By Haley ED Houseman

Traditional taxi companies are questioning the ability of operations like Uber to provide safe service to those in need of personal transport. — Photo by Bobbie Toner

After the taxi driver strike earlier this month, tensions are rising over the so-called sharing economy app Uber. According to The Boston Globe, at the protest, Cambridge City Councilor Nadeem Mazen argued with some of the protesting drivers after they overheard him remark he uses Uber regularly. “You guys realize the constituency that supports Uber is the majority and you’re the minority, right?” the frustrated councilor said. “The state is about to make Uber legal. It’s about to make it fully legal, OK? And you guys are about to be in an even worse position.”

The gist of the protest is this: Uber is not subjected to the same regulations as taxi drivers. It’s pricing model undercuts the fixed fares taxis must charge, and must pay for expensive medallions and insurance. A local taxi company, Green and Yellow Cab, has been operating in Somerville for 36 years. Cheryl Horan, vice president of the company, explains, “My Dad started out as a mechanic and worked his way up buying a taxi and then the company. All Somerville licensed taxis operate under our dispatch service. We are a family owned and operated business. We are proud to serve Somerville and give back to our community.”

She emphasizes that the company, and other licensed taxi services, focuses on customer service and flexibility. Open 24 hours a day, every day, they offer bookings via phone, web, and a mobile app. “We are absolutely hands on and that puts our customer service above that of ride shares.” Uber, which has been operating in the Somerville area for slightly over a year, has had a string of conflicts with local services. It’s also dealt with mitigating the negative coverage tied to a sexual assault by a local Uber driver this past year.

Horan wants to be clear that taxi companies are not against innovation, but a lack of regulation. “We are not against technology. In fact, we applaud it.” The service has supported a mobile app for the past two years. Massachusetts is currently working on regulations for the market, but it looks like Uber is here to stay. According to the Green and Yellow cab representative, “We believe that consumers should make sure they do their homework. Private cars performing rides for hire are not covered under one’s personal insurance policy. In fact they are exempt.” Horan goes on to call out a lack of thoroughness of Uber’s criminal “name only” background checks, which have come under fire in the wake of the Cambridge assault.

She adds, “We hope Uber steps up and raises its standards to protect it passengers. It should not take legislative action for a company to fully protect its riders. Our hope is they are regulated like taxi and livery drivers.”