August 31, 2015

Parking Authority seeks to fine UberX $300,000

By Sharon Lurye
PhillyVoice Contributor

John Locher/AP

Uber West Coast Regional Manager William Barnes sits in the back of a car during a photo shoot Friday, Oct. 24, 2014, in Las Vegas. The ridesharing company has begun operations in Nevada.

Just one day after a state senator introduced legislation that would legalize ride-sharing services in Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Parking Authority filed a complaint against UberX that seeks $300,000 in fines against the company for illegally operating a taxi service.

The fines come to around $1000 per day for the last 10 months, Philly.com noted. UberX, a service where regular drivers without a professional license can charge for rides, started in Philadelphia in October. The Philadelphia Parking Authority has since tried to stop the service with enforcement actions like impounding UberX cars and fining drivers.

UberX is allowed everywhere in Pennsylvania except Philadelphia (although Philly does allow limousine service.) State Senator Camera Bartolotta has introduced legislation that would regulate ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft and put them all under the authority of the Pennsylvania Utilities Commission.

Uber had no comment on the legal filing, but told Philly.com, "We will continue to defend our driver partners' right to economic opportunity and our riders' right to greater choice."

Sharon Lurye
PhillyVoice Contributor