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.
Despite its reputation as an innovative and tech-friendly city, Seattle has emerged as an unlikely battleground for the future of online applications, Internet start-ups and innovative technology. The Seattle city council is on the verge of passing the most restrictive, anti-competitive and anti-Internet measure in the nation, which would keep start-up ridesharing companies like Lyft and innovative ride-for-hire services like Uber out of Seattle. The Internet community is watching closely as Seattle’s reputation as a destination for entrepreneurs and tech start-ups is at stake.
