Cuomo’s support of the measures including the largest USA city undercuts Mayor Bill de Blasio, who has backing from the city’s yellow-cab industry and in July sought to cap the growth of the ride-sharing companies to study their affect on traffic and the environment.
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“Local governments can do local regulation of their taxi and limousines, but you’d have a statewide license for statewide operators because, when you think about it, it can’t work otherwise”, Cuomo said.
Uber said elderly people who have trouble driving could also benefit.
“Now is the time for the Empire State to embrace what most states have already embraced”, Mohrer told Bloomberg during the conference, adding that upwards of 350,000 New York residents outside of New York City have already downloaded Uber‘s app onto their phones.
Uber began a strong push this week to begin offering services throughout the state, and said it would help create jobs. They may not want to fuss with an app, but their children or other younger relatives or friends can arrange rides for them, pay for the service, and then track the progress of the vehicle.
Alix Anfang, an Uber spokeswoman, said in an emailed statement responding to Cuomo’s comments that the company’s focus remains on creating an estimated 13,000 jobs upstate and on Long Island.
They argue it would not be taking jobs away from anyone, but filling a void.
Vic Christopher, who owns restaurants in Troy, said at a roundtable discussion on the legislation Wednesday in the capital that poor cab service can make for a bad customer experience.
Uber’s projections show drivers earning a slight income boost of $6,150 as the company said total earning potential is $80 million in the first year of operation upstate.
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“You only get one shot to prove that you’re open to visitors”, said Assemblyman John McDonald III, whose district covers parts of Albany, Rensselaer and Saratoga counties. New rules that would apply to the entire state, including New York City, could be an end run around any possible restrictions in New York City.
