Hayashi was aware of the limits of her authority. Regulating limos and black cars was the responsibility of the state, not the city. But she saw an opening: this startup was calling itself UberCab and thus seemed to be marketing itself as a taxi company. She talked to the enforcement division at the Public Utilities Commission of California, which was tasked with regulating limos and town cars, and they orchestrated the joint cease-and-desist. After receiving the threatening letter, Uber promptly asked for a meeting.
