I’ve received yesterday night this email from Uber. I am very sad to see them leaving. Uber has made life easier, specially when you are moving from another country like I am. I hope Austin city council will see how backwards it feels. Nothing is impeaching a company out of the Untied States to start a mobile website to pair drivers and riders. Then, everyone loses. No more taxes. Less security. And the ugly experience of a browser app.
I wish we had better news.
Disappointment does not begin to describe how we feel about shuttering operations in Austin. But as you’ve heard before, we simply cannot operate under the City’s new rules. As of Monday, May 9, at 8 a.m., Uber will no longer be available within Austin city limits.
Since Austin is the only city in the Hill Country to impose these new rules, Uber will continue to serve surrounding areas.
Since the moment we launched as a pop-up at SXSW 2011, we’ve been overwhelmed by your outpouring of support for Austin drivers.
While the road back is uncertain for now, we won’t give up on Austin.
Thank you,
Chris Nakutis
