A group of licensed taxicab drivers in Palo Alto gathered today outside Palo Alto City Hall to protest the April 2nd public hearing that will determine whether or not "ridesharing" companies such as Uber and Lyft will be allowed to operate.
Some key messages that the drivers expressed include:
1. Uber-X, Lyft and SideCar are unlicensed taxicabs and steal fares.
2. Taxi parking has been taken away from the Cal Train station leaving passengers with no walk-up services. Meanwhile, Uber, Lyft and the others are free to park there.
3. Because parking is a major concern in Palo Alto, taxicabs should be utilized to help fix this problem. The city should not discourage people from using public transportation by making it harder to get a taxi.
4. The City of Palo Alto has lacked enforcement of illegal taxicabs operating within their city limits.
There are approximately 15 drivers protested and another 10 honked and circled city hall in their taxicabs. The president of Yellow Checker Cab, Co., Inc., Lawrence Silva, also attended.
Since the launch of these "ridesharing" companies in Palo Alto, taxi drivers say they have lost 30 to 40 percent of their business.
Some key messages that the drivers expressed include:
1. Uber-X, Lyft and SideCar are unlicensed taxicabs and steal fares.
2. Taxi parking has been taken away from the Cal Train station leaving passengers with no walk-up services. Meanwhile, Uber, Lyft and the others are free to park there.
3. Because parking is a major concern in Palo Alto, taxicabs should be utilized to help fix this problem. The city should not discourage people from using public transportation by making it harder to get a taxi.
4. The City of Palo Alto has lacked enforcement of illegal taxicabs operating within their city limits.
There are approximately 15 drivers protested and another 10 honked and circled city hall in their taxicabs. The president of Yellow Checker Cab, Co., Inc., Lawrence Silva, also attended.
Since the launch of these "ridesharing" companies in Palo Alto, taxi drivers say they have lost 30 to 40 percent of their business.