Says refusing cab service in Buffalo could have deadly consequences
New York State Sen. Chris Jacobs is urging the owner of Liberty Yellow Cab Co. to reconsider his decision to direct his 400-plus taxicabs to not service the City of Buffalo on New Year's Eve to protest what they deem as unfair treatment compared to Uber and Lyft ride-hailing services.
In a letter to Liberty Cab owner Bill Yunke, Jacobs urged "continued dialogue with city leadership without placing peoples' lives at risk through this boycott."
"We all know people consume a lot of alcohol on New Year's Eve, if we decrease transportation alternatives it makes it more likely that someone that has been drinking gets behind the wheel," Jacobs wrote. "Taking 400 cabs off the road on New Year's could have deadly consequences."
"Liberty Cab has done a superb job for many years of saving precious lives on New Year's Eve," said Elizabeth Obad, president of Mother's Against Drunk Driving. "We urge Liberty Cab to continue this practice of being the sober, designated driver for the hundreds of people that will need a safe ride home on New Year's Eve."
