Uber To Suspend Service in Finland
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Uber announced this week that it will be suspending some of its services in Finland. Effective August 15, Uber will "hit pause" on UberPop, its low-cost ride sharing service in the capital Helsinki — the only Finnish city in which it operates.
Uber allowed anyone with a qualifying car to sign up for UberPop, which is comparable to UberX here in the US. The company has had trouble in Finland since the government requires all taxi drivers to hold a permit to operate a taxi. UberPop drivers have been fined or had their earnings confiscated from driving in Helsinki.
Uber's waiting for a new law that will remove some restrictions on taxi driving in Finland, namely getting rid of fare restrictions and permit quotas. The law will take effect in the summer of 2018 and at that point Uber plans to relaunch UberPop.
Not all hope is lost if you're in Helsinki and want to order an Uber. Its premium option, UberBlack will still be operational. The company requires UberBlack drivers to hold a government taxi permit before operating in Finland.
News of Uber halting service in certain countries certainly isn't new — the rideshare giant shut down operations in Taiwan and Denmark earlier this year after similar conflicts with the governments over the legality of its services. Uber has faced loads of controversy over the last few months and just recently its former CEO Travis Kalanick resigned from his position.
If you haven't downloaded Uber, you can sign up here to receive a $20 credit from TPG. Be sure to also sync a credit card with your Uber account so you can earn the greatest return on your ride, such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve, which gives you 3x points per dollar on travel or the Platinum Card from American Express card, which offers a $200 annual Uber credit to cardholders.
H/T: The Guardian
