Portland Sues To Get Rid Of Uber Just Days After Car Service Arrives In The City

The city of Portland, OR hasn’t just avoided putting out the welcome mat for ridesharing service Uber, no siree. Portland is so set against the company setting up shop there, that only a few days after Uber opened up for business there, the city is suing to ban it from operating.

The Bureau of Transportation announced on Monday, three days after Uber started operations in the city on Friday, that it had filed a complaint against the San Francisco-grown startup in Multnomah County Circuit Court, reports The Oregonian.

The bureau’s director also issued a cease-and-desist order against Uber, warning drivers that they have until 5 p.m. Thursday to stop picking people up. If they don’t want to go along with that plan, the city said it will move forward civil and criminal penalties, possibly including arrests and impounding drivers’ vehicles.

“I am hereby directing that Uber Technologies Inc…. or any other Uber affiliate entity immediately cease and desist operating within the City of Portland until such time as appropriate permits are obtained and Uber is in full compliance with the requirements of Portland City Code Chapter 16.40,” Transportation Director Leah Treat wrote. “Please alert all Uber-affiliated drivers that they are to cease and desist.”

Uber says that while other services in the city are regulated for the public’s use, Uber isn’t.

“Our main concern is public health and safety, because the state invested in the cities the responsibility to do that,” Mayor Charlie Hales said. “Beyond that, though, is the issue of fairness. Taxi cab companies follow rules on public health and safety. So do hotels and restaurants and construction companies and scores of other service providers. Because everyone agrees: good regulations make for a safer community. Uber disagrees, so we’re seeking a court injunction.”

Under the injunction, the PBOT will issue warnings to Uber drivers and penalties to the company when it documents unpermitted operations in Portland.

Uber vs. Portland: City files lawsuit to brake rideshare company’s local operations [The Oregonian]