Urban transportation company Uber is slowly but surely expanding its ride-sharing service UberPOP in Europe before Lyft expands to Europe. After opening first in Paris, the company recently launched UberPOP in Brussels, Berlin and Barcelona. But according to De Tijd and Tech.eu, the company is facing legal opposition in Brussels as UberPOP is now banned in Brussels. Uber will receive a $13,800 fine (€10,000) any time a car is found to be operating under its UberPOP service.
In other words, the company probably has no choice but to stop operating in Brussels. As a reminder, the traditional black car service was already banned in Brussels, that’s why Uber opted for its low key, regulation-friendly UberPOP service.
Taxis Verts first filed a complaint against Uber in February. The company complained about unfair competition. As Uber can set its own prices, an UberPOP ride is about 20 percent cheaper than a traditional cab ride in Brussels.
As a reminder, with UberPOP, everyone can become a driver. It’s a cheaper ride-sharing service built right into the Uber app. This way, the company can allow smaller cars.
To become a driver, you need a driver’s license and to comply with age requirements. You also must pass a background check. Drivers bring their own car. As a customer, you can expect a Volkswagen Polo or a Citroën C3 (pictured above) and bottled water.
As of writing this post, UberPOP is still working in Brussels. But it should stop soon. Then, Uber may start a petition like in Seattle. In short, it’s probably not over yet.
Photo credit: InSapphoWeTrust under the CC BY-SA 2.0 license
