They may have better cars and customer service, I'm not denying that could be the case. But what I am saying is that without licensing, there is no way to regulate and ensure that drivers have commercial insurance and go through a background check. Without the licensing oversight, we're just left with Uber saying "trust us, we're doing it."

The licensing requirement was borne from necessity, not just to be a PIA to taxi companies. Having said that, there should be more flexibility in the laws for ride apps.