MADD Urges East Hampton Town to Consider Bringing Back Uber

As tensions continue between East Hampton Town and Uber, more people are continuing to express their discontent with the decision to suspend Uber, the mobile app that connects people with a taxi, private car or rideshare.

Last year, the Town passed regulartory laws for transportation in the Town to require every driver to operate under a license with an East Hampton address.

This led to Uber eventually suspend operations completely within the Town of East Hampton on June 5 after a total of 23 drivers were charged with violating the laws.

After the Town announced Uber was suspending operations, many took to social media to complain that no Uber will mean an increase in drunk driving around town.

On Monday, the local non-profit advocacy group, Mother Against Drunk Driving (MADD), released a statement regarding the regulatory issues.

“MADD supports new and emerging technologies which are enabling more transportation options throughout the country and are providing a safe alternative to drunk driving to millions of people across the country,” the statement read. ”As East Hampton considers this important issue in the county with the most alcohol-related incidents in the state, we urge you to consider the positive impact that new technologies can have on your community to help end drunk driving.”

East Hampton Town Supervisor Larry Cantwell said he doesn’t believe that Uber’s suspension will affect drunk driving in the Town.

“No one should be drunk driving,” he said. “There are many ways to avoid drinking and driving beyond Uber.”

There are 370 cabs available in the East Hampton Town, according to Cantwell.

“Uber didn’t exist three years ago and people avoided drunk driving then,” he said.