(21 Jun 2017) Travis Kalanick's combative personality created the culture that let Uber grow from startup to behemoth in just eight years. But under his direction the ride-hailing company had trouble growing up, leading to his downfall.
Kalanick, 40, stepped down late Tuesday, saying in a statement that his departure would help Uber return to growth "rather than be distracted by another fight."
This time the fight was with investors and his board, with several big players pushing for him to move aside.
It was one fight too many after years of tussles with just about every business partner Uber touched.
On the streets of New York, Uber drivers where largely unaware of the shakeup and unfazed by the news.
For many Uber is just one of 3 or 4 companies they drive for in an attempt to make a living.
"It doesn't matter who you drive for: Uber, Lyft, Gett, Juno, and so on – I can show you I have all of them, no matter they are all copycats. You know, whatever Uber does everybody else follows," said Walther Munguia, who has been driving for Uber for 3 years.
Even with the recent announcement that Uber will now allow in-app tips, Munguia doubts he'll make much more money.
"I think they will say, why should I tip now if I wasn't tipping before," said Munguia of his clients.
Duke Ukaegbu has been driving Uber or a year, but says he doesn't follow what is happening at the company's headquarters.
"I don't know the details about the administrative end of the business, I'm just a driver, but once in a while I read up in the news something is going on, the way they treat women in the offices and stuff like that. I don't have the details so I can't really comment on something I'm not aware of you know the details," said Ukaegbu
Kalanick famously lost his temper in an argument with an Uber driver who was complaining about pay.
The profanity-laced confrontation was caught on a video that surfaced in February.
Afterward, Kalanick said he needed management help and had to grow up. The company began searching for a chief operating officer.
Despite all the problems the company, Uber customer Pat Mastandrea says the service is as good as ever.
"I would say that one person doesn't make a company. I think the Uber organization as a whole is doing a good job," said Mastandrea.
During the past year, several senior managers left the company, including the president and chief financial officer.
Kalanick said earlier this month he was taking an indefinite leave of absence, in part to deal with a personal tragedy.
In May, his mother was killed and his father hurt in a boating accident on a California lake.
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