SFO Serves Cease-And-Desist Ride Sharing Companies

InstantCab, a San Francisco iPhone app development firm which uses cab drivers and vetted individuals to provide taxi services announced that it had received a partial cease-and-desist letter from SFO. It also appears that other new transportation startups have also received the same notice last month. It was reported that SideCar confirmed that it received a cease-and-desist letter in March.

Airports are businesses and of course want their share of any money being made on their premises. The following was taking from the letter from SFO to InstaCab, stating the conditions not being met.

Rule 3.3(E): No person shall enter or remain on Airport property and buy, sell, peddle or offer for sale or purchase any goods, merchandise, property or services of any kind whatsoever, on or from Airport property, without the express written consent of the Director or the Director’s duly authorized representative.

Rule 2.2: Any person who violates, disobeys, omits, neglects or refuses to comply with any of the provisions of these Rules and Regulations or any lawful order issued pursuant thereto may be denied use of the Airport by the Director, in addition to the penalties described pursuant to federal, state or local authorities.

Rule 9.0: No person shall operate a business on Airport property unless in possession of a valid Airport Operating Agreement, pei mit, lease, or under authority granted by the Airport Director or his/her designee.

Without a permit the drivers could be accused of trespassing and this should act a due warning to all the emerging ride share companies. These companies appear to distinguish themselves from Uber as they employ community drivers who are not licensed by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency.

As a mobile app developer in Los Angeles we are aware of the wave of ride sharing applications currently awaiting release and wonder if there is a market place for them all.