Letter | Myrtle Beach: Time to embrace the Uber revolution or lose tourists

Time to embrace Uber revolution

Editor’s note: Since this letter was written, Myrtle Beach has begun allowing Uber drivers to operate in the city if they purchase a business license.

Re March 18 article, “Myrtle Beach police cite Uber taxi driver twice in one week for driving without business license.”

As an Uber driver I am puzzled by Myrtle Beach’s insistence on making our lives so difficult by issuing citations and demanding we get certain licenses.

Myrtle Beach is allowing technology to pass them by. Uber is nothing more than another option for the consumer in deciding how to use their dollars for transportation.

According to taxifarefinder.com, it costs $50 to take a cab from the south 1300 block of North Myrtle Beach to Broadway at the Beach. With Uber, the cost is $31.

In Myrtle Beach, the consumers are our tourists, and if they want to use Uber that is their decision to make and drivers should not be punished with steep fines and licensing fees. Very few Uber customers that I have had are locals.

Most of my customers are either golfers on a getaway or college students on spring break. My customers prefer Uber to taxis, as Uber contracts that our cars be clean, well kept and tuned up.

If we do not offer the best in customer service, then Uber will deactivate us, no questions asked. We are performing a service, and without a doubt we are keeping some DUI’s from ever occurring.

We operate in all of Horry County. Where do the regulations stop?

I am not aware of any other jurisdiction in the county harassing drivers - just cash starved Myrtle Beach.

If Myrtle Beach does not learn to grow with technology, tourists just may go somewhere else for their vacations.

Does the city really want that tourist money going to another Atlantic beach community?

This story was originally published July 26, 2015 at 5:17 AM with the headline "Letter | Myrtle Beach: Time to embrace the Uber revolution or lose tourists."