HOBOKEN (WABC) -- Police in Hoboken are cracking down on the rapidly-growing and popular car service Uber, pulling over drivers and forcing passengers to get out.
There is real reason for concern at Hoboken Taxi and other local cab services.
"Especially on the weekends," said employee Milady Mojica, who is the owner's niece. "There's like hundreds of them, hundreds of them."
Mojica says business at their family-run operation is down roughly 60 percent, and she blames the drastic dip on the increasingly popular app-based car service.
"We're going to be out in a couple of months after being here for 30 years," Mojica said.
Police are warning drivers who work for Uber to stop picking up customers or face heavy fines of $1,000 or more.
What's happening is not specific to Hoboken and is potentially is a problem all over New Jersey.
"Under state law, you have to have a commercial license in order to have people in your car and driving in a commercial way," Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer said. "Ultimately, I think it's a great service and recognize it would be really fantastic for Hoboken resident to have this as yet another transportation alternative."
But Uber, which calls itself a technology service and not a transportation service, says even though their drivers do use their own vehicles, they must undergo a rigorous screening process including county, federal and multi-state background checks, driving history checks and vehicle inspections.
"It's disturbing when law enforcement abuses their power to pick one small business owner over another," an Uber spokesperson said.
Changes are in the works, with lawmakers busy sorting out new proposed legislation on this issue, that will likely be on the floor for a vote in October.