This is also a social and economic justice issue (Score 1)

Uber and Lyft have a "select" clientele, that is, people who have smart phones and credit cards. In most cities regulators require licensed operators to transport all riders. Uber and Lyft will not be serving the people who most need transportation services. Many cities, Madison WI for example, do not limit the number of permits available, nor is there any reason for one provider to sell permits to another. Any licensed provider can buy as many permits as they like for virtually nothing compared to the price of medallions in some cities. The United States has a well documented problem with the widening gulf between haves and have-nots. Uber and Lyft exacerbate this problem rather then solve it. Almost all current taxi operations are locally owned. The money spent on the services stays in the community, with drivers and owners as members of the community. Having some folks with dumpsters full of (ad)venture capital scrape money out of local economies and send it along to their already rich shareholders is not a model for healthy communities. Taxi regulations are certainly of variable quality, but we should all respect communities trying to stay safe and economically healthy through regulation.