New York credit unions that collectively manage more than $2 billion in taxi medallion loans are appealing a court ruling, which rejected their argument that regulatory treatment of medallion taxicabs violated the equal protection clause under the U.S. Constitution.

The credit unions, which sued the city of New York and its Taxi and Limousine Commission, argued the medallion taxicab industry is required to comply with state regulations. Uber, Lyft, Gett and other mobile app ridesharing services, however, operate without being required to comply with the same regulations.  Such disparate treatment violates the equal protection clause under the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, the credit unions claimed.

In a March 30 ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Alison J. Nathan ruled there was no disparate treatment because a mobile app ridesharing service is not the same as hailing a medallion cab on the street.