Uber (app pictured above) and Lyft have both been hustling for market share in Nashville since they arrived late last year, but they have been technically illegal, according to city officials.
Nashville city officials have unveiled proposed regulations for rideshare companies like Lyft and Uber, following months of criticism from cab companies that the new services create an uneven playing field.
The proposal would create a new classification for ride-sharing smartphone apps that connect drivers to passengers. Placing them under the title of “transportation network company,” the rules call for an annual permit and that drivers pass background checks and obtain the same insurance as any other taxi service, in addition to being subject to random inspections.
Lyft and Uber have maintained that they’re a logistical business, not a taxi business, putting them above local taxi rules. But city officials like Billy Fields of the Transportation Licensing Commission differ.
“We wanted to be fair,” Fields said. “We looked at how they operate in other cities, looked at what their model is, how they work, and I think we came up with something that they can live with.”
In other cities, Uber has lobbied against regulations with radio ads urging lawmakers to nix a proposal that would require the company’s drivers to have expensive insurance.
Fields said Nashville’s proposed rules should be more palatable than what has been offered in other parts of the country. Still, violating the rules could trigger a citation from Nashville transportation officials.
The Transportation License Commission will hold a public hearing on the regulations on Oct. 30 at 1:30 p.m. at the Sonny West Conference Room at the Howard Office Building.
After the public meeting, the regulations will be taken up by Metro Council.
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