Intellectual Property Law
Cabbies Sue, Say GPS Risks Trade Secrets
Posted Sep 19, 2007, 07:25 pm CST
By Martha Neil
Fearful of an invasion of privacy that could allow others to take advantage of a valuable trade secret—the best driving routes to find fares—New York cabdrivers have filed suit to block new rules requiring the installation of GPS and other new technology.
While not all taxi drivers and cab owners object to the costly equipment, a cabdriver alliance sued New York taxicab regulators today saying that new rules requiring global positioning systems (and computer monitoring of drivers' whereabouts) are unconstitutional, reports the Associated Press.
Says the suit: "Each taxi driver regards his or her own pattern as proprietary."