Uber bases suspended after refusing to hand over trip records

Five Uber bases were suspended Tuesday when they refused to submit their electronic trip records to the Taxi and Limousine Commission.

The agency had requested trip data from 16 bases between April and September, including five of Uber’s TLC-licensed bases.

Even though the other bases complied, the smartphone app company refused to hand them over, saying it would violate their constitutional rights and share trade secrets.

The agency needs the data to make decisions that will affect the taxi industry, as well as investigate passenger complaints.

“This data has very real significance to policy, and also to the safety of the riding public,” said TLC spokesman Allan Fromberg.

He added that the company committed to sharing its trip data when it came to New York as part of a pilot project, as well as when it opened bases.

A judge from the independent OATH Taxi and Limousine Tribunal suspended the bases Weiter, Hinter, Schmecken, Danach and Unter in a hearing Tuesday — finding them guilty of violating the city’s rules.

The decision said they offered no evidence that they would lose their competitive edge by handing over the data to the TLC — or that their privacy was being violated by the city.

“Uber continues to operate legally in New York City, with tens of thousands of partner drivers and hundreds of thousands of riders relying on the Uber platform for economic opportunity and safe, reliable rides,” the company said in a statement.

“We are continuing a dialogue with the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission on these issues.”

It also said it was using its remaining base, Grun, to dispatch calls for its drivers.

Uber will have to pay a $200 penalty per base, and comply with the city to reopen the five bases that were closed down.

Agency rules require bases to comply with all directives from the agency.

Some industry groups were critical of Uber on Tuesday for not handing over the records to the TLC.

“The fact that Uber is unwilling to provide this routine data makes us question what they are concealing,” said Tweeps Phillips Woods, of the Committee for Taxi Safety, which represents medallion owners.

A group that reps livery drivers also praised the decision. “However, Uber claims that it continues its operations in spite of the suspension,” said the Livery Roundtable in a statement. “The real test of how the city will react starts now.”

Uber has struggled with the law around the globe, from Germany to Brazil to Canada.

In December, the district attorneys for San Francisco and LA sued the company, alleging it illegally serviced airports and misrepresented background checks.

They are seeking a permanent injunction to require the app to stop violating California law.