SUMMER/FALL 2016 INFLUENCE | 97 Orlando and its environs are no strangers to disruption. All you need to do is hearken back to October 1, 1971, when Disney World opened the gates to the Magic Kingdom — and EVERYTHING changed. Swampland, cattle pastures and orange groves have been transformed into the most-visited destination in the U.S., with a record 66 million tourists in 2015, Visit Orlando reported in May. Orlando is now the third largest metro area in Florida. While the word “disruption” wasn’t in the lexicon 45 years ago, it’s thrown around with abandon nowadays. And today, Orlando’s great disruption is getting a tech-based disruption of its own, particularly as it relates to “sharing economy” services such as Uber and Airbnb. TAXIS VERSUS ‘THE EXISTENTIAL THREAT’ The worldwide phenomenon known as ridesharing came to Florida in Orlando in June of 2014, and — as has been the case in virtually every other community around the world — the clash between this dynamic new business model and age-old regulations hasn’t been smooth, to say the least. After several months of negotiations, the city and Uber announced they had reached a compromise in December 2014. Gone was an initial request/demand that Uber and Lyft would have to charge 25 percent more than regular taxis. In was the city’s decision to reduce the cost for vehicles for-hire permits from $500 to $250. Subsequent negotiations led to the city agreeing to an Uber request to allow new applicants to fill out permit applications online, versus having the drivers make their way to City Hall. But then Uber failed to follow through on what they had agreed to. “It’s kind of a lose-lose for the city,” says Roger Chapin, executive vice president of public affairs for Mears Transportation, the self-described “cornerstone of transportation” in the Central Florida region. “They said ‘we’ll lower the price (for permits) and we’ll sign up twice as many drivers.’ Well, they lowered the price and Uber didn’t sign up any of the drivers online,” Chapin added. There were a few drivers, Orlando officials say, but Bryan Brooks, Orlando’s chief administrative officer, confesses that after all the time it took to negotiate the deal, the lack of follow-through on Uber’s part was a disappointment. “We really went into it with good faith,” he maintains. “We’ve not gotten any evidence that they intend to comply with this.” Javi Correoso, Uber’s public affairs manager for Florida, would only say regarding this issue that negotiations are continuing between the two parties. Uber’s battles with the taxi industry and local governments in Florida has been well noted in recent years, and in July 2015 the company dropped out of the Broward County market after complaining of onerous regulations being placed upon them. As angry emails from Uber customers clogged their computers over the course of the next couple of months, and the county commission reversed course last October, allowing Uber and Lyft to self-regulate when it came to vetting drivers’ background and auto inspections. Subsequent deals came together earlier this year in Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties, but neither Uber nor Lyft have reached compliance agreements with Orlando/Orange County, Hillsborough County or Jacksonville. During the 2016 legislative session, Uber was aggressive in calling out Senate President Andy Gardiner as being the obstacle to any deal being sought. The company targeted the Orlando-based legislator in both digital and radio ads during the waning weeks of the session. They also employed old-fashioned daily mail inserts, calling on local residents to contact him to get behind a bill passed in the House by Fort Walton Beach Republican Matt Gaetz that, among its other provisions, would pre-empt local governments like Orlando from creating any regulations when it The worldwide phenomenon known as ridesharing came to Florida and the clash between this dynamic new business model and age-old regulations hasn’t been smooth, to say the least. TOP PHOTO: Mary Beth Tyson; OPENER ART (previous page): Andy Marlette ... Gasoline vs Electric Uber vs Taxi Hotel vs Airbnb ... Change is the only constant in life. CENTRAL FLORIDA
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