Woburn taxi operator urges city to address perceived insurance 'double standard' for ride-hail services

John J. Devine, representing Woburn Cab Company, told the public-safety and licensing committee that local taxi operators face an uneven regulatory playing field compared with ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft.

Devine said the city requires taxi operators to meet licensing and insurance standards that cost his business roughly $5,250 per vehicle to register and insure, while he asserted some ride-hail operators do not carry equivalent coverage for passengers. He described enforcement challenges and gave examples of collisions involving ride-hail vehicles where, he said, claims were not covered. Devine urged the city to ‘‘fix’’ what he called a double standard so licensed cabs can compete fairly.

Councilors and staff responded that much of rideshare regulation and insurance oversight is set at the state level — historically by the Department of Public Utilities and, as discussed in the hearing, more recently under Department of Public Safety or its equivalent — and that municipalities have limited legal authority to regulate vehicles registered and operating from outside the city. Committee members cited prior state studies on for-hire regulation and recommended further conversation, data requests to the state (for example a DPU database of locally registered drivers) and coordination with state agencies. The discussion did not produce a formal policy change; committee members agreed to continue examining the issue and to consider next steps that may include seeking state-level action.