Uber’s
‘outrageous behavior’ blasted
The Ministry
of Transportation and Communications said this week that mobile-app-based
ridesharing service Uber should stop its “outrageous behavior challenging the
government’s authority” in Taiwan
The ministry
said that earlier this week it received more than 600 e-mails from individuals
alleging to be supporters of the Uber service.
The subject
lines of the e-mails varied slightly, but the content of each was exactly the
same, it added.
The ministry
said it was told by sources that Uber sent the e-mails using the addresses of
its registered users, adding that these fake e-mails were meant to paralyze the
government’s e-mail accounts.
The ministry
also said that the action was an act of public defiance of governmental
authority and could constitute a crime, adding that it is considering taking
legal action against the company.
“We ask Uber
to cooperate with the Taiwanese government in the investigation. The company
should also inform its management in Taiwan
The ministry
reiterated that it has never opposed how Uber has applied technology to the
transportation industry or any of the benefits the firm said might emerge from
such an application.
However, Uber
still has no intention of applying to become a legal transport business
operator, the ministry said.
While Uber
has claimed that it has a stricter screening process to select drivers
qualified to offer transportation services, the ministry said that was not
case.
“The Road
Traffic Management and Penalty Act ( 道路交通管理處罰條例) says that any person convicted of criminal
acts stated in Article 37 of the act, such as homicide, robbery or pillaging,
will be prohibited from applying for a taxi driver business registration. Even
though Uber said that the drivers it hires all have proof that they have no
criminal record, those records would not show convicted criminals who are on reprieve
or paying fines instead of spending time in jail. The company’s screening
process is not superior to the nation’s standards for qualified taxi drivers,”
the ministry said.
In response,
Uber denied that it launched the e-mail onslaught, adding that the e-mails were
all sent voluntarily by Uber users and drivers getting assignments from it.
It further
asked the ministry to listen to the public.
The company
has so far racked up NT$8.25 million (US$260,600) in general fines and NT$3.75
million for allowing drivers without a commercial driver’s license to operate
in the transportation industry.
Structure of the Lead：
WHO- The Ministry of Transportation and Communications
WHEN-earlier this week
WHAT- mobile-app-based
ridesharing service Uber should stop its “outrageous behavior challenging the
government’s authority.”
WHY- Uber sent the e-mails using the
addresses of its registered users and these fake e-mails were meant to paralyze
the government’s e-mail accounts.
WHERE- in Taiwan
HOW- The ministry received more than 600 e-mails
from individuals alleging to be supporters of the Uber service.
Keywords：
1.crack
down on 制裁
2. defiance 反抗
3. terminate 使終止
4. reiterate 重申
5. pillage 搶劫
6. reprieve 緩刑
7. onslaught 襲擊
Although Uber is convenient, there is still many problems such as personal private and traffic rules. They should train their taxi drivers and get the government's permission if they want their business to be more successful.
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