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US: Uber backlash spills over in Maryland

By  |  July 11, 2014

As taxi groups across the globe protest the rideshare service Uber, reports say the tension has culminated into an antitrust lawsuit in Maryland.

Taxi companies in the state are accusing Uber of violating antitrust law in bypassing traditional taxi rules to compete. Uber claims that because it is a mobile app-based service, those traditional regulations do not apply.

But the plaintiffs in Maryland say that logic is flawed, and that Uber should be subject to the same rules as they are. Among those rules includes government background checks on taxi drivers.

Plaintiffs are reportedly seeking damages for lost business, but the exact amount they are pursuing remains unclear. The taxi group is also looking for Uber to be required to operate within the same guidelines as traditional taxicabs.

Uber did not comment on the specific lawsuit but said it would defend its business.

Full content: NBC Washington

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