Lyft gets 'cease and desist' letter from the state

[hrmjustin]

ERIN DURKIN

The state has hit car hailing app Lyft, which plans to start operating in the city on Friday, with a “cease and desist” letter ordering them to shut down state wide.

“Lyft’s activities in New York violate a host of laws,” Superintendent of Financial Services Benjamin Lawsky wrote in the letter released by the Department of Financial Services Thursday. “Lyft’s ongoing law violations will not be tolerated and must halt.”

Lyft cars, known for their fuzzy pink mustache decorations, have been operating in Buffalo and Rochester since April without permission from local and state regulators.

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/lyft-cease-desist-letter-state-blog-entry-1.1861926

[hrmjustin]

1. Uber plans to buck city licensing rules if competitor Lyft can get away with it

ERIN DURKIN


ar hailing app Uber says the city better come down hard on its unlicensed competitor Lyft - or else they too will buck city rules and launch an unlicensed fleet of cars.

Up until now, Uber has agreed to follow Taxi and Limousine Commission rules - getting their drivers taxi licenses and forming livery bases, and submitting to required background checks, drug tests, and inspections.

But Lyft, a prime Uber competitor, announced plans to launch Friday without permission from the TLC - arguing that as a “ride sharing” service, they don’t run taxis and don’t have to be regulated as such.

Now, Uber officials say they’ll follow suit unless they see aggressive enforcement against Lyft cars.


http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/uber-plans-buck-city-licensing-rules-competitor-lyft-blog-entry-1.1861854