Island taxi drivers appealed to local government this week to address the threat of Uber, a technology-based ride sharing service they fear could dismantle their industry.

In a letter addressed to Edgartown officials and signed by 11 taxicab drivers, attorney Daniel Larkosh asked selectmen to “protect the public from unlicensed and unregulated taxis operating within the town of Edgartown.”

The company, which held an informational meeting for prospective drivers this week, operates through a free mobile phone application where users can request rides based on availability and geographic location. Unlike the 19 taxi companies which are each licensed by one of five Island towns, it’s still unclear whether Uber, which isn’t an official livery service and has a fleet of private cars as well as taxis, would have to be licensed.

Last week, an Uber representative told the Gazette that they were in the early stages of looking into service on Martha's Vineyard, and they were advertising to see if anyone was interested in signing up to be a driver.

At a meeting of the Edgartown selectmen Monday, Island cab drivers asked for help in their fight against Uber.

Melaney West, whose company Stagecoach Taxi holds 12 cab licenses in Edgartown, said there was no limit to the impact of Uber on her business as well as town infrastructure, parking, and traffic.

“They need to be duly licensed by somebody,” she told the selectmen. “I would ask that while this process is ongoing, you consider a cease and desist order so that this doesn’t snowball into a larger problem.”

While sympathetic to their concerns, selectmen said the matter was in the hands of town counsel, who represents five Island towns and has been researching the issue from a regional standpoint.

“If you carried this out to its end, and it destroyed the taxi business on Martha’s Vineyard and they all disappeared, it wouldn’t be helpful to the Island,” selectman Arthur Smadbeck. “We are doing what we can do within the regulations and laws.”

Uber, which has established an international presence, has faced opposition from taxi companies who have pushed for tighter regulations.

But many riders have embraced the app, which tells them when a car will arrive and provides driver ratings and fare estimates for each trip.

The company was valued at more than $41 billion in December, according to the Wall Street Journal.

“It’s your town counsel against their high-powered corporate attorneys,” said Alpha Taxi owner Benoit Baldwin. “That is the battle that is playing out across the nation.”

Last week, Gov. Charlie Baker filed legislation to regulate companies like Uber by requiring contracted drivers to pass a background check and mandating vehicle inspections.

“A diverse transportation network is key to our future economic growth and our collaboration will ensure customers have safe and reliable choices when they travel,” Mr. Baker said in a press release.

The legislation does not speak to local licensure.

In Oak Bluffs, town leaders who discussed the issue briefly at the selectmen’s meeting Tuesday seemed resigned to the inevitable.

“Long story short, there is not a lot we can do about it,” said police chief Erik Blake.