I've written before about Uber, the ride-sharing mobile app that connects users to a car with the push of a button. Naturally, the emergence of Uber has caused the taxi industry to panic--and try to sue to block the use of the service. A judge in Queens, however, essentially told the taxi industry to toughen up and get with the times if they wanted to stay in business, and dismissed a lawsuit against Uber.
From the New York Daily News:
Medallion taxis -- and not vehicles classified as black cars -- should be the only vehicles allowed to pick up passengers off the street, the firms argued.
But the judge rejected that argument.
“Any expectation that the (taxi) medallion would function as a shield against the rapid technological advances of the modern world would not have been reasonable," state Supreme Court Justice Allan Weiss wrote.
The city taxi agency called the ruling a win for the riding public.
“Passengers will remain free to continue to enjoy the many transportation options available to them, whether new, more traditional, or both,” said TLC Chair Meera Joshi.
In some cities, Uber has been credited with reducing drunk driving arrests and fatalities. Uber has expanded taxi access in locations that were under-served by traditional taxi companies. This is a good thing. The taxi industry has enjoyed a monopoly for far too long--it's time for them to step up and embrace changes in the market, just as any other industry would.