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Some Cincinnati cabbies upset with ride sharing services

Some Cincinnati taxi drivers are not happy about ride sharing services like Uber and Lyft that are now operating in the city.  

They protested in front of city hall Wednesday and some of them addressed Council about their concerns.

“You have minuscule laws on the books that we have to comply with or we can’t make a living,” said cab drive Rich Robinson.  “And you’ve got these guys running around, who not only don’t have to follow those little, teenie, weenie laws, but all the laws you have in that book.”

Robinson said he would have no problems with Uber or Lyft if taxi cabs were also unregulated.

Some of the cab drivers have an attorney representing them on the issue.

“As far as we’re concerned, they are operating illegally,” said lawyer Jim Harkie.  “I was down at The Banks last night and I saw several cars with pink mustaches on, which present Lyft, and the city police department is doing nothing.”

The city's law department is reviewing Uber, Lyft and other ride sharing services.  A council committee could discuss the issue in the coming weeks.

Jay Hanselman brings more than 10 years experience as a news anchor and reporter to 91.7 WVXU. He came to WVXU from WNKU, where he hosted the local broadcast of All Things Considered. Hanselman has been recognized for his reporting by the Kentucky AP Broadcasters Association, the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists, and the Ohio AP Broadcasters.