In response to the New York City Council's proposed legislation to put a cap on ridesharing services like Uber, Lyft, and Via, Tech:NYC has issued the following statement:

“This proposed legislation is a step in the wrong direction for New York and is emblematic of the City Council’s misdirected approach to regulating innovation. A ridesharing cap will hurt New Yorkers, from outer-borough commuters who have little access to taxis and the subway to growing companies like Via who bring competition and diversity to the industry. Between this proposal and the Council’s recent decision to limit homesharing, many in the tech community are starting to wonder if legislators prefer limiting progress rather than enabling innovation. Everyone agrees we need to reduce congestion, make transit more affordable, and help drivers thrive. But this legislative proposal is not the way to do that, and it’s clear it would do far more harm than good.”

-Julie Samuels, Executive Director, Tech:NYC

Photo credit: Cars driving in Brooklyn by Nick Starichenko/Shutterstock