Just months after being legalized, Uber and Lyft have been banned from operating in Philadelphia, per a judge’s orders.
Common Pleas Judge Linda Carpenter banned UberX and Lyft from operating in the city on Thursday, following disputes and lawsuits from the Taxi Workers alliance.
As of now, both ride-sharing services are considered illegal. Those who ride with UberX will not be punished; however, the drivers will be. Uber Black is still allowed to operate under the new ban.
Judge Carpenter’s orders state that if either of the services continue to run, drivers could be held in contempt.
Uber and Lyft were legalized during the Democratic National Convention due to a shortage of transportation and the removal of SEPTA transit cars on railways. The summer reprieve expired last week.
Although the services have been banned, both were still giving rides as of Thursday afternoon.
Neither Uber or Lyft have officially stated whether they are pulling the services from Philadelphia, and it is still unclear as to whether the services will continue to operate without government permission.
With the legislature not returning until October 17, the future of the services are still unclear; however, some representatives are hoping to pass a bill to allow them to continue operating in Philadelphia.
It should be legalize because it’s more convenience for everybody and it’s cheap