Taxis Jam Pioneer Courthouse Square to Protest City's Accommodation of Ride-Sharing Giant Uber

Taxis by the dozen parked in Pioneer Courthouse Square today as their drivers protested the city of Portland's efforts to invite ride-sharing giant Uber into the city.

Drivers and other for-hire transportation advocates said the city's accommodation of Uber threatens the livelihoods of the drivers who work in Portland now.

"Anytime you add cabs it takes wages," says Michael Marion, a Radio Cab driver who took part in the demonstration. "If you put more cars on the street, there's probably going to be less money."

Uber backed out of Portland last month after storming into the the city in violation of Portland codes that regulate for-hire car companies. The city and Uber agreed that Portland will re-examine its taxi rules, and that the ride-sharing company and other competitors can return in April.

The demonstrators today wanted to make sure the city included cab companies get a voice in the review of the for-hire rules.  You can see video of part of the speeches delivered at the Pioneer Courthouse Square demonstration here.

The protest was organized by the Transportation Fairness Alliance, a coalition of five cab companies: Broadway Cab (and its subsidiary Sassy's Cab Co.), Green Transportation, Portland Taxi Cab Co., Union Cab PDX, and Radio Cab.


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