Perhaps all those public relations efforts to become the face of ridesharing

By Matt Driscoll • March 24, 2014 4:33 pm
Perhaps all those public relations efforts to become the face of ridesharing

Perhaps all those public relations efforts to become the face of ridesharing in Seattle have had unintended consequences.

According to Geekwire, The Western Washington Taxi Cab Operators Association recently filed a lawsuit against Uber, contending that the app-based company has been operating illegally in Seattle and King County. The Geekwire report makes no mention of similar rideshare outfits like Lyft and Sidecar.

As Geekwire reports:

The lawsuit, filed in King County Superior Court, claims that Uber’s service has violated city, county and state laws, and “engages in an unlawful and deceptive business practice which harms the economic interests of taxicab drivers.”

And:

The complaint notes that the Operators Association’s members, which are made up of taxi drivers from the Seattle region, are forced to follow requirements enacted by the City of Seattle and King County while Uber’s drivers do not abide by the same laws.

“If the Operators Association’s members were to provide taxicab service without satisfying the City of Seattle and King County requirements, they would be subject to up to 90 days in jail and up to a $1,000 fine,” reads the lawsuit.

Citing the filed lawsuit, Geekwire’s Taylor Soper reports that the Western Washington Taxi Cab Operators Association wants compensation for damages equal to the fares and tips lost to Uber, along with “exemplary damages in an amount equal to three times the lost fares and tips caused by defendant Uber.”