Anyone else have an odd experience with Union Taxi or Uber recently?

Got back from a trip last night and called Union Taxi from Newark Airport. We've always used them before without a problem. But last night the dispatcher alluded to some sort of dispute and suggested we take the shuttle to the Marriott and they would pick us up there rather than at the airport terminal. Huh? Well, as much as we like to support local business, we weren't about to start shuttling around with two suitcases. So, we called Uber and had a car within 5 minutes. Anyone know anything about the "dispute" the guy was talking about?

I think I read somewhere that they have been ticketing taxi's doing pickup at the airport who weren't going through the taxi lines (and targeting Uber).

What terminal? They are not allowed to pick up in terminal A because it is technically in Elizabeth.

Terminal C -- United.

Never had a problem before. And the Uber driver told me he'd been going back and forth to the airport all day.

Then I don't know.

I don't know the legalities, but if Union Taxi is actually out of Union, I can't imagine they aren't allowed to pick up at Terminal "A," since both Union and Elizabeth are in Union County.

I am repeating what I was told. Union Taxi (not to be confused with Union car service) is not allowed to pick up passengers at Terminal A. Yu have to get yourself to B or C if you want to use them. The reason given was because it was in the town of Elizabeth. They operate in the town of Union. They can, however, drop you off anywhere you want.

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2015/02/terminal_turmoil_staten_island.html

conandrob240 said:
I am repeating what I was told. Union Taxi (not to be confused with Union car service) is not allowed to pick up passengers at Terminal A. Yu have to get yourself to B or C if you want to use them. The reason given was because it was in the town of Elizabeth. They operate in the town of Union. They can, however, drop you off anywhere you want.

That would mean they couldn't pick you up in South Orange or Maplewood, as well. I think Jamie's article is likely the reason.

I thought the article said basically what they told me and I tried to convey. Some sort of taxi laws mean they can't pick up in Elizabeth.

The law doesn't prevent them if they pay Elizabeth's fees. It's not about municipal borders, it's about money.

Semantics. The law requires they pay fees to Elizabeth to service terminal A. They don't want to do that. If you are the consumer the important part is they can't/won't pick up at A so keep that in mind when you travel

Per my original post: I was at Terminal C, not A. Also, what the dispatcher was indicating was that we needed to go to the Marriott (not a different terminal) because they couldn't pick up at the airport. Made no sense then, makes none now.

I found the thing with Uber being ticketed/impounded at EWR. Not sure if this impacts other taxi services.

http://uberpeople.net/threads/newark-airport.4722/

Very interesting. Thanks, sprout.

And, if I'm reading this right, Uber is saying they'll pay the ticket a driver gets?

The driver I had yesterday did pick us up at Departing level (Union Taxi used to do the same), but we sat in back. Also, he told us he'd been going to and from the airport all day.

How different in San Francisco, where Uber and several competitive services appear to be welcomed at the airport with big signs announcing pickup points.

sprout said:
I found the thing with Uber being ticketed/impounded at EWR. Not sure if this impacts other taxi services.
http://uberpeople.net/threads/newark-airport.4722/

http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/04/6_things_to_know_about_uber_as_it_fights_nj_legisl.html#0