Mont. Co. cab companies push for legislation to ease burdens

WASHINGTON — The taxi industry is fighting back against newcomers Uber and Lyft, just two of the car services that are taking a bite out of business for cabbies across the country. Wednesday afternoon, cab drivers in D.C. jammed the streets in front of the Wilson Building and filled the air with the sound of honking horns.

In Montgomery County, cab companies made noise, but at a lower decibel level. Members of the Coalition for Competitive Taxicab Industry testified before Montgomery County’s Transportation, Infrastructure, Energy and Environment Committee (T&E Committee). The coalition of cab companies is suggesting legislation that it says would ease the regulatory burden on cabbies while making them more competitive. At the same time, the Coalition for Competitive Taxicab Industry wants Montgomery County to crack down on unlicensed operators — including Uber and Lyft.

Representatives from Montgomery County’s Barwood and Regency taxi companies spoke before the committee, as did Jaynul Islam, a driver who told the committee he came to this country 28 years ago “with ten dollars in my hand” and hope that if he worked hard he could achieve his goals.

Asking the council to ease the regulations that require drivers to — among other things — replace their cars every seven years, Islam concluded his testimony by saying he’d always played by the rules. “I did all this in the last 28 years. So please, don’t tie my hands; allow me to compete as well.”

Council member Roger Berliner, who’s been clear that he welcomes Uber as “the future,” told Islam, “There are reasonable things that we should expect from the new entrants, and that the unreasonable burdens we’ve placed on you should be lifted.”

Lyft’s director of government relations, Chris Massey, found himself offering the backstory on those fuzzy pink mustache cut-outs that participating drivers slap on their grills. That provided an “aha” moment for the T&E members. Nancy Floreen, Hans Riemer and Roger Berliner didn’t know that was the signature feature of a Lyft vehicle.

But Massey found himself on the defensive, peppered with questions about insurance coverage from Floreen, who even took time out to say she wasn’t trying to argue with Massey: “I honestly don’t mean to argue with you — although it appears that I am.”

Floreen was trying to get Massey to clarify how and when the insurance that covers a Lyft driver kicks in, and whether a Lyft driver’s accident with a passenger would be covered.

One of the big questions that came out of the hearing: just how much say-so the county could have over newcomers Uber and Lyft.

The Maryland Public Service Commission has oversight over limousine and commercial carrier operators, but not taxis. After the state commission ruled that Uber Black Car and Uber SUV operated as common carriers, so they would come under the PSC’s purview, county attorney John Markovs told the T&E Committee that he believes it’s likely the PSC will also find Uber X and Lyft fall under the common carrier regulations, meaning the county could not regulate them.

Berliner made clear he’d like the county to go ahead and act to regulate the new companies now, and said that, should the PSC find that Lyft and Uber X are common carriers, the county should fight that. “The council has raised an issue as to whether we should be looking for guidance from the state. And with the greatest respect actually, I prefer to give the state our guidance.”

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