Uber growth unhampered in surprise deal with NYC

Uber had launched a television ad campaign against de Blasio’s plan of action – and even added a fake de Blasio feature to its app that showed massive delays to get an Uber if the plan were to go through.

“Uber has also agreed to maintain its approximate current rate of growth and not flood the streets with new licenses and vehicles”, the statement continued.

De Blasio was asked about the claim that a proposed cap on Uber’s growth would hurt the company’s ability to serve transit-starved residents in the outer boroughs, particularly minority New Yorkers who have had difficulties hailing taxis in the past.

The city will now conduct a four-month study on the effect of Uber and other for-hire vehicle operators on the city’s traffic and environment, and has ruled out a cap while this takes place. The city had blamed Uber for slowing traffic in Manhattan and proposed a 1 percent cap on the growth of Uber and other ride hailing services. Uber won’t be forced to limit its New York fleets, at least for now.

City Hall also wants to discuss making more Uber cars accessible to disabled riders.

“The cap legislation now before the City Council will be tabled throughout the traffic study process”, he says.

The councilman said this week’s accord was important but pointed out “whether or not this is a positive or negative agreement for the city will depend on whether the mayor reshapes how the 1970s for-hire vehicle industry is now structured”. “We will continue working together with the City Council and the TLC to build a more sustainable future for New York“, David Mack, Lyft’s director of public affairs, said in a statement. Uber undertook a large-scale publicity campaign to fight the proposal, and brought in A-list support from celebrities such as Kate Upton, Ashton Kutcher and Neil Patrick Harris.

Mayor Bill de Blasio decides not to cap Uber vehicles, for now.

Uber and de Blasio have been engaged in an raging back-and-forth over the past week.

Uber, a $40 billion company, has become a dominant force on the streets of New York, dispatching 25,000 cars compared to 13,000 of the city’s iconic yellow taxis.

Mr Josh Mohrer, Uber’s general manager in New York, praised the agreement, saying new drivers “will continue to be free to join the for-hire industry”.

De Blasio was jeered at City Hall on Thursday by yellow taxi drivers who yelled that he “caved” to Uber.

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Earlier today, Transportation Committee Chair Ydanis Rodriguez told reporters that the Council had the necessary number of votes to pass the cap.