Bus Company Tries To Shut Down Online Carpooling Service

from the why,-that's-illegal! dept

Carpooling is exactly the sort of thing that is perfect for a web app -- to match up potential drivers and riders -- but apparently it makes bus companies upset. A Canadian bus company has actually gone so far to try to shut down an online carpool matching service, claiming that it's illegal. The bus company actually had someone go and test out the carpool service, and has now asked the local transportation board in Ottawa to shut down the service. Their argument is that these carpools are unregulated, and the drivers are not licensed and don't have to follow the same regulations that bus and taxi services do. Perhaps that's a reason to re-examine the regulations rather than shutting down the carpooling service, though.

Filed Under: carpools, lawsuits, protectionism, regulations