Philadelphia, PA, USA – December 16, 2015; During a Center City Philadelphia protest of cab and limousine drivers one of the participating protesters holds up his smart phone showing his earnings statement of the past days he received from the Uber app. T
City staffers have 60 days to come back to the Corpus Christi City Council with a new ordinance regulating Transportation Network Companies, also referred to as ride-hailing companies. The council voted 6-3 to rescind an ordinance passed March 8 requiring TNC drivers to have fingerprinted background checks the same as taxi drivers. Uber and Lyft both pulled their service from the city with passage of the ordinance.
Since then, a public outcry resulted in a petition drive to put the issue on the November general election ballot and a possible election challenge to a city council member who voted against the ordinance. Several council members decided to reconsider their positions.
Council member Chad Magill requested the March 29 agenda item after talking with a Uber representative about the company’s position. McGill had originally voted for the ordinance, which was approved 7-1.
Councilman Mark Scott was the only member who voted against the ordinance earlier this month. Tuesday, March 29, he was one of six council members voting to reconsider the ordinance in the next 60 days with the goal of bringing the two ride-hailing companies back to the city.
Although Councilwoman Colleen McIntyre voted for the ordinance on March 8, she supported taking a new look at it. She said she would like to see Uber and Lyft return by summer.
Voting against the ordinance were Mayor Nelda Martinez, Brian Rosas, and Lucy Rubio. Martinez said she would not vote for any ordinance that did not include fingerprint-based background checks.
Without an ordinance, TNCs cannot operate legally in the city. The March 8 ordinance, which never went into effect before being withdrawn, required fingerprinted background checks and signs on cars.
Taxi companies are required to have fingerprinted background checks on their drivers, signs on the cars and a physical location in the city. They also pay fees to operate in the city and at the airport. TNCs would not be required to have a physical location in the city and fees required in the March 8 ordinance were minimal.
Uber and Lyft both conduct their own background checks on drivers. Requiring the more extensive check by the city discourages drivers from signing up and being available for take passengers, said an Uber representative.
“We know this business model does not work,” Uber spokesperson Chris Miller told the council. The city’s March 8 ordinance resembles regulations used in Houston and Galveston. Lyft left Houston, while Uber has stayed, but says it is difficult to operate there. Both left Galveston. Miller suggested the city follow ordinances used in San Marcos and College Station.
“Uber operates successfully in 200 cities in 60 countries,” Miller said, assuring the council that Coastal Bend residents would not be in danger without the additional background check requirement for drivers
The discussion played out before a packed house in city council chambers. Some 30 people spoke during the public comment period, including those both for and against the argument. Most were for a new ordinance, which became apparent as the chamber burst into applause when the council voted to withdraw the original controversial regulations.
