Uber vs. NYC Councilman Steve Levin
Welcome to the first Brownstoner Controversy: a quick guide to the latest and greatest kerfuffle inside and outside of Brooklyn. Uber’s having a rough week. Not only are their French execs facing charges, but a proposed City Council bill threatens to dramatically limit the number of new cars Uber can add to their NYC fleet. The…
Welcome to the first Brownstoner Controversy: a quick guide to the latest and greatest kerfuffle inside and outside of Brooklyn.
Uber’s having a rough week. Not only are their French execs facing charges, but a proposed City Council bill threatens to dramatically limit the number of new cars Uber can add to their NYC fleet.
The bill is co-sponsored by Steve Levin, Councilman of District 33 in northwest Brooklyn. Levin says that capping Uber’s growth is necessary to prevent congestion and pollution. Uber says that the proposed bill looks ahellava lot like one the taxi industry proposed in March.
Already taking sides? Just wait.
What Uber Wants
To grow. Uber and similar car apps are adding about 2,000 drivers every month in New York City. And growth isn’t slowing on its own.
What Steve Levin Wants
To put a hold on it. Levin thinks it’s already pretty easy to call an Uber. Or get a cab. He doesn’t want to ignore the increase in for-hire cars until after it becomes a problem.
Five Facts
- The bill would be temporary, limiting new licenses over a 12-month period
- Uber NYC currently has upwards of 18,000 cars, more than the number of yellow cabs
- Uber drivers often own their own cars and drive less than 40 hours a week
- Without the bill, Uber NYC could add 25,000 cars over the next year
- With the bill, Uber NYC could only add 180 cars over the next year
What do you think? Cap the number of new cars? Let the market dictate Uber’s growth?
.@NYCCouncil is considering a bill that threatens to destroy 10,000 NYC job opportunities. @deBlasioNYC, oppose ban on new @Uber_NYC cars.
— ashton kutcher (@aplusk) June 30, 2015
Full house: NYC council proposing temporary cap # of vehicles Uber, similar companies can have b/c congestion #NBC4NY pic.twitter.com/np70AZquu0
— Katherine Creag (@katcreag4NY) June 30, 2015
>@StephenLevin33 asks Uber for NYC trip stats. Uber says it gives that data to TLC but “we don’t have that information” for the hearing.
— Stephen Miller (@miller_stephen) June 30, 2015
#Uber protesting outside of city hall today after the Committee on Transportation hearing. #Uber #CityCouncil #NYC pic.twitter.com/hZPy1YfnlQ — NYBCAC (@NYBCAC) June 30, 2015
Yellow cab drivers are protesting #UBER outside of NYC City Hall. pic.twitter.com/3j6AZuDMZq — Tim Pool (@Timcast) June 30, 2015
Uber drivers rally outside City Hall to protest “taxi bail outs” pic.twitter.com/pWHsExNlBh
— WFUV News (@WFUVNews) June 30, 2015
Can’t stand Uber and their dirty politics. Will never d/l their app. I am a loyal customer and if my local car service is doing its job, I am happy to stay with them. Breaking regulations willy-nilly doesn’t score high in my book. I, for one, would be glad to see them go away. Barring that, a drastic reduction in the number of cars they plan to roll out is fine too. Count me a supporter of this bill!
I use uber to call cabs but outside of that I will call Arecibo
what’s the difference? calling cab, Arecibo or uber, it’s all a car service
So city government is here to make sure people adhere to ffederal tax laws? COme on! How much are you paid by the taxi lobby.
Also,
You didnt address the fact that I questioned you if you really feel Uber is not a better driving experience than car services and taxis.
Nice! ad hominem without actually refuting any of the issues.
No it’s because they dodge every law in every state that they can.
E.G. – They say drivers aren’t employees but are contractors. Yet they regulate the quality of the vehicle, driver, time worked etc.. Which is by definition an employee not a contractor. Which means that if Ubers contractors are actually employees then Uber have grossly underpaid their taxes/fica/SS.
Uber does not require drivers to get commercial insurance, which means that you are reliant on a drivers insurance policy to cover you in the event of an accident. I know uber offers their 1m dollar policy but there are articles on the internet about nonpayment.
They also ignore pickup laws. As evidenced by their cars being seized at airports
This is nothing more than the napster of car services. They’ll get shut down or forced to comply with laws and regs in whichcase it will revert to being a regular old car service.
De Blasio is turning out to be BIG failure the sooner we are rid of him the better!!!
NYTIMES 2012: Mr. de Blasio’s campaign received about $85,000 in the last six months from executives, lobbyists and other affiliates of the yellow taxi industry
Regarding Green Taxis blame should be put squarely on our corrupt mayor!
HE put the interest of the taxi lobby above the interests of his constituents!