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On April 13, the state of California issued a cease and desist letter to RydenGo<\/a>, saying that the company had to take down its website. The\u00a0letter stated that the ride-hailing startup was operating without a permit from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).<\/p>\n The problem with the order, according to RydenGo CEO Michael Pappas, is that the company is not yet operating. It does have a website, which is still up, and people who would like to drive for RydenGo<\/a> in the near future are encouraged to sign up for the beta team. But there are no cars to be hailed on the streets yet. \u201cWe don\u2019t have apps or anything for download,\u201d Pappas said in a phone interview. \u201cJust the form to be filled out for the future.\u201d<\/p>\n Pappas called the CPUC and spoke with the man who issued the letter. He was told that he needed to take the website down, and then, according to Pappas, the official hung up on him.<\/p>\n \u201cI have never run into anything like this before,\u201d Pappas said. \u201cI\u2019ve heard of it, but those companies are usually farther along.\u201d He went on to explain that \u201ccircumstances are different because landscapes are different. RydenGo is needling others and challenging the rideshare industry as it is today. It could change the industry in a positive direction.\u201d<\/p>\n He noted that RydenGo is focusing on developing its corporate culture before beginning operations. \u201cThe technology is mature,\u201d Pappas said. \u201cYou can get tech like that [a ride-hailing app] built in months. It\u2019s more important to build the company from the top down and what it stands for. RydenGo is driver- and people-centric. We want to give them control and stop exploitation.\u201d<\/p>\n The idea seems to be\u00a0resonating with people. A week after the cease and desist letter, RydenGo added text to its beta team signup saying that due to the \u201coverwhelming\u201d number of signups, the company would let people add new cities to the company\u2019s short list. Originally, there were about two dozen cities where RydenGo hoped to start operations in the fall; that number could be greater if the beta team is any indication. Several California locations are\u00a0on the original short list, including Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco.<\/p>\n Pappas isn\u2019t arguing with the CPUC\u2019s regulatory role. He understands the need to protect the public and the need for safety, and he agrees with the agency\u2019s role in making that happen. \u201cRide-hailing companies cannot run on the streets with a beta app. I totally understand and see the need for that,\u201d he said. \u201cBut telling us to take down the website \u2014 that was the weird part.\u201d<\/p>\n As of April 28, the order had not been pursued nor rescinded by the state of California.<\/p>\n Featured Image: rydengo<\/small><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![\"The](\"https:\/\/tctechcrunch2011.files.wordpress.com\/2017\/03\/rydengo.jpg?w=680\")
On April 13, the state of California issued a cease and desist letter to RydenGo, saying that the company had to take down its website. The letter stated that the ride-hailing startup was operating without a permit from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). The problem with the order, according to RydenGo CEO Michael Pappas, is that the company is not yet operating. Read More<\/a><\/p>\n\n<\/img><\/a>
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