Uber shuts down New York City taxi beta, may see light at the end of the (Lincoln) tunnel in February

Uber has been having a tough time getting a foothold in New York City, and it's temporarily withdrawing the UberTaxi service it had in beta. The withdrawal isn't entirely for the reasons you'd expect, however. While Uber claims to have been getting grief from the city's Taxi and Limousine Commission for offering a competing (if technically legal) service through its smartphone apps, the program's end was due to demand rather than any kind of outright ban -- the Commission's pressure reportedly kept Uber from matching interest with enough yellow cabs. Black car service is still on for those who don't mind the classic ride. Should that uncomfortable balance not be quite good enough, Mayor Bloomberg is promising a truce come February, when a shift in contracts will let New York change the rules and hopefully improve the market for taxi alternatives.

Filed under: Transportation

Uber shuts down New York City taxi beta, may see light at the end of the (Lincoln) tunnel in February originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Oct 2012 17:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.