Regulating Uber on the agenda for tonight's Codes and Ordinances meeting

Uber is reshaping the taxi industry, but there has been pushback aplenty. (Courtesy photo)

ROCHESTER - If you've ever used Uber to get from point A to point B - and point A is Rochester - well, the city of Rochester may have an issue with that.

That's because any vehicle operating as a transportation network company (TNC) must have at least three licenses to pick up a fare in Rochester, Building, Zoning and Licensing Director Jim Grant noted on Wednesday.

The city's Codes and Ordinances Committee will take up the subject of Uber, Lyft and other ride sharing enterprises tonight in the City Council Chambers at 6 p.m.

Grant said if an Uber picks up a fare in Portsmouth or Logan Airport and drops them off in Rochester, there's no issue.

But if they're picking up a fare here, they must have a taxi operator's business license, a licensed taxi vehicle and a city taxi driver's license.

The annual fees are $100 for the business license, $30 for the vehicle and $10 for the driver.

Grant said the vehicles also face semi-annual safety inspections and be compliant to sanitary and cleanliness checks.

Grant said he has seen Uber vehicles in Rochester on several occasions but wasn't aware of them operating or picking up passengers here.

If they are found doing so without complying with all city licensing provisions, they are subject to a $100 fine for each occurrence.

Grant said he'd recently gotten several phone calls regarding whether Uber drivers had to be licensed to pick up fares in the city, which led to the decision to have it on the agenda for tonight's meeting, which will also provide the public and other stakeholders the chance for public comment.

Uber and Lyft have come under increasing pressure nationwide over licensing and safety issues including vehicle safety, driver vetting, increasing city traffic and carbon emissions. Some cities have also seen a dropoff in the use of public transportation.

Edward Donnell, who owns Frank's Taxi, Lilac City Taxi and Rochester Cab, said he's hoping the meeting tonight will lead to a more level playing field.

He said Uber has been operating in Rochester for years without paying the license fees, without showing proof of insurance and without cab inspections by city officials.

"I can't get an answer as to why the city ordinance is not being enforced," Donnell said today. "I carry a million dollar insurance policy for my cabs and I have no idea what kind of insurance, if any, they have."

He cited many other factors that give Uber an advantage, one being that they allow a 19-year-old to drive, while his insurance company mandates they be at least 24.

Donnell, who will be attending the meeting tonight, said he doesn't mind the competition, but added that everyone should be playing by the same rules.

"I'm paying all these fees, so why am I paying all these fees when they don't," he said. "And when I raise my fares I have to report it to City Hall and show it on my cabs. They just put it on their ap."

Donnell said he used to just own Frank's Taxi, but bought out the other two companies because they couldn't make it due to Uber's presence in the Northern Seacoast.

An email requesting comment from Uber's corporate media liaison was not returned.