Uber wants to expand its business beyond New York City into the rest of the state. To do it, the popular ride-sharing service is marketing itself as a way to keep college students safe.
Uber wants the state legislature to approve the expansion as a way to protect students who have been binge drinking, or are out at bars—and, of course, make money in the process, The New York Times reported.
Syracuse University is just one example of a university pushing to have Uber implemented in the area. Aysha Seedat, the university’s student association president, said that there aren’t enough cabs in the area to get students home safely after a night out. Plus, the availability of Uber can help reduce the risk of drunk driving, or having to find a sober student available to drive others around, she said.
“We’re going to take an Uber, and we’re not going to take any chances,” Seedat said in an interview with the newspaper.
There’s support from some lawmakers, too. Per the publication:
Last week, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, a Democrat, signaled that he wanted to create a statewide licensing system for ride-hailing companies. As Mayor Bill de Blasio, a Democrat, quarreled with Uber this summer over his proposal to cap the number of for-hire vehicles in New York City, Mr. Cuomo praised the company for creating jobs.
For more on Uber, Coins2Day recently covered the company’s elaborate plan to minimize its tax bill.