Ridesharing firms aren't completely against the measure, believe it or not. Reuters notes that he same law also lets companies pick you up at traditional taxi bastions like the airport or convention center, albeit with limits. Also, the measures don't go as far as the taxi business might like -- Boston's Taxi Operators Association would prefer an outright ban on any ridesharing firm that doesn't follow the same rules that taxis do. As such, it's more of a compromise than a flat-out victory for the incumbents.

Nonetheless, the move isn't about to get a ringing endorsement. Although it could improve the overall quality of taxi service, it's still protecting one industry at the expense of another. Should the government be playing favorites? And while it's true that well-heeled companies like Lyft and Uber can afford to soak up the costs, it's more daunting for smaller startups that now have to factor that cost into into their business models.