In search of a ride from his Capitol Hill condo to Larimer Square recently, Eric Rosenberg did what many in the tech-savvy generation do when they need something: He loaded a smartphone app.

About five minutes and a couple of taps on the touchscreen later, a well-dressed driver working for Uber, an on-demand car service startup, arrived in a black SUV.

“He greeted me by my first name and had cold bottles of water ready to go at no extra charge,” said Rosenberg, a finance blogger at narrowbridge.net. “It feels more like it’s your personal driver than a cab.”

For local taxi companies, which operate under the close eye of state regulators, the service smacks of unfair competition and opens the door for unlicensed drivers to grab fares. Uber says it is merely generating leads for licensed limousine and town car providers.

The San Francisco-based company has drawn regulatory scrutiny in other markets. The service was temporarily shut down in Boston over concerns about the way it calculates fees, though the ban was quickly reversed.

In Denver, Uber has only soft-launched with limited drivers, but it is already on the Colorado Public Utilities Commission’s radar after taxi companies raised concerns.

“PUC staff is looking into Uber’s operations to see how the service fits into current law and PUC rules,” said spokesman Terry Bote. “No determinations have been made.”

To use the service, customers need to register with Uber and provide the company with a credit card account and mobile phone number. When opened, the Uber app taps into an iPhone or Android smartphone’s GPS to show the location of the nearest driver. Fees are based on time and distance traveled, with a minimum fare of $15, which includes tip. The fare is charged to the credit card that’s on file with Uber, so no money changes hands between the driver and rider.

Rosenberg’s lift to Larimer Square cost $15, a couple of bucks more than a typical taxi fare for the same trip.

He said paying the difference is worth it for the pampered service and clean ride, a prime example of why taxicabs are up in arms over Uber.

Taxi officials, though, are tying complaints to public safety concerns because Uber doesn’t operate as a regulated company.

“You might have some driver who doesn’t even have insurance,” said Max Sarr, general manager for Freedom Cabs. “I’m concerned for safety and liability reasons.”

In addition to licensing companies and drivers, regulators set rates for taxicabs and monitor customer complaints.

“We are held to the highest standards by state and local authorities,” said Kyle Brown, general manager for Metro Taxi. “Uber decides they are going to operate by ignoring and disregarding regulations put into place for the protection and safety of the public.”

Uber said all of the limousine companies it contracts with are licensed and comply with state regulations. The PUC does not set rates for luxury car services.

“This is about an industry that is going to change because of technology and they’re worried about their control of that market,” said Uber chief executive Travis Kalanick. “We think we’re making Denver a better place. It’s going to be more efficient to get around the city. You’re going to be able to get a convenient classy ride.”

Brown scoffs at the notion that the industry is unwilling to embrace technology, noting that cab companies also have mobile phone apps, such as Taxi Magic, that allow customers to virtually hail a ride.

Uber, which has secured $50 million in funding, plans to officially launch service in Denver this week. It is live in about 15 other markets.

Among Uber’s fans is Boulder venture capitalist Brad Feld, who uses the service regularly in Seattle, San Francisco, Boston and New York.

“I will be appalled if Uber faces any challenges in Denver,” said Feld, who has investments in several funds that have stakes in Uber. “The notion that the taxi companies would complain is a classic issue of an incumbent trying to prevent an innovator from entering and disrupting the market.”

Andy Vuong : 303-954-1209 or fb.com/byandyvuong