Little Rock, Arkansas taxi monopoly struck down

Little Rock's Taxi Monopoly Struck Down - Story - Ellen Lampe, Arkansas Matters:

December 7, 2016 - "One Arkansas taxi driver scored a sweeping victory Wednesday evening after challenging Little Rock's long-standing taxi monopoly.

"A judge ruled in Arkansas Taxi Driver Ken Leininger's favor, deciding that Little Rock’s city code violated the Arkansas Constitution, which prohibits the government from creating an anti-competitive monopoly.

"In March 2016, Leininger, who owns and operates Ken’s Cab in North Little Rock, teamed up with the Institute for Justice to file a lawsuit against the city of Little Rock, claiming that a city law forbidding the issuance of new taxi permits had granted an unconstitutional monopoly to the city’s only taxi company, Yellow Cab....

"Under the old law, Little Rock prohibited any new cab companies from competing with its one existing company, Greater Little Rock Transportation Services, LLC (Yellow Cab), by allowing new taxi permits to be issued only if “public convenience and necessity” left no other choice and if doing so will not harm the existing permit holder.

"In other words, a newcomer to the Little Rock taxi market would need to obtain arbitrary approval from the city government and get permission from their competitor. That provision had prevented Ken Leininger from offering his services in Little Rock, even though the city’s own Fleet Services office had determined he was otherwise able to meet all of the city’s health-and-safety requirements.

"Under today’s ruling, Ken (and anyone else who wants to compete in Little Rock) will be able to secure taxicab permits without first proving that they will not take business away from their competitors.

"'In cities and states across the country, courts and legislatures are increasingly rejecting protectionist rules like Little Rock’s,' concluded IJ Attorney and co-counsel Allison Daniel. 'Today’s ruling is a victory not just for entrepreneurs and consumers in Little Rock, but a victory for transportation freedom nationwide.'"

Read more: http://www.arkansasmatters.com/news/local-news/little-rocks-taxi-monopoly-struck-down/616797847
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UberX ride service legalized in Edmonton

Edmonton becomes first city in Canada to pass Uber-friendly bylaw | Edmonton Journal:

January 28, 2016 - "Edmonton became the first city in Canada to pass an Uber-friendly bylaw Wednesday, leaving the California-based company scrambling to get provincially approved insurance before a March 1 deadline....

"Alberta’s Superintendent of Insurance ruled last July that Uber’s existing policy does not adequately cover consumers. Since then, at least two insurers have said they are working on policies specific to ride-sharing. None has been approved so far.

"Uber can’t get a licence under the new bylaw without provincially approved insurance, and an Uber driver caught without it could face a $5,000 fine....

"Despite repeated attempts from several councillors, the bylaw contains only a token minimum fare of $3.25 per ride. Council will revisit that in six months, sooner if administration sees anything they judge to be predatory pricing.... The taxi industry will be the only ones allowed to hail a cab on the street or by phone using the regulated rate....

"Uber started operating its UberX service in Edmonton in December 2014. It uses an app to link private individuals and their personal vehicles with paying customers for a rate that’s about 30 per cent less than the regulated taxi rate.

"Edmonton tried and failed to shut down Uber with a court injunction. They’ve since ticketed at least 70 drivers under the old bylaw, but those tickets are still being fought in court."

Read more: http://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/police-lift-lock-down-on-edmonton-council-chambers-for-uber-debate
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Paris cabbies strike & riot to protest Uber

French anti-Uber protests turn violent as cabbies burn cars - Yahoo News UK - Agence France Presse::

June 25, 2015 - "Protests in France against ride-booking app Uber turned violent on Thursday as taxi drivers burned cars and blocked access to airports and train stations.

"Some 2,800 cabbies took part in the strike, with more than 30 blockades nationwide, including the access points to Paris's Charles De Gaulle and Orly airports, police sources said.

"Taxi drivers in France are furious over an Uber service called UberPOP, which puts customers in touch with private drivers at prices lower than those of traditional taxis....

"One private chauffeur, who said he did not work for Uber 'or any other app' was dragged from his van by angry cabbies when he reached a blockade in the west of Paris. They slashed his tyres, smashed a window and then set it on fire.

"'Why did you come to work, you know we're on strike today,' shouted one cabbie, while AFP journalists saw another car on fire further down the road....

"Police eventually fired tear gas and broke up the protest on the western stretch of motorway, clearing burning tyres from the road that rings the capital, but there were later attempts to stall traffic....

"Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve called for calm and said he had told prosecutors to bring a prohibition order against the UberPOP service....

"Cabbies in France, like their colleagues in several other countries, have held several protests against the app -- some of which have turned violent, with Uber clients and drivers reporting being assaulted.

"On at least two occasions in Strasbourg in the east of France last week, taxi drivers posed as customers in order to lure Uber drivers to isolated spots where they were assaulted by cab drivers and their vehicles damaged.s"

Read more: https://uk.news.yahoo.com/french-anti-uber-protests-turn-112758946.html#3AW0Ql7
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NYC seizes 500 cars in Uber crackdown

496 Uber cars seized by New York City authorities - Business Insider - Graham Rapier:

June 17, 2015 - "Facing increasing pressure from the taxi industry, authorities in New York have begun to crack down on Uber — issuing tickets and seizing cars of Uber drivers who participate in illegal pickups in the city.

"Between April 29 and June 15, the New York Post reports that NYC authorities seized 496 cars from Uber drivers taking illegal street hails, mostly at the three airports in the region....

"Uber spokesman Matt Wing said that 'street hails are not permitted on the Uber platform — period. This is a small group of bad actors and the violations add up to less than one hundredth of one percent of our rides over the same time period'....

"The seizures of Uber cars were part of a larger operation that confiscated a total of 938 for-hire vehicles operating illegally, according to Taxi and Limousine Commission spokesman Allan Fromberg....

"Uber will soon face a major test in New York. Mayor Bill de Blasio will appear in court on June 22 to face allegations from four of the city’s largest taxi financiers that the city should not have permitted any passenger pick-ups through an app. They allege that an 'e-hail' is synonymous with a traditional street hail, the exclusive domain of yellow cabs."

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/496-uber-cars-seized-by-new-york-city-authorities-2015-6
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