re: Will Über change the modern day taxi service?

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The San Francisco company has hired education technology entrepreneur Tom Hayes as general manager for its New Orleans operation. Hayes, in turn, said Wednesday that he is seeking to hire a marketing manager locally and driver operations manager who would coordinate with drivers and transportation companies participating in the Uber network.

Uber is a mobile application allowing people to order rides from their phones, track the locations of the cars they've hailed, pay for trips electronically and rate their drivers.

Hayes declined to discuss details of Uber's plans in New Orleans, but he said, "Obviously, they've hired me."

"We're working to talk with the various stakeholders across the entire city," Hayes said, citing government and transportation firms.

"We know there's just incredible demand for this on the consumer front," he said.

Like many Uber advocates, Hayes said that the service increases transportation options for customers.

"They'll be in a much better spot and ultimately more satisfied with the choices out there," Hayes said.

The New Orleans Taxicab Bureau last year issued Uber a letter barring it from operating in the city because it lacks the needed registrations under city codes.

Such reactions are familiar to Uber, which has been spreading its service nationally and internationally and encountering regulatory backlashes in spots around the world.

The company often clashes with the established taxi and limousine industry, with critics arguing Uber evades regulations that ensure safety, fair access for customers and protection against price gouging. The company doesn't own cars or employ drivers but acts as a booking service for drivers.

The New Orleans block on Uber prompted an online petition, supported by many members of the city's technology industry, imploring Mayor Mitch Landrieu to allow Uber. By Wednesday, the petition had more than 1,600 signatures.

The situation also drew attention at New Orleans Entrepreneur Week in March when New Orleans boosters Walter Isaacson, a native and bestselling author, and Jim Coulter, a billionaire investor from San Francisco who has taken an interest in New Orleans and invested in Uber, both said the city's response to a service that has become popular in many locations sends a poor message about the climate for new business and technology.

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