can be distilled… Read More
Can ride-sharing technology change local transit? Seattle-area county testing app-based bus system Can civic mass transit operate as a ride-sharing service? The Routing Company aims to find out on Bainbridge Island near… Read More
Uber to pay $3.4M in settlement for 15,000 Seattle drivers’ unpaid sick leave, back wages Seattle’s Office of Labor Standards reached a $3.4 million settlement with Uber to resolve claims for back wages and unpaid… Read More
Seattle’s clean transportation blueprint spells out ambitious goals for electrification and habit shifts Laying out its vision for a fossil-fuel-free future, the City of Seattle has released an ambitious plan to electrify its… Read More
Uber raising trip prices 24% in new year in response to Seattle’s new minimum wage law for drivers The cost of an Uber trip in Seattle will jump about 24% starting Friday as the ride-hailing company is raising… Read More
As Amazon’s Zoox unveils passenger robotaxi, CEO acknowledges potential for package delivery Zoox, the robotaxi company acquired by Amazon for more than $1 billion earlier this year, revealed its fully autonomous electric… Read More
Uber Connect brings package delivery option to app to help get holiday gifts and more across town Even if you’re not hopping in an Uber to visit friends or family during the holidays, the ride-hailing company is… Read More
First glimpse of Amazon’s new robotaxi: Zoox autonomous vehicle spotted during video shoot Isn’t it always the urban video shoot that spoils the big car reveal? Zoox, the self-driving taxi company acquired by… Read More
Seattle mayor signs minimum wage law for Uber and Lyft drivers in first-ever virtual bill signing Seattle officially established a minimum wage standard for Uber and Lyft drivers on Thursday as Mayor Jenny Durkan signed the… Read More
Seattle adopts minimum wage for Uber and Lyft drivers Seattle became the second big city in the nation to establish a minimum wage standard for Uber and Lyft drivers… Read More
Debate over Uber and Lyft driver pay comes to a head as Seattle prepares to set minimum wage Seattle officials are slated to vote on a minimum wage standard for Uber and Lyft drivers on Tuesday that will… Read More
Tech Moves: Lighter Capital names new CEO; Amazon exec joins Uber as CTO; and more — Seattle-based ‘alternative VC’ firm Lighter Capital named Melissa Widner as its new CEO. She takes over from former CEO… Read More
Convoy hires former Expedia CEO as president and COO as digital freight startup tops 1k employees Mark Okerstrom is shifting from travel and tourism to trucking, looking to apply his digital commerce expertise to a new… Read More
Uber and Lyft push back on Seattle mayor’s plan to pay drivers more money Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan unveiled a new proposal to increase pay for Uber and Lyft drivers and cover expenses such… Read More
Uber vs. Amazon and Instacart: $2.65B Postmates deal shows appetite for broader delivery market With its $2.65 billion deal to buy Postmates, announced Monday morning, Uber is making it clear that it’s hungry for… Read More
Podcast Secrets of successful strategies: How Amazon, Apple, Microsoft and others make winning bets Twenty-five years ago, more than a decade before the debut of the iPhone, a different piece of technology had people… Read More
Seattle City Council mandates paid sick time for gig workers during pandemic Drivers for Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, Grubhub, and other delivery services will soon be eligible for paid sick time off in… Read More
Seattle considers mandating hazard pay for gig workers during the pandemic The Seattle City Council is considering new emergency legislation that would require companies like Uber and Grubhub to pay drivers… Read More
Uber lays off another 3,000 employees; Seattle engineering hub will remain open Uber has cut 25% of its global workforce over the past two weeks after slashing another 3,000 jobs today. What… Read More
Podcast GeekWire Podcast: Uber, Grubhub and Seattle; Amazon on 60 Minutes; Surface Earbuds first take Here’s what we’re talking about this week on the GeekWire Podcast. Word leaked out this week that Uber is considering… Read More
Seattle ties run deep as Uber looks to gobble up rival meal delivery service Grubhub Uber is headquartered in San Francisco. Grubhub calls Chicago home. But there’s an interesting Seattle connection behind news this week… Read More
What do the Airbnb, Lyft, and Uber layoffs mean for Seattle engineering outposts? Silicon Valley engineering outposts have added an interesting dynamic to Seattle’s burgeoning tech community over the past 15 years. More… Read More
Uber, Seattle and U.S. Chamber end dispute over union law as city plans minimum wage for drivers The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Uber, and the City of Seattle have agreed to walk away from a lengthy and… Read More
Pandemic exposes cracks in US labor market, leaving gig workers feeling desperate and exposed When Uber announced this week it will provide cash assistance to drivers diagnosed with COVID-19, Vasil Denev considered whether getting… Read More
Uber sees 60-70% decline in Seattle rides, prepares for at least two months of ‘absolute lockdown’ Uber has seen a 60% to 70% decline in bookings in Seattle in the past few days and is preparing… Read More
Lime temporarily shuts down in CA, WA and some European countries to slow coronavirus Lime is pausing its e-scooter and e-bike services in California, Washington, Italy, France, and Spain, starting Tuesday. The company said… Read More
GeekWire Calendar Picks: Susan Fowler talks about her book; the science of making alcohol; and more — In 2017, news of sexual harassment problems at Uber made national headlines and investigations led to the ousting of… Read More
Why this Seattle geek finally gave up and bought a car four years after going ‘full Uber’ Four years ago, Ben Gilbert was a symbol of Seattle’s rapidly expanding transportation options. The tech investor and entrepreneur had… Read More
