City Council over a year ago tried to figure out a way to regulate ride-sharing companies like Uber and Lyft.
Members couldn’t find a resolution and punted to the Florida Legislature to take it up during the springtime session.
But, a bill to create insurance requirements for the technology-based ridesharing companies stalled.
Council members now want to accelerate the process again.
A council subcommittee led by Matt Schellenberg has been formed to revisit the local side of the issue. To do so will mean reviewing long-deferred bills filed in the past year and reaching out to legislators to find out if, in fact, they might address the topic when the next session starts in January.
“Each city is basically on their own,” said Schellenberg, recalling what the consensus was on the issue during a recent National League of Cities convention.
Schellenberg and Council President Greg Anderson met on the topic Monday. As in the past, they weren’t alone.
Representatives from several area taxicab and traditional transportation services also were at the table. And like in meetings last year, they spoke up.
“It’s an issue because of an unlevel playing field,” said Marcus Blount, CEO of Executive Cab.
He said his main concern was inaction after more than a year of talking.
“No offense, but it sounds like the same rhetoric,” he told them.
For instance, he said his business took a 90 percent hit during the Florida-Georgia football game — a day that normally generates big business.
He attributed it to digital rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft.
“We’re bleeding to death here,” said Brad Braddock, general manager of Check Cab & Shuttle.
Traditional taxicab companies contend the upstart, lucrative app-based companies have an unfair advantage by not adhering to city regulations.
Cab companies must have commercial insurance, regular city inspections and “medallions” — city-issued tokens that show they are OK to be in business.
Those medallions cost $100 per car, and commercial insurance is more expensive than personal insurance regular drivers carry.
Steve Diebenow, a local attorney representing Lyft, said ridesharing companies also want a level playing field with the traditional companies.
“We just want a different playing field,” he said.
He maintained Lyft’s standards are higher than the city’s and require three times as much insurance as a taxicab, a stringent background check on drivers and regular vehicle inspections.
One idea floated that could help cab companies was passing a moratorium on some of the fees due at the beginning of the year. Typically, the medallions have to be purchased then, but it was suggested those should be put on hold while council decides how to handle the issue.
Two bills are in committee.
One would incorporate transportation network companies like Uber and Lyft into the existing vehicle-for-hire code and increase enforcement efforts.
The other would break them out into their own section.
Both will be looked at by the subcommittee that will have a report back to Anderson by the end of March.
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