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Hillsborough County bans Uber today as taxi company


The HCPT and Hillsborough County public commission today affirmed Uber is an illegal taxi company and bared them from operating in the Tampa area. This is wonderful news to longtime drivers like me.

An Uber attorney asked Hillsborough County to make new rules to fit the trendy ridesharing movement pioneered by his company and Lyft, but was told flatly on Wednesday that Uber is an illegal taxi service.

The county's Public Transportation Commission unanimously affirmed that an appointed officer had enough evidence to fine Uber, based in San Francisco, for providing hiring and public taxi services without proper licensing.

Uber attorney Drew Sorrell held to the company's argument that it isn't in transportation. As a technology company, it doesn't need to follow transportation regulations as they are written.

"There's a perfectly good way to do this, and that is to write the rules so that they fit," said Sorrell, of the Lowndes Drosdick Doster Kantor and Reed law firm in Orlando. "They just don't fit here."

A county attorney rebutted with Hillsborough's argument that Uber has all the parts of a taxi service except that a phone replaces the traditional taxi meter.

"There is no question they are transporting people in this county and profiting from it," Rob Brazel said.

posted from Bloggeroid

Comments

  1. AnonymousNovember 12, 2014 at 8:14 PM

    What took them so long anyway ? If somone had come in and figured a way to get 50% of the HCTP member's salary, they'd have found that illegal in 5 minutes. Now, what do they do if Uber continues? Do this be a civil or criminal offense to illegally operate a taxi ?

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownNovember 14, 2014 at 8:59 AM

    Its about time. Now lets see if they enforce their own edict. A big IF!

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousNovember 14, 2014 at 9:24 PM

    What's the source of this info? I can not find anything about it on internet/ thx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tim FasanoNovember 15, 2014 at 11:12 AM

      Bing.com search "Tampa Uber" under NEWS. A general Google Web search will get you lost.

      Delete
    2. AnonymousNovember 15, 2014 at 6:48 PM

      yeah !!! seems like GOOGLE is a part of that misinformation campaign FOR uber,- after all, they have to protect their "investment"............
      what a shame?
      This whole thing works like NAZI PROPAGANDA.
      thx Tim

      Delete
  4. AnonymousNovember 15, 2014 at 12:30 PM

    I found this link http://www.tampabay.com/news/transportation/regulators-affirm-ruling-that-uber-functions-as-taxi-company/2206210

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousNovember 15, 2014 at 7:14 PM

      I used News 10 link to get to the story
      http://www.wtsp.com/story/news/local/2014/11/12/hillsborough-decides-uber-just-like-cabs/18947411/

      .....I just can not stand Tampa Bay News pro Uber articles and Caitlin Johnston ignorance on subject, I am pretty sure, she is on Uber's pay roll, same like whole Washington Post owned by Bezos (Amazon CEO)one of the early investors in uber

      Delete
  5. AnonymousNovember 22, 2014 at 4:23 PM

    it's all about the money it's really simple, I am an uber driver. I was ticketed last week by 2 pretend cops whom I found out did not even have the authority to stop me let alone detaine me ... they did not issue any criminal citations just $1,200 and citations civil do you know that the PTC keeps all their money and decides how it is spent one day get ready because they make rules up whenever they don't like what's going on this is technology this is a new mass transit in big city like it or not it is what it is

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tim FasanoNovember 22, 2014 at 5:11 PM

      Sorry you are the fall guy. Uber is illegal. They are using you.

      Delete

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