PITTSBURGH _ Encouraged by signs that regulatory hurdles in Pennsylvania could be easing, Uber announced Thursday it is expanding to the seven counties surrounding Pittsburgh and several areas throughout the state.
Beginning Thursday, Uber became available in the following counties: Washington, Greene, Fayette, Westmoreland, Indiana, Armstrong and Butler, according to a press release and blog post.
The move to cover the most populated areas of southwestern Pennsylvania is a part of 11 regional expansions across the state by the San Francisco-based ride-hailing company. Uber is starting new service in DuBois, Greater Williamsport, Johnstown, Altoona and Gettysburg, while broadening existing service territories around Erie, Lehigh Valley and the Wilkes-Barre areas.
After the expansions, Uber said it will reach 93 percent of Pennsylvanians, up from 77 percent of residents currently able to hail a ride from their smartphone.
Though much of its new territory may seem rural, the company said it saw an opportunity in serving smaller towns, particularly those with colleges.
"Uber is making it possible to push a button and get a ride in minutes, no matter where you are. With students gearing up for the fall semester, we think Uber can also help provide a safe alternative to drunk driving," the company said in a statement. "Our mission is cover every ZIP code in the state, and this expansion takes us one big step closer to that goal."
Uber is also pressing for state legislators to give ride-hailing services permanent authority to operate statewide. When Uber, along with its ride-share rival Lyft, moved into Pittsburgh in early 2014, both were granted temporary, experimental licenses to operate. A bill that would grant such authority overwhelmingly passed the Senate last November but has stalled in the House Consumer Affairs Committee.
A key sticking point to permanent authority has been strong resistance of taxi cab companies in Philadelphia. Last month, however, the Philadelphia Parking Authority, the city regulatory agency governing cabs, reached a temporary agreement to allow Uber to operate legally in Philadelphia until Sept. 30.
"With positive momentum in Harrisburg and Philadelphia, we're more confident in Uber's long term prospects in Pennsylvania," the company said.
