The Superior Court for the District of Columbia reinstated its contempt orders against rideshare alternative Empower and its CEO Joshua Sear on Friday, resuming daily multi-thousand-dollar fines against the company and Sear. With no clear path to continue operations, it seems likely that Empower will be forced to cease operations, depriving thousands of independent drivers and money-conscious riders in and around D.C. of a convenient, inexpensive transportation option.
The battle between the rideshare company and district officials has been years in the making and has centered around the legality of Empower's operations in the city. Empower originally argued that it is not a private vehicle-for-hire company—and is thus not subject to certain district regulations and fees—because it did not employ drivers.
