Hirschfeld Kraemer LLP Partner Daniel H. Handman is quoted in the Law360 article titled, "The 5 Uber-Taxicab Turf Wars To Watch." The piece explores the ride-sharing company's battles with entrenched taxi and livery services and regulations in Chicago, Miami, New Orleans, Philadelphia and St. Louis.
Handman offered this comment on the cost pressure traditional taxi companies face:
“'The cab companies are essentially saying, 'we’re subject to all of these onerous regulations on how you operate a taxicab business, with medallions, badges, and Uber and Lyft aren’t forced to play by the same rules that we are,' Daniel H. Handman, a partner with Hirschfeld Kraemer LLP, told Law360. '[They’re saying], 'That’s not fair. By necessity we have to charge a higher price, and it’s not fair to allow Uber and Lyft to have a natural advantage.'"
He later added:
"'Uber will argue that we’re departing from the old way of doing business, and to be honest, there’s some logical appeal to that notion of we’re doing away with inefficiencies, but there are reasons for these regulations because we want cabs to be safe,' Handman said. '[The taxicab industry] is a monopoly; it’s a state-run monopoly by virtue of them setting a certain number of badges they give out. Uber has really turned that model on its head.'"
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