The number of Lyft, Sidecar and UberX vehicles may soon be vastly reduced in Seattle if the city’s proposed regulations are approved, and some members of the tech community aren’t too thrilled about it.
The Seattle’s City Council Committee for Taxi, For-hire, and Limousine Regulations is set to vote on an ordinance on Friday that would cap the number of Lyft, Sidecar and UberX drivers at 300 — regulations that those companies say would effectively shut down their businesses.
The Washington Technology Industry Association (WTIA) and the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce penned this letter to the City Council’s committee to show their opposition of the proposed regulations.
“Instead of implementing onerous restrictions, the City Council should embrace the broadening landscape of transportation options and support legislation that promotes greater competition, increases transportation choices, and encourages innovative technology companies to locate and thrive here,” the letter reads.
There’s also a petition going around called “Seattle’s Tech Community Supports Ride Share.” It was started by an outreach firm that Lyft hired and has nearly 200 signatures. The WTIA has been encouraging people to sign the petition:
Sign a petition to stop the Seattle City Council from imposing caps on the # of rideshare vehicles on the road:http://t.co/HbMX2PuzlJ @WTIA
— Patti Brooke (@pattibrooke) February 7, 2014
Many members of the Seattle tech community have done the same:
Help fight the seattle city council from restricting ride sharing services. Please sign this petition and share! http://t.co/I3OunlAB5F
— Marc Barros (@marcbarros) February 8, 2014
Save UberX in Seattle! http://t.co/jWIQ1FxQS3
— Stefan Weitz (@stefanweitz) February 7, 2014
It's short-sighted of the Seattle City Council to consider limits to innovative ridesharing tech cos: http://t.co/W16wUNZ9xc
— Joe Heitzeberg (@jheitzeb) February 7, 2014
Another petition, signed by local entrepreneurs and investors like Zillow co-founder Rich Barton, Intellectual Ventures co-founder Nathan Myhrvold and Madrona Venture Group’s Greg Gottesman, was sent to the city and took a similar stance:
Rideshare Letter by Matt Driscoll
For more about the proposed regulations, head here.