Cheh Uber Amendment Withdrawn from Taxicab Reform Legislation

The died Tuesday, less than 24 hours after an application-based sedan car service Uber rallied its fans and users to oppose the amendment that would set the minimum fare for the service at five times the normal taxicab rate.

Councilwoman Mary Cheh decided to withdraw her amendment Tuesday morning before the legislative session began. Overnight she and other members of the District Council received a large number of complaints about the proposed limitations to Uber service, DCist reports.

WTOP tweeted that Cheh said she was "flabbergasted but flexible" on Uber. DCist reports that Cheh had thought she had an agreement with the sedan service when she wrote the legislation.

Uber allows users to reserve vehicles with a smartphone application and to pay entirely with credit card. The service recently unveiled new plans for less expensive vehicles in other cities like San Francisco and New York, but told users that the Taxicab Service Improvement Amendment Act of 2012 would make lower rates impossible.

In an email sent Monday night, Uber called out at the District Council and asked users and fans to complain to their councilmembers:

"It was hard for us to believe that an elected body would choose to keep prices of a transportation service artificially high – but the goal is essentially to protect a taxi industry that has significant experience in influencing local politicians. They want to make sure there is no viable alternative to a taxi in Washington DC...".

The "Uber Amendment" would have set into law that:

• Sedans would be required to charge a minimum fare of five times the drop rate for taxicabs.
• Sedans would be required to charge time and distance rates that are greater as those for taxicabs.
• These requirements would ensure that sedan service is a premium class of service with a substantially higher cost that does not directly compete with or undercut taxicab service.

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