In New York, the rise of Uber and other ride-share companies means gridlock on Manhattan streets, as more cabs than ever vie to serve commuters, residents and tourists. It also means a decimated taxi industry, punctuated by the suicides of six cabbies in seven months.
Three years ago, Mayor Bill de Blasio sought a temporary cap on Uber’s growth to study its impact on congestion. The City Council killed that proposal after the company ran a million-dollar television ad and lobbying campaign. At the time, 12,600 app-based transportation vehicles navigated city streets. Today there’s 80,000, with 2,000 added every month.