L.A. Taxi Drivers Protest Lyft, Other Ride-Sharing Services

by City News Service

Hundreds of Los Angeles area taxi drivers will circle City Hall in their cabs Tuesday to protest unregulated ride-share services being promoted through smart-phone applications and social media.

Ride-shares arranged by companies such as Lyft -- known for sending out vehicles with furry, pink mustaches affixed to their grills -- Uber and Sidecar have been growing in popularity around the country, but members of the taxi-cab industry say these companies are not required to undergo background checks and inspections. 

Lyft launched on the Westside in February. The pink-mustached vehicles can be seen throughout Venice, Santa Monica and West L.A.

"These rogue taxis are bypassing all safety regulations created to protect riders and drivers," said William Rouse, general manager of Los Angeles Yellow Cab. "Not only are these high-tech bandit cabs unsafe, they are breaking regulatory standards and disenfranchising safe, legal taxi drivers."

Representative of the ride-share companies were not immediately available for comment.

The Los Angeles Department of Transportation also issued "cease and desist" letters to the companies Monday, and the City Council's Transportation Committee Wednesday will discuss a motion to begin creating regulations for such businesses.

According to the motion introduced by District 11 City Councilman Bill Rosendahl, "passengers are using these services with no assurance that drivers are licensed and insured or that the vehicles are inspected and safe."

The motion adds the city should begin crafting regulations of its own as it waits for the California Public Utilities Commission to work out ways of deal with these "New Online-Enabled Transportation Services."

The trendy, phone app ride-share services have popped up in other major U.S. cities, including San Francisco and New York. The New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission earlier this year began testing a licensing program geared toward such services. 

Have you used Lyft, Uber or another ride-sharing service over a taxi, and if so, why?