Buffalo's lack of ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft was called the city's 'black eye' by local leaders in the hospitality and tourism industry.
"It's like a black eye on the region. You know we consistently get knocked for being behind and we're really not anymore," said Erie County Legislator Joseph Lorigo.
"We're the second largest city in the state. This is the opposite of the new Buffalo. Every time we think we're making progress and people come here, they say 'no, not so much. They don't even have Uber,'" said Dottie Gallagher-Cohen, President and CEO of the Buffalo Niagara Partnership.
Senator Chris Jacobs and Assemblyman Mickey Kearns were also in attendance, saying they would fight to bring ridesharing to Western New York in 2017.
Leaders from Visit Buffalo Niagara said the lack of ridesharing diminishes all the good aspects of the region when visitors leave, frustrated they weren't able to get use an app to secure a ride.
