Uber

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) ? California lawmakers sent the governor a bill Wednesday that would give new wage and benefit protections to workers at so-called gig economy companies such as Uber and Lyft where people pick up jobs on their own schedule.

Uber riders with consistently low ratings may get booted off of the service, as the tech company says it wants its passengers to respect drivers.

Uber slumped more than 7% in its first day of trading as a public company on the?New York Stock Exchange?on Friday, debuting slightly below its?initial share pricing?and sinking further?amid market volatility and concerns about its ability to transform from tech darling to profitable mainstay.

About 10,000 for-hire drivers affiliated with ride-hailing apps?such as Uber, Lyft and Via?are planning to stage a kind of strike for two hours Wednesday morning. Later, many of these drivers plan to protest outside Uber's New York headquarters.

Taxis, black cars, Uber, Lyft, etc. are all now charging a new congestion surcharge.

A judge has lifted a temporary restraining order that blocked the state's congestion surcharges on taxis and other for-hire vehicles in Manhattan. The new ride fees were supposed to start Jan. 1, but drivers sued over the proposed fee of $2.50 for yellow taxis and $2.75 for other for-hire vehicles, including Uber and Lyft vehicles. The money raised would go to fund the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

Disturbing video shows a man using a bike lock to smash the front and back windows of an Uber driver's car. Cops say he also attacked the driver.

A New York judge has temporarily blocked the state's congestion surcharges on taxis and other for-hire vehicles. Thursday's ruling comes after drivers sued over the proposed fee of $2.50 for yellow taxis and $2.75 for green cabs. The surcharges were set to take effect Jan. 1.

New York City will temporarily cap the number of licenses for ride-hail vehicles, becoming the first American city to restrict the number of those vehicles, many of which are affiliated with ride-share apps such as Uber, Lyft, Juno, and others.

Tensions are running high for drivers who operate for-hire vehicles and those with medallions in New York City. This Wednesday is a big day for all of them. The City Council will vote on legislation intended to curb the number of ride-hailing services.

New York City taxi drivers rallied outside City Hall on Tuesday, demanding that the City Council step in and regulate app-based cars for hire. They claim that services such as Uber and Lyft are destroying their business and taking a heavy toll on their lives. The cries were for all drivers to come together in memory of five yellow cab, livery, and black car drivers who the Taxi Workers Alliance says have taken their lives in the last five months.

Yellow taxi and black livery drivers say Uber and Lyft are ruining their livelihood, prompting some drivers to take their own lives. Uber said it is "deeply saddened" by the suicides but defended its business: "Uber has worked hard to grow the transportation pie, ensuring that all New Yorkers can get a ride in minutes."

Yellow taxi and black car drivers say they are literally dying trying to survive. Colleagues say that four drivers have committed suicide in the past few months because of financial ruin. Four coffins placed outside City Hall represent the drivers who have died by suicide in four months. The New York Taxi Workers Alliance and cab drivers say despair is growing in their industry because of unfair competition from companies like Uber and Lyft. Alliance President Bhairavi Desai said they are "sick and tired of burying [their] brothers."