ALLOWING UBER DRIVERS TO PICK UP PASSENGERS VIA SMARTPHONE APPLICATION IS NOT AN UNCONSTITUTIONAL TAKING OF THE PROPERTY OF TAXI CAB AND LIMOUSINE DRIVERS (SECOND DEPT).
The Second Department determined the decision of the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) to allow companies such as Uber to pick up passengers via a smartphone application did not constitute an unconstitutional taking of the property of the petitioners, taxi cab and limousine drivers. The decision is complex and comprehensive, and can not be fairly summarized here:
… [W]e agree with the Supreme Court’s determination that the TLC’s alleged decision to “allow black cars to pick up e-hails” did not, as a matter of law, constitute an unconstitutional taking of the petitioners’ property … . The crux of the petitioners’ claim is that the TLC’s decision to “allow black cars to pick up e-hails” has diminished the value of their medallions, decreased the number of taxicab trips per day, and reduced their medallion income. However, ” [p]roperty’ does not include a right to be free from competition”… . Accordingly, the TLC’s decision to allow companies such as Uber to pick up passengers via a smartphone application does not interfere with a taxicab’s use of its medallion or exclusive right to pick up passengers via street hail. Matter of Glyka Trans, LLC v City of New York, 2018 NY Slip Op 03129, Second Dept 5-2-18
ADMINISTRATIVE LAW (MUNICIPAL LAW, NEW YORK CITY TAXI AND LIMOUSINE COMMISSION, ALLOWING UBER DRIVERS TO PICK UP PASSENGERS VIA SMARTPHONE APPLICATION IS NOT AN UNCONSTITUTIONAL TAKING OF THE PROPERTY OF TAXI CAB AND LIMOUSINE DRIVERS (SECOND DEPT))/MUNICIPAL LAW (NEW YORK CITY TAXI AND LIMOUSINE COMMISSION, ALLOWING UBER DRIVERS TO PICK UP PASSENGERS VIA SMARTPHONE APPLICATION IS NOT AN UNCONSTITUTIONAL TAKING OF THE PROPERTY OF TAXI CAB AND LIMOUSINE DRIVERS (SECOND DEPT))/CONSTITUTIONAL LAW (UBER, TAXIS, ALLOWING UBER DRIVERS TO PICK UP PASSENGERS VIA SMARTPHONE APPLICATION IS NOT AN UNCONSTITUTIONAL TAKING OF THE PROPERTY OF TAXI CAB AND LIMOUSINE DRIVERS (SECOND DEPT))/UBER (MUNICIPAL LAW, NEW YORK CITY TAXI AND LIMOUSINE COMMISSION, ALLOWING UBER DRIVERS TO PICK UP PASSENGERS VIA SMARTPHONE APPLICATION IS NOT AN UNCONSTITUTIONAL TAKING OF THE PROPERTY OF TAXI CAB AND LIMOUSINE DRIVERS (SECOND DEPT))/TAXIS (MUNICIPAL LAW, NEW YORK CITY TAXI AND LIMOUSINE COMMISSION, ALLOWING UBER DRIVERS TO PICK UP PASSENGERS VIA SMARTPHONE APPLICATION IS NOT AN UNCONSTITUTIONAL TAKING OF THE PROPERTY OF TAXI CAB AND LIMOUSINE DRIVERS (SECOND DEPT))