Six years ago, in 2009, a man had a vision of changing the way a long-standing industry operated. He felt the way the industry was run wasn’t the most efficient, wasn’t the most effective, hadn’t adapted with the times and didn’t provide consumers with the best experience at the best price.
Today, that man’s company, Uber, is well known and is in cities across the country.
The company uses the person-to-person model to offer taxi-like services to people through a mobile app. Users download the app, select a car in their area they want to use for the ride and pay for the fare. The fare is listed based on the trip’s length, and no cash is needed while taking the trip.
Uber is catching on like wildfire from users, who enjoy its accessibility — selecting a ride with a few taps on the phone instead of calling a taxi company and waiting long times for the driver’s arrival — and also its cheaper price.
Uber also provides jobs to drivers who are looking to earn extra money.
But this could all come crashing to a halt, Uber says, if a New Jersey bill is passed that would put onerous regulations on the company.
The legislation would require ride-hailing companies such as Uber to display a Motor Vehicle Commission marker when drivers are searching for fares and would require background checks for drivers, safety inspections for vehicles and higher insurance regulations.
An Uber spokesman said the company already provides more insurance than taxi companies do, and said if the bill is passed, the company might be forced out of New Jersey, resulting in the loss of more than 5,000 jobs.
A similar bill in Kansas was struck down by Gov. Sam Brownback’s veto, and we couldn’t agree more with his reasoning:
“Kansas should be known as a state that embraces economic growth and innovation. The jobs created by this new industry can bring opportunity to many Kansas families. An open and free marketplace often results in higher quality products at a more affordable price.”
New Jersey, similarly, should be a state that embraces economic growth and innovation. Uber found a way to compete in the transportation market. Good for them. They should be praised for that, not overregulated to the point of extinction.
If taxi companies can’t compete, too bad. That’s called business.
