By Michael Hill
Correspondent

For web hosting company owner, Jon, who doesn’t want us to use his last name, “Uber rocks!”

As in rocks the boat of the taxi and limo industry in New Jersey.

Uber is a multi billion dollar app on a smart phone. Through the app, passengers find drivers using the driver’s personal car to get from point A to point B.

“Drivers get a beep on our phone that says you have a passenger request, press here to accept it. That’s how it works,” said Jon.

Jon says he’s had 500 ride shares since December without an issue and he has a 4.9 rating out of 5 and he’s earned some good money.

He says he’s insured through Uber the minute he opens the app. Jon says he keeps this commercial enterprise from his car insurance carrier because the carrier would cancel his policy.

“It could be a real financial disaster for somebody who takes upon themselves either to drive with a personalized policy or to make that determination that they’re not going to tell their insurance company because, in fact that is illegal to do so,” said Loretta Worters of the Insurance Information Institute.

And what about a license to do this?

Uber says, “It’s a technology company — not a transportation company. We don’t employ drivers or won vehicles. Ridesharing is a new paradigm and we;re working with New Jersey policymakers to modernize transportation regulations and develop frameworks that protect rider and driver safety, expand consumer choice, and increase opportunities for drivers.”

On how Uber can operate without a limo license, Jon said, “Basically everybody’s sneaking around doing that. They’re sneaking around.”

The Limo Association of New Jersey and the state Motor Vehicle Commission both say Uber drivers using their personal cars are supposed to be licensed by the town they operate out of.

Licensed taxi and limo drivers in this area have very little good to say about Uber and the competition. One cab driver says he’s lost 50 percent of his business thanks to Uber.

“Now hardly make living, very hard,” said Sam Tawdrous.

Tawdrous has been driving a cab for AA Taxi in Jersey City for five years and wants the rules to apply to Uber drivers as well.

“If they come and work with the same rules that we work with, then welcome, but when they come with their own rules, it’s very hard to compete with,” he said.

Jon says it’s about the free market.

“They’re free to choose a cab and yet there’s so many people screaming, No we can’t allow this, it’s illegal, as it’s some moral crime,” he said.

The Limo Association says it hopes to reign in the Uber ride-sharing industry with some legislation just introduced into the state Assembly.