To the Editor:
I have been closely following the arrival of Uber on the Island, and was very disappointed to read the latest challenges facing the ride sharing business (June 17, “Edgartown selectmen take steps to regulate Uber”).
I take cabs regularly on the Island, and I am embarrassed to bring clients or company into one of the many vans that masquerade as “cabs.”
I would venture to say most cabs are so old they don’t have adequate seat belts for all the people they load into them. Will it take a serious accident with one of these outdated vans before something is done? Also, it took me a while to figure out one should never just get in one of these vans in town without calling them first, or negotiating upfront. I don’t need a tour of the Island to drop other people off, so the cab companies can make the extra fares before I make it to my destination.
I take Uber regularly all over the country, and have never had a bad experience. I would think folks looking for work on the Island would welcome a chance to be their own bosses and make good money doing it.
So I guess it’s back to hoping cabs show up when they say, being transported in outdated, unsafe, and dirty vans, and watching the cab companies continue their monopoly. Nicely done, Edgartown.
Jessica Mustone
Edgartown