By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer
Police Chief Nicholas K. Sutter said Monday that it is a “challenge” to enforce taxi regulations against car service Uber, the popular alternative to regular taxis that local cabdrivers claim is hurting their business.
He briefly addressed the matter at the Princeton Council meeting, when he said the department had spoken with the local taxi association. He said he understands the group’s complaints, yet offered that “it’s a little bit of a difficult situation.”
“The inherent problem in Princeton is that it’s not necessarily confined to a specific area, like the train station,” he told Mayor Liz Lempert and the council two weeks after a local cabdriver complained to officials about Uber.
He said the department would look to create a public information plan, continue to talk with the association and “try to come up with a comprehensive approach to it.”
“I don’t think it’s just an enforcement issue. I think that might be part of it,” said Chief Sutter in adding the department would continue to observe taxi stands and enforce violations.
For their part, local cabbies have been upset about the lack of enforcement against Uber in town, especially given all the rules they must comply with that Uber does not. The town has said Uber is illegal, but that has not stopped residents from using it.
“Our residents (and) visitors use it a lot,” Chief Sutter said. “And I can understand, from a business perspective, it’s a concern for our local taxis.”
Mayor Liz Lempert did not return phone calls on Thursday.
Councilwoman Jo S. Butler said Thursday that the town is not looking the other way because Uber is popular in the community. Asked if there should be undercover stings to catch Uber drivers in the act, she said, “That’s really a question better asked of Nick.”
According to Chief Sutter, the taxi association claims Uber is picking up customers at the taxi stand at the Dinky station regularly.
“We’ve been down there for selective enforcement purposes. We’re not seeing that amount of Uber traffic there,” he said. “Not saying it’s not happening, but when we’ve been there at different times, we’re not seeing it there.”
His comments Monday come about two weeks after one frustrated cabdriver expressed his concern at a council meeting April 11.
Gary Szurkus, owner of Princeton Area Transportation, has said Uber has affected all cabdrivers in town and eaten into their business. In a phone interview Thursday, he said police need to be visible at the Dinky Station during the morning and evening rush-hour periods.
Chief Sutter said the department had met with West Windsor Police, which has a “similar situation” at the Princeton Junction Train Station. In speaking with police in the neighboring town and doing research, Princeton Police found that “it’s a very difficult thing to address through enforcement,” he said.
State lawmakers have proposed regulating Uber.
An Uber spokesman has said that “regulations for this new transportation system should be created at the state level, so that drivers and riders aren’t subject to a patchwork of conflicting municipal rules.”
