[ot-caption title=”A screenshot of the homepage of the Uber app (via Lisa Zheutlin, junior).”]

Since July 31st, 2015, people located in Broward County, Florida have been restricted from using the trending and convenient transportation services of Uber. Founded in 2009, Uber is a private car service that is used to get a ride on short-term notice.  Riders can use the Uber app that is available for the iPhone to request a car to come to their current location.  In the app, there are different types of cars available for request: UberTaxi, which mimics the functions of a normal taxi that uses standard taxi rates and is only available in Chicago, UberX, which sits up to four people, UberBlack, which is their highest end vehicles, and UberSUV, which sits up to six people.  The pricing varies depending on which type of car is chosen and the distance travelled.

Uber has been welcomed by the community and has provided safe, reliable transportation for many residents and tourists. Recently, the Broward County Commission Board has established regulations that make it nearly impossible for Uber to provide their affordable services that the South Florida community has come to expect.  This means that Uber would have to meet these new regulations. Instead of yielding to the new regulations, Uber decided to suspend their operations in Broward County, which means they are not providing transportation in the area.

Broward County’s new regulations require drivers to submit fingerprints for criminal background checks, and require insurance coverage to meet state laws for commercial vehicles. Other regulations mandated that cars can only be inspected by county-approved mechanics and that the company cannot hire ex-convicts who were released from prison in the last seven years. Broward County commissioners met last Wednesday, September 23, to discuss the new rules.  After debating for seven hours, the commissioners ended up postponing a final vote about these regulations to October 13.  The commissioners debated the changes individually, dismantling them one by one.  They did not come to a conclusion on an Uber airport agreement, or an agreement for an overall new law regarding Uber.

The necessity of these regulations is debated, as Commissioner Stacy Ritter highlights in her statement: “My constituents tell me that they want this [transportation network company] back in Broward County...They don’t care about fingerprints, they don’t care about insurance, they don’t care about this, that or the other. What they care about is that when they pick up their phone they get a car in three or four minutes.”  This comment suggests that many users of Uber may not be concerned with the insurance policies and background of their drivers; they just want to be able to get a ride on short-term notice.

The commissioners and Uber have been debating the regulations.  Uber opposed regulations such as a geography test for drivers and a 24-hour customer service line for emergencies, so the Broward County commissioners dropped those regulations in an attempt to compromise with the transportation service.

Riders are currently able to take an Uber ride with a destination in Broward County, but they can’t order an Uber to be picked up in the County.  Not only has Broward County been dealing with restrictions on its “Uber rights,” but now Palm Beach County is also beginning to encroach on Uber’s functions in the area. Palm Beach County officials have been trying to avoid the showdown that occurred in Broward. This presents a problem to many people who want to enjoy all of the activities that are offered in the area. Not having a reliable and safe way to get home is a deal breaker for most people.  As the debate continues between Broward County commissioners and Uber, there is an online petition for those interested in bringing Uber back to Broward County.

Sources: Uber, Sun-Sentinel, NBC, Uber Newsroom, Local 10