UBER SHRUGS: Uber, Lyft halt Austin service after losing vote: “In a dispute that could play out in other cities, Uber and Lyft say new rules required on them in the Austin area, including fingerprinting of drivers, makes its hard for them to continue to follow their business models. The pullback becomes a de facto victory for the taxicab industry, which has seen ride-sharing services turn their business on its ear around the country.”

And yet Austin is frequently described as the “Progressive” corner of Texas.

As Brian Doherty warns at Reason, Austin’s “desire to fingerprint all drivers will drive the e-hailing companies out of the city.”\

UPDATE: Nobody covers all the bases like Austin! Council passes ordinance to delay criminal background checks.

Does Franz Kafka like BBQ? Oh wait, Austin regulates against that, too!