Uber Receives 2,500 Applications from Drivers in Uruguay

Uber, the famed ride-sharing service has received over 2,500 applications from drivers in just three days from Uruguay's capital, Montevideo.

In a report with EFE, the ride-sharing service has clashed with taxi drivers all around the world. Uber announced on Twitter last week that they were starting recruiting drivers, Soledad Lago, communications manager for the Southern Cone said.

Uber recently posted a message on their Twitter that read "¿Querés ser tu propio jefe manejando con Uber?" (Do You Want to Be Your Own Boss Driving with Uber?). The ride-sharing service offers an alternative source of income for individuals. The company even says that Uber drivers get to work independently at "flexible hours while making good money." 

The San Francisco-based start-up has not disclosed when it plans to start its ride-sharing service in the South American country, but it has provided application forms to individuals who are interested in being a Uber driver. 

A report with Quartz said that the ride-sharing service is aggressive in retaining its drivers by offering them a bank account or prepaid card upon the start of their employment with Uber. This would allow Uber drivers to get paid on the same day and even get to send money internationally.

Uber has come under fire in many countries from taxi drivers as the ride-sharing service continues to expand at an accelerated rate. Taxi drivers from all over the world have complained that the ride-sharing service does not alleviate the plight of the poor and that the service only benefits the rich. They further said that the ride-sharing service is not good for business and they are losing customers to Uber drivers. 

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has also said that the ride-sharing service "takes jobs away from people" in September. She has further criticized the ride-sharing service and even added that Uber "increases unemployment" as quoted by a report with Reuters. She said that the San Francisco ride-sharing service needs to be regulated.

"Uber is complicated because it takes jobs away from people... It leaves taxis with less work," said the Brazilian president "It's not an easy issue. It depends on the rules of each city and state, because it is not a federal government decision," she added.  

A report with CNN says that Uber was banned in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil's second largest city because of the decrease in taxi business and regulators saying that some Uber drivers operate without a license.