Uber Command Post Established in Hoboken

So… what’s the deal with Uber in Hoboken?

“On behalf of the citizens of Hoboken, I am very excited to welcome Uber to Hoboken and congratulate you on opening your first office in New Jersey. We’re honored and proud that you chose Hoboken for your first New Jersey office,” said Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer at yesterday’s ribbon cutting.

Yet Hoboken’s Finest have been known to crackdown on Uber drivers, with threads on Uber Driver forums citing (unconfirmed) run-ins as recently as last month and the facebook page “Hoboken Uber Lovers” monitoring reported police activity—leaving drivers and riders alike with a lot of questions about the legality of the rideshare service.

“Some of you may know that 56% of our residents commute to work every day by public transportation–a higher rate than any other city in the country,” noted Mayor Zimmer at yesterday’s ceremony. “As the most transit-dependent city in the country, Uber provides many Hoboken residents with a valuable transportation option. Uber has revolutionized the transportation industry and provides a much-needed supplement to traditional taxis that is valued by thousands of people here in Hoboken and across the state.”

As far back as April 2014, Zimmer has been actively advocating for Uber and similar rideshare companies to be legally sanctioned in New Jersey. While the turf wars take place in the streets of Hoboken, the legislative battles are in Trenton, as the State’s taxi lobby contests Uber’s relatively lax regulation.

Meanwhile, as Mayor Zimmer stated, “People value the choice that Uber provides. So I’m very glad to be here to join everyone to celebrate a new business, a new neighbor, and a valued member of the transportation ecosystem in Hoboken and New Jersey. Again, congratulations on opening your first New Jersey office and welcome to Hoboken.”

What does that mean for Hoboken Uber riders and drivers?  As we said in this story back in April, “Your guess is as good as ours…”