FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 27, 2014 |
Poll: Majority of Citizens Want Uber Regulated Like Taxis
Research Study Also Highlights Discriminatory Access to Service
ROCKVILLE, Md.--A new poll released in Florida this week shows that Florida residents overwhelmingly want Uber to be regulated at the local level just like traditional taxi companies.
The poll shows a majority 78% of people want to impose stricter regulatory standards on the service. The research comes just as Florida lawmakers are being approached by Uber—possibly, some news reports say, to push for legislation that would effectively permit the company to operate statewide wherever it chooses, rather than be subject to city-by-city “home rule” regulations that traditionally govern the taxi industry.
“This poll clearly shows that policymakers, whether at the state or local level, should put the brakes on any attempt to give Uber a carte-blanche pass to open in any city in Florida or elsewhere for that matter,” said Robert Werth, president of the Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association (TLPA), a national trade association focused on transportation professionalism, safety and service. “If they don’t, they should get ready to watch as Uber runs rough-shod over their city streets and the rules and regulations intended to provide service to all citizens with a product they can trust at a price they can verify.”
The poll, commissioned by Orlando-based Mears Transportation Group, showed that among Floridians:
The TLPA has been a vocal critic of Uber, its unlicensed amateur driver service, uberX, and of other unregulated transportation companies such as Lyft and Sidecar. The association has repeatedly warned that drivers for these services do not carry proper commercial auto liability insurance that is necessary in the for-hire industry; that drivers are not properly screened and fingerprinted in police-conducted background checks; and that residents in low-income neighborhoods and people with disabilities cannot avail themselves of the services.
“Uber is providing taxi service, plain and simple,” Werth continued. “They should be regulated the same as every other taxi provider in the country”.
About TLPA:
Established in 1917, the Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association (TLPA) is a non-profit trade association of and for the private passenger transportation industry. Its extensive membership spans the globe to include 1,100 taxicab companies, executive sedan and limousine services, airport shuttle fleets, paratransit services and non-emergency medical transportation companies. For more information, please visit www.tlpa.org.
The poll shows a majority 78% of people want to impose stricter regulatory standards on the service. The research comes just as Florida lawmakers are being approached by Uber—possibly, some news reports say, to push for legislation that would effectively permit the company to operate statewide wherever it chooses, rather than be subject to city-by-city “home rule” regulations that traditionally govern the taxi industry.
“This poll clearly shows that policymakers, whether at the state or local level, should put the brakes on any attempt to give Uber a carte-blanche pass to open in any city in Florida or elsewhere for that matter,” said Robert Werth, president of the Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association (TLPA), a national trade association focused on transportation professionalism, safety and service. “If they don’t, they should get ready to watch as Uber runs rough-shod over their city streets and the rules and regulations intended to provide service to all citizens with a product they can trust at a price they can verify.”
The poll, commissioned by Orlando-based Mears Transportation Group, showed that among Floridians:
- 78% believe Uber should be subject to the same local city regulations as taxis.
- 69% said Uber’s fares should be regulated and therefore avoid Uber’s whimsical “surge-pricing.”
- 89% want to see Uber’s drivers go through the same background checks as taxi drivers.
- 92% insist that Uber carry traditional liability insurance the same as taxis.
The TLPA has been a vocal critic of Uber, its unlicensed amateur driver service, uberX, and of other unregulated transportation companies such as Lyft and Sidecar. The association has repeatedly warned that drivers for these services do not carry proper commercial auto liability insurance that is necessary in the for-hire industry; that drivers are not properly screened and fingerprinted in police-conducted background checks; and that residents in low-income neighborhoods and people with disabilities cannot avail themselves of the services.
“Uber is providing taxi service, plain and simple,” Werth continued. “They should be regulated the same as every other taxi provider in the country”.
About TLPA:
Established in 1917, the Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association (TLPA) is a non-profit trade association of and for the private passenger transportation industry. Its extensive membership spans the globe to include 1,100 taxicab companies, executive sedan and limousine services, airport shuttle fleets, paratransit services and non-emergency medical transportation companies. For more information, please visit www.tlpa.org.
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