GULF SHORES, AL – Officials from Gulf Shores and Orange Beach have voiced several concerns about the ridesharing service Uber operating in the coastal towns.

On Jan. 22 Uber cried “uncle” and emailed past customers telling them the service would no longer be available in the two towns. Both towns are looking for ways to have Uber drivers and the company adhere to the same rules for current taxi companies.

“The Uber issue is one of them having business licenses, background checks and vehicle inspections and insurance,” Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon said. There are 32 taxi franchises following these rules in Orange Beach and 13 in Gulf Shores.

Orange Beach placed a moratorium on new taxi franchises in August, one that is set to run out next month. On Jan. 19 councilmembers decided to let the moratorium expire.

“The whole reason for the moratorium is because of Uber,” Councilman Jeff Boyd said. “The only thing we’re doing is rewarding Uber by having a moratorium so nobody can come get a franchise license and pay the fees anyway.”

In Gulf Shores when the city determined Uber was illegally operating without a franchise agreement or business license, a cease and desist letter was issued along with an invitation to Uber company officials to work with the city to obtain necessary licensing.

At the end of Monday’s regular city council meeting Mayor Robert Craft went on to say the revenue department and city attorney are prepared to work with Uber to develop a local regulatory framework for ridesharing as quickly as possible.

“What we’re doing with that process is we’re waiting to get an application from Uber,” Craft said. “Whoever the Uber guru is they have not presented any application of any type of permit. I’ve they want us to move they have to ask us to move, submit something we can react to.

“We have received copies of ordinances of how Uber works in other areas and how it blends with taxi operations. We will be reviewing that internally. We will be considering something for them if we find something we think is appropriate for the community.”

Also on Monday Craft said Uber had put out a list of the email addresses for both mayors and all council members in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach urging people to complain. Some received as many as 300 emails.

“Some of them were informative and helpful but there were a lot of them that were really not appropriate,” Craft said of the emails. “The Uber people were passing information that Gulf Shores and Orange Beach don’t want us, really a negative comment. It didn’t do a lot to build a relationship for us to figure out how to work with them.”

Taxi company representative Jeff Beach said he just wants Uber to be compliant like other cab and limo companies in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.

“It’s not that we don’t want competition,” Beach said. “We want an even playing field.”

Part of Uber’s email to customers reads:

“Since Uber came to the Alabama Gulf Coast in early June, we've been welcomed by riders like you who rely on the safe transportation our driver-partners provide. But the mayors and city councilmembers of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach have ordered Uber to cease operations and to no longer provide safe, reliable rides to Alabama Gulf Coast residents and visitors.

“As a result, you will no longer be able to use the Uber app in Gulf Shores or Orange Beach beginning on Jan. 22 at midnight. We're committed to riders on the Alabama Gulf Coast, and stand ready to work with local officials to create sensible regulatory framework for ridesharing.”

It was in this email Uber also urged customers to email officials in both cities with their complaints about the stance both cities are taking.

“If you'd like to help bring back the Uber you know and love, you can start by emailing the Mayors and City Councilmembers of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach and share how you'll be impacted without access to Uber,” it read.