Uber Cleared by Court to Operate in Puerto Rico

by Donald Wood
Last updated: 5:45 PM ET, Mon August 15, 2016

On Friday, a judge in Puerto Rico ruled that ride-hailing service Uber cannot be regulated like taxi companies. The decision paves the wave for Uber to continue operating on the Caribbean island.

According to The Associated Press, the court ruled that Uber must operate under rules provided by the Department of Transportation and Public Works. Judge Angel Pagan said the ride-hailing service will follow rules already in place in 33 states and 70 cities.

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Uber officials contested in court that forcing the company to operate under the same rules and regulations as taxi companies would create issues for Puerto Ricans who are trying to work as a driver for the ride-hailing service.

Before dealing with the court case, Uber had only entered the Puerto Rican market a month prior and already had thousands of residents registered as drivers. As part of Uber's plan, the ride-hailing service would help invigorate the territory's struggling economy.

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