Uber’s New Orleans general manager Tom Hayes was hired on a few months ago to get the on-demand car request service up and running in the city.
“We’ve for awhile now had a really popular outcry of demand here,” said Hayes. “There’s been tens of thousands of people that have opened up the app in the New Orleans area, and that shows us that people want these options here.”
Over 2,000 people have signed an online petition to bring Uber to New Orleans, originally launched by pro-Uber techie Joe Corbett.
In addition to all the support, there is still some backlash from local officials and the taxi bureau.
Earlier this week, Uber was hoping some of the regulations currently in place in New Orleans would get amended, following a meeting with the council, allowing the car service to legally operate in town with so much red tape. The company submitted an ordinanceto amend and reordain Sections 162-1, 162-189, 162-190 and 162-841 of the Code of the City of New Orleans.
In return, the city proposed a minimum $25 charge for sedan rides, a minimum $35 charge for SUV rides, and a flat $75 rate for airport trips ($90 for SUV).
Yesterday (June 12), Uber supporters received and email from the company, urging them to tell city council members that #NOLANeedsUber.
“These rates constitute price fixing, plain and simple,” says the email. “By setting minimum prices no matter how short the trip, these rules are neither in your best interest as a consumer, nor in the best interests of local limo companies who want to provide affordable rides. These rules would handicap a high quality transportation alternative, preventing Uber from offering its service at the best possible price.”
If you support Uber operations in New Orleans, consider sending this tweet ”.@susanguidry @LatoyaCantrell NOLA needs @Uber as soon as possible, without price fixing #NOLAneedsUber”
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