Uber mobilizes support against Sacramento regulations

By James Poulos | Cal Watchdog

In a fight, you go with your strengths. Uber is the social media site whose app connects drivers with riders. Taxis drivers and others don’t like it, and are trying to enact legislation to limit it.

Uber now has responded by using the power of social networking to save its business model and fight two bills in the California Legislature.

The more straightforward of the two bills is Assembly Bill 612, by Assemblyman Adrin Nazarian, D-Sherman Oaks. Fueled by the support of taxi drivers, who have long been required by law to submit to detailed government licensing requirements, Nazarian’s bill would extend similar regulations to Uber drivers. In addition to public permitting, drivers would have to accept background tests, drug tests and fingerprinting.

As supporters of AB612 went on the record, their hostility toward Uber quickly became evident. According to the Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles city councilman Paul Koretz described Uber, Lyft and other firms as “well-financed bandit cabs with apps.”

at Cal Watchdog.