Uber continues to find itself in the midst of trade secret-related controversy. Last Wednesday, the Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal affirmed the trial court’s decision in ordering Broward County to produce redacted monthly Uber reports to Yellow Cab. These monthly reports contain information regarding the number of pickups and drop-offs, time stamps, latitude and longitude, and driver’s license plate information. Following the trial court’s in camera inspection of the un-redacted reports, it held that the “aggregate number of pick-ups and the sum of money paid by [Uber] to the County as a usage fee at the [airport] does not constitute trade secret information such that it would be exempt found no abuse of discretion by the trial court, noting that the Public Records Act is construed “liberally and favors openness”, and citing Cotter v Lyft, Inc., No. 13-cv-04065-VC, 2016 WL 3654454, at *2 (N.D. Cal. June 23, 2016), which held that Lyft’s commissions and revenue from certain products were not trade secrets. The Court thus held that “[n]othing indicates the fees or total pickups provide an advantage to Yellow Cab or that Uber derives independent economic value from keeping that information secret.”
Case: Rasier-DC, LLC v. B & L Serv., Inc., 4D16-3070, 2018 WL 354557 (Fla. 4th Dist. App. Jan. 10, 2018).