Uber doubles number of drivers—just as de Blasio feared

Crain's New York reports:

The Uber wave that prompted Mayor Bill de Blasio to try to cap the ride-share company's growth appears to be gaining strength: The number of Uber drivers in New York City has almost doubled in the past year, and fare revenue per driver also has increased, according to the company.

Last September, 10,000 UberX drivers, which operate as black cars, were roaming the streets of New York City. By March 2015, about 13,000 car-service drivers were using Uber's app to arrange rides with passengers. By September, that number had grown to 20,000, as well as another 4,000 yellow- and green-cab drivers who can be hailed through Uber. Taken together with the company's limo, SUV and carpool services, there are now over 30,000 Uber-affiliated vehicles in New York City today.

Bill de Blasio's haunting fear: the taxi cartel will have less money to "contribute" to him.