Miami-Dade looks to other cities in struggle to deal with Lyft, Uber

@PatriciaMazzei

In the showdown between the taxicab industry and upstart car services, there are no Davids — just Goliaths.

Burgeoning ride-for-hire companies led by Uber, whose worth has been estimated at $17 billion, have the deeper pockets. But established taxicab owners, with their decades-long foothold in the community, have a stronger grip on local politics.

And not just in Miami-Dade County.

Government regulators across the country and in Europe are struggling with how to control the digital-dispatch services that have upended the transportation business. Massive cab protests in Paris, Madrid and Berlin two weeks ago paralyzedtraffic.

But some places have found a way for the competing giants to coexist. And therein may lie lessons for Miami-Dade.

The county has issued at least 36 fines and impounded at least seven cars belonging to drivers of Lyft and UberX, the rivals that began offering rides last month in violation of local regulations.

The companies, which don’t hire chauffeurs or own vehicles, allow users to summon rides from freelance drivers using smartphone applications. They say that exempts them from taxicab and limousine rules.

More here.