St. Louis taxicab regulator files suit against Uber

ST. LOUIS -- The battle between St. Louis-area taxicab regulators and Uber has escalated again with a new lawsuit that seeks to stop operation of the ride-hailing company in the region.

The St. Louis Metropolitan Taxicab Commission lawsuit, announced Wednesday, alleges that Uber violates Missouri law by allowing unlicensed and improperly vetted drivers to operate.

The commission is also asking a St. Louis County judge to issue a temporary restraining order that would prohibit San Francisco-based Uber from operating in St. Louis and St. Louis County. A hearing on the restraining order request is Tuesday in St. Louis County Circuit Court.

Uber's general manager for St. Louis, Sagar Shah, said in a statement the company isn't surprised the commission "is yet again trying to stifle competition and deny people the transportation choices they have in other cities.

"Their anti-competitive conduct is not only wrong -- it's illegal," Shah said.

The commission granted approval for services such as Uber on Sept. 18, but mandated that drivers be fingerprinted for criminal background checks by the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the FBI, and that they possess a commercial driver's license. The commission, which is appointed by city and county government to regulate ride-for-hire services, said those requirements are state law.

Uber refused, calling its vetting "comprehensive" and sufficient, and filed a federal lawsuit last month accusing the commission of anti-competitive practices. Uber began operating Sept. 18.

The new suit filed by the commission said a review of 19 Uber drivers found none of them applied for a license from the commission or submitted to fingerprinting for background checks. Eleven of the 19 lacked a commercial license.

"There is no legal impediment for Uber lawfully entering the St. Louis market," commission attorney Neil Bruntrager said in a statement. "They have simply chosen to ignore Missouri law."

Uber sought its own temporary restraining order last month, asking U.S. District Judge Henry Autrey to block the taxicab commission from efforts to stop Uber's foray into the market. The judge refused, saying the "fingerprinting and licensing requirements are crafted to maintain the caliber and reliability of the drivers."

St. Louis police have said Uber drivers will not be ticketed in the city. St. Louis County police will cite Uber drivers, but none have been ticketed so far, a spokesman for the county said.

Many government entities are grappling with how to regulate and monitor Uber and other ride-hailing companies. More than 20 states have imposed rules on those services.

Services such as Uber use smartphone apps for riders to book and pay for a private shuttling by drivers who use their own vehicles. Traditional cab drivers have complained such services siphon off passengers and profits, dramatically cutting their ability to earn a living.