Ride-sharing companies, such as Uber and Lyft, could soon face statewide policies that would overrule any local legislation put in place by Gainesville and other cities.
SB 1326, sponsored by Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, is meant to end any existing problems among ride-sharing services and state regulators over safety issues like background checks and insurance coverage.
Under the bill that was filed toward the end of February, drivers would only take business through the mobile application and would avoid doing business in the streets. Multistate background checks for drivers would also be required to view employees’ driving histories and any criminal records.
Uber drivers are independent contractors who use their own vehicles when working. A customer can use a phone app to request a ride and can then track the driver’s progress to his or her location.
But it’s hard to run a company like Uber or Lyft when there are varying laws across different Florida cities, Brandes said. This is why he’s making the argument for statewide laws.
“This provides us a great opportunity to have high standards, clear insurance guidelines, and an open and transparent way for the business to operate in the state of Florida,” he said.
Kaitlin Durkosh, an Uber communications spokeswoman, wrote in an email that the company appreciates Brandes for his forward thinking.
“We welcome sensible legislation and hope to see regulatory frameworks passed that recognize the fundamental differences between ridesharing and other transportation options,” she wrote.
Gainesville has already started to work on legislation that would update city codes to reflect these businesses.
But Erik Bredfeldt, Gainesville’s economic development and innovation director, said his obligation is to make sure local committees are aware that statewide policies would overrule Gainesville’s already-existing rules.
The city is looking to take existing regulations and update them in a way that incorporates these newer types of companies to create a level playing field, he said.
If the bill passes, it will go into effect July 1.
[A version of this story ran on page 1 - 4 on 3/10/2015 under the headline “Ride-sharing biz could see state regulation”]
