Auburn taxi owners want the Auburn City Council to stop Uber.
Jeff Steiger, owner of taxi company KGM Auburn Trax, spoke on behalf of other taxi companies to the City Council at the Tuesday, Sept. 9, council meeting and asked the City Council to apply taxi regulations to Uber.
Uber, a popular ride-for-hire service ordered and paid for through a smart phone app, announced it was operating in Auburn on Aug. 28.
"The City of Auburn licensed taxi business owners would like the council to support us in maintaining safe transportation for our community members," Steiger said.
City Manager Charles Duggan told the council Uber would have to follow Section 23 of the City Code, the same regulations as a traditional taxi company.
"This (Uber) appears to be a taxi service so we're going to treat it like one," Duggan said, "and being fair to everyone we need to apply the same regulations."
Mayor Bill Ham agreed with Duggan's assessment.
"We want everybody to be playing on a level playing field," Ham said
Section 23 of the City Code requires taxi companies to have public liability insurance for its passengers and for drivers to undergo background checks by the city--requirements Uber doesn't have to follow, according to Steiger.
"Private insurance doesn't cover commercial passengers," Steiger said, "and that's a concern because 50 percent of what we make in income goes into the [public] insurance."
Katlin Durkosh, Uber communications representative, told The Plainsman via email Uber wants to work with city officials to modernize regulations.
"As a technology company, Uber doesn't own any vehicles or employ any drivers," Durkosh said, "so forcing antiquated transportation regulations on a modern technology simply doesn't make sense."
Durkosh also said Uber would continue operating in Auburn.
"Taxi companies should focus their efforts on improving the quality of service for their customers," Durkosh said, "rather than trying to restrict competition and limit the opportunity and choice that the people of Auburn deserve."
Small taxi companies are at a disadvantage when Uber doesn't have to follow the same regulations, according to Steiger.
"You have to compare apples to apples," Steiger said, "It would be like having a store move across the street from your store and they didn't have to pay for utilities and insurance."
Steiger was representing Twin City Taxi, Spirit taxi, Tiger Taxi, Eagle Town Taxi and Fourth Quarter Taxi.
Other items approved by the City Council:
* Approved an ordinance adjusting the budget for the 2013-2014 fiscal year.
* Passed a series of resolutions to start work on renovating parking lot behind Toomer's Corner and the alleyways that connect to the sidewalks along South College Street and Magnolia Avenue.
* Approved an alcohol license for the Oktoberfest event at The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center.
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