The Laredo City Council will meet Tuesday, March 28 for a special called meeting to discuss and amend Chapter 32, Article II of the Municipal Code, the city’s existing regulations for vehicles for hire and taxicab drivers.
At the core of the discussion will be Lyft, the transportation network company (TNC) that began operation in Laredo on March 23 and was subsequently stopped with a cease and desist letter from the Laredo City Attorney on March 24.
There is no language in Chapter 32, Article II that addresses TNCs like Lyft, which are defined as companies that use online enabled platforms — like websites and mobile apps — to connect paying passengers with drivers who provide transportation in the driver’s non-commercial vehicle.
The ride sharing service is considered a technology platform that facilitates ride sourcing.
Lyft has promoted and accepted regulations to ensure the public safety of its passengers and has asked government bodies not to force-fit onto it regulations that hinder the growth of an emerging industry. The company has a zero-tolerance drug and alcohol policy and requires criminal background checks for drivers, vehicle inspections, GPS tracking, primary liability insurance, and minimum age requirements for drivers.
Colorado has enacted legislation that stipulates that TNCs like Lyft “require a different regulatory scheme because they operate an online-based digital network.” The language of the legislation reads, “Transportation Network Companies are not common carriers or contract carriers.”
A Scripps College student named Alice Wang wrote in 2015 of the results of a study she conducted on the impact of TNCs on the taxi industry. She analyzed the data of Uber, Lyft, and Sidecar and compared the data to trends in taxi employment from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. She found that TNCs offer shorter wait times, cheaper prices, and increased convenience. She said that TNCs fill a void that taxi companies are unable to provide.
Tuesday’s agenda item to be considered is supported by a Council majority and is co-sponsored by five Council members — Roberto Balli, George Altgelt, Albert Torres, Vidal Rodriguez, and Rudy Gonzalez.
What councilmember proposed the agenda?