Portland sues Uber after 4 days in service

Portland sues Uber after 4 days in service
(Image credit: iStock)

That didn't take long. The city of Portland, Oregon, sued Uber on Monday, calling it an "illegal, unregulated transportation service," according to a news release. The company launched in Portland just last Friday.

Mayor Charlie Hales had a few scathing words:

Taxi cab companies follow rules on public health and safety. So do hotels and restaurants and construction companies and scores of other service providers. Because everyone agrees: good regulations make for a safer community. Uber disagrees, so we're seeking a court injunction. [City of Portland]

The city's Bureau of Transportation stuck Uber with two civil penalties: operating without a company permit and operating without a vehicle permit.

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Uber's fine print claims the company is not a transportation provider.

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Julie Kliegman

Julie Kliegman is a freelance writer based in New York. Her work has appeared in BuzzFeed, Vox, Mental Floss, Paste, the Tampa Bay Times and PolitiFact. Her cats can do somersaults.