Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Uber Eyes Portland

The popular, Silicon Valley-based towncar-by-smartphone service Uber is looking to set up shop in Portland: if the city lets its, that is. According to Uber, it is hoping to expand into Portland, but has been stymied in those efforts due to city regulations. According to Uber, it is in almost every major U.S. city except Portland, due to what it calls "outdated local regulations" designed specifically to protect the taxi industry. Among the laws that Uber cites is the requirement that any non-taxi require a 60 minute advanced reservation, meaning that if a Uber towncar shows up before 60 minutes a rider will have to wait the full 60 minutes to enter the car. Uber said Monday that it is launching an effort to work with Portland business and community leaders on the benefits of its smartphone-driven services.