Legislature May Pass Statewide Ride-Hailing Law, Nullify City Ordinances

One lawmaker says allowing every city to have its own ordinance is a burden on companies.

By Paul PlahiveApril 4, 2017 9:35 am, , ,

From Texas Public Radio

Twenty cities including San Antonio regulate ride-hailing companies like Uber and Lyft. No two have the same rules, but that would change under bills circulating in the Texas House and Senate.

“Well, the cities don’t really have any authority here,” says Sen. Robert Nichols.

He is the author of a bill that creates a statewide regulation for ride-hailing companies.  He says allowing every city to have its own ordinance is a burden on companies.

“I had the mayor of Ft. Worth in my office a couple weeks ago, she said there were 40 plus cities adjacent to Ft. Worth,” says Nichols.

One in four Uber trips ends in a city other than where it began, says Uber’s Trevor Theunissen.

“A driver who is authorized to pick up in the city of Ft Worth, they can drop off in downtown Dallas but can’t pick up unless they meet the requirements of the city of Dallas as well,” says Theunissen.

Uber is pushing hard for one uniform statewide law, something it has in 37 other states. Uber and Lyft have suspended operation in five Texas cities at one time or another as a result of regulations the companies disliked. That includes San Antonio.

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