Uber Multiplies Lobbying Efforts At TNC Ground Zero

Uber now spends more on lobbyists in California than Wal-Mart, Bank of America or Wells Fargo.

And for good reason: The 6-year-old transportation network company needs powerful friends as it faces two serious regulatory challenges in the state — a move to reclassify its drivers as employees, not independent contractors, and a demand to turn over to state officials data on every Uber ride.

So far in 2015, Uber has paid about $200,000 to lobbyists. That's more than 10 times the amount spent by the limousine industry and nearly four times greater than the taxi industry's trade group.

"Every single day they have lobbyists knocking on doors," said Gary Buffo, president of the National Limousine Association, who also operates a company out of Petaluma. "I have a business to run. We don't have the money to fund 10 lobbying firms with people around Sacramento all day long."

Los Angeles Times article here