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Undercover Police, Bicycle Officer Ticket Uber Drivers In Fayetteville

FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) – Two drivers for a ride-sharing service were ticketed over the weekend in Fayetteville, after officers said they were illegally operating a...

FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) – Two drivers for a ride-sharing service were ticketed over the weekend in Fayetteville, after officers said they were illegally operating as taxis.

The Uber ride-sharing service debuted in Fayetteville over Labor Day weekend, spurring the city attorney to issue a statement saying anyone operating rides using the service would be breaking the law.

Undercover officers used the service Saturday night around 9 p.m., then ticketed their driver, Aaron Welch, after getting to their destination, according to the Fayetteville Police Department. Welch was cited on suspicion of operating without public convenience and necessity, operating without a taxi permit and operating without a taxi inspection decal, according to the traffic summons issued to the driver.

Another driver, Juan Mendez-Grijalva, was cited in the early hours of Sunday on suspicion of the same charges facing Welch, along with stopping on West Avenue with cars behind him, a traffic summons states. A bicycle officer ticketed Mendez-Grijalva, police said.

City attorney Kit Williams argued last month that Uber is a taxi service that has not followed the regulations and permit process needed for taxi cabs to operate in Fayetteville. City officials declared Uber would be openly breaking the law if they followed through on opening up in Fayetteville. Uber began operating shortly afterward as planned anyway.

An Uber smartphone application connects potential Uber drivers to customers, who alert the drivers via the mobile app that they need a ride.

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