Uber Technologies Inc., the multibillion dollar ride-hailing service, is not happy with the Jacksonville Aviation Authority over higher fees it claims it must pay to serve passengers on airport property.
In a memo sent to JAA CEO Steven Grossman on Wednesday, Uber’s Florida General Manager Kasra Moshkani said the company is prepared to stop service Monday.
Moshkani stated the authority is violating state law by requiring Uber subsidiary Rasier-DC LLC pay a per-trip fee of $3.25, which is higher than the $2.50 fee taxi companies pay.
“This policy is inconsistent with state law and it is unfair to Jacksonville residents and visitors,” Moshkani wrote.
A new law, signed by Gov. Rick Scott in July, essentially nullified all local regulations on ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft in exchange for state oversight.
The legislation directs airport authorities to sign deals with ride-hailing companies to allow them to collect fares on airport property.
In April, Uber competitor Lyft signed a one-year deal with the authority, which includes the $3.25 per-trip fee.
Lyft’s contract runs from May 1 through April 30, 2018.
Uber has no such deal in place.
The law requires airports to make fees universal for taxis and app-based companies serving airports, which is why Uber is arguing that it should pay the $2.50 taxi rate.
Moshkani writes that Uber is willing to pay back fees from May 1, the day Lyft signed its agreement, as long the authority agrees to force taxicabs to pay the same $3.25 fee.
Uber claims the authority has “refused to budge on its position.”
Jacksonville Aviation Authority did not immediately return a request for comment.
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