Ride-hailing service Uber has tapped Government Relations firm Ulman Public Policy & Federal Relations for Capitol Hill representation on labor and transportation issues.
The smartphone-based car service has hired Ulman for help with “innovation in the transportation marketplace,” as well as “issues related to the sharing economy,” according to December lobbying registration documents.
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Uber this week rolled out its driverless-car pilot program in San Francisco to much fanfare, which allows customers the ability to hail self-driving cars from their phones (San Francisco becomes the second Uber market to offer this feature; the company first unveiled its self-driving car program in Pittsburgh in September.).
That rollout was in defiance of California transportation regulators who said Uber does not have the necessary state testing permit to allow autonomous driving on public roads. The California department of motor vehicles this week told Uber that it will face legal action if the company “does not confirm immediately that it will stop its launch and seek a testing permit.”
Uber has argued that the program is only semi-autonomous, because cars in its self-driving fleet still employ a “safety driver” who monitors trips and can take the wheel when necessary.
Uber has spent nearly $1 million in lobbying expenditures ($970,000) this year, more than double what it spent in lobbying fees in 2015 ($470,000). Lobbying groups Uber has hired in 2016 include Franklin Square Group, Heather Podesta & Partners, Capitol Tax Partners, Doerrer Group, Federal Hill Group and Mayer Brown LLP.
Ulman Public Policy and Federal Relations is owned by Josh Ulman, who was formerly the director of labor law policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Missy Edwards Strategies represents Shein Technology Group, the Los Angeles arm of the embattled Singapore-based “instant fashion” retailer.
Carlsbad, a north San Diego County city of 115K people, is looking for a firm to provide government relations and Sacramento lobbying services.
Gordon Sondland, who was US ambassador to the European Union under Donald Trump, has registered as a representative of Ukraine’s cabinet and ministers.
The Daschle Group is representing Santa Monica-based Stand with Hong Kong Action, an advocacy group that fights to end Chinese repression in Hong Kong.
McKinsey & Co. has reached out to Republican shop Harbinger Strategies to educate policymakers about the activities of the embattled management consultancy.
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