Uber car service comes to Southwest Florida

LEE COUNTY, Fla.- Uber is now picking up and dropping off people in Southwest Florida. The car service works like a taxi but drivers use their own cars and people use an app to get a ride.

With just a simple click,  an Uber driver will be at your service. The company’s app shows a driver’s name, what car they’re driving and their route to get to you.

Uber driver Steven Sapp showed up within a few minutes at WINK News.

“We just opened up at 12 and it’s 2:30, I started myself at 1:30 so I’m really just experiencing you as my first ride,” said Sapp.

Sapp uses his own personal vehicle to drive his customers around and works only when he wants to.

A spokesman for the company tells WINK News their drivers go through extensive background checks and are insured personally, and by Uber, when a client is in their car.

“Our vehicles are all clean and well kept so you’re having a nice ride,” said Sapp.

Phil Griffin, the owner of SWFL Transportation Group, says he doesn’t mind the competition.

“I think it’s going to be a fad so I think definitely if they do a good job, I know were gonna try harder to do a better job. All I ask is they go by the same rules and regulations all the other companies have to go by,” said Griffin.

Griffin says Uber uses a loophole to avoid local regulations.

“We have to have certain equipment in our car, means our drivers have to be background checked it means the insurance check has to be checked on a regular basis. Uber says they do all this but they do it from the Netherlands which I know from 20 years experience, I have trouble doing a county, much less the world.”

Uber confirms its car service is as reliable, and usually cheaper, than most taxis.