The Boston Taxi Driver’s Association (BTDA) held a “rolling rally” outside Uber’s Boston headquarters Thursday afternoon to protest the app that allows users to request a car through their phone, Boston.com reports.
Uber, which allows users to watch the driver approach their pickup site on a map, has stolen cab company business: according to a BTDA release, Uber has cut taxi business by 30 percent.
The taxi drivers have argued that because Uber is unregulated its car service poses a public safety threat. Uber drivers are not vetted by the city. Uber says that its customer rating system guarantees quality: after each ride a customer rates the driver, and anyone with a rating below four stars receives a reprimand.
Taxis circled the headquarters from 2 p.m. until 3 p.m. Thursday honking as they went.
Many Twitter users complained of the loud noise and the seeming inefficiency of the protest.
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Write to Eliana Dockterman at eliana.dockterman@time.com