SCRANTON -- A new company that offers rides to customers via a smartphone app has expanded to the Scranton and Wilkes-Barre area, and everywhere Uber has operated has had tradition cab companies crying foul.
Instead of calling a cab and scheduling a pickup or waiting for one to come by, Uber allows people to book rides and even see how far away their car is with the help of their smartphone.
Uber just launched in the Scranton and Wilkes-Barre area on Friday.
Uber's website doesn't mention the word cab and says the service is not "a transportation provider" and that is what has some people upset.
To some, Uber is more than a German word. It's a way to get from one place to another without having to wait for a cab.
"It's convenient. It really is. I've used it a couple of times before. I like it more than taxicabs I've taken before in New York City," said Monica Hlinka, a student at the University of Scranton.
"My son is going to use it to go skiing at Montage from here at Scranton," said Fran Galli of New Jersey.
Newswatch 16 tried the service for ourselves. All you do is check in on the Uber app and find an Uber driver near you. Once you request the driver and they accept, they pick you up and drive where you need to be. As opposed to taxis, all money is exchanged through the app with a credit card, or PayPal.
We rode along with Carlyle Robinson of Wyoming, who works in the grocery business, but now picks up some money on the side as an Uber driver.
"It's great. There's no requirements how many hours you put in a week. If you want to go on vacation that's not a problem," Robinson said.
Robinson had to pass a background check and have a car of his own that's a 2005 or newer model to be a driver.
"I've made over $200 so far this week and it'll be a big help to supplement my income," Robinson said.
Businesses in downtown Scranton say this new service could help bring more people to the area to shop and eat.
"Being that you have the University, Marywood, and Lackawanna, I think it's going to really get good usage from college kids," said Jenn Coco with Backyard Ale House.
But not everyone thinks Uber is playing by the rules. It took Mercedes Adames two years and more than $120,000 to start Yellow Cab of Lackawanna this year. She says Uber didn't have to go through the same hurdles, including getting a business license.
"It took me two years to get the license with the state and now someone comes over and without a license, any driver can come in and make some money," Adames said.
One of the biggest safety issues Adames has with Uber is that there's no way to guarantee that the driver who passed the background check for Uber is actually your Uber driver.
"How can you tell if the person who is going to pick up the passenger is going to be the same person who registered with Uber? How can you tell? There's a security issue here," said Adames.
Right now, Uber is available in the biggest cities in Pennsylvania and now in Wilkes-Barre and Scranton.
Adamis says she plans to find out what she can do to stop the service from continuing in the area.