Following the conclusion of New York State's 2016 legislative session, the Upstate Transportation Association has issued a statement on the defeat of a bill that would have allowed ridesharing companies like Uber and Lyft to expand into upstate New York.
Mark Ilacqua (spokesperson for the Upstate Transportation Association):
“This is a landmark victory for public safety advocates over corporate interests. It’s clear that ridesharing can't expand in New York State until Uber and Lyft agree to commonsense regulations like fingerprint background checks, just as they already do in New York City and just as taxis do upstate. If they want to try again next year, Uber and Lyft must be willing to embrace safety regulations instead of spending millions on attempts to avoid them.”
The insurance-only legislation considered by lawmakers would not have made Uber and Lyft drivers subject to fingerprint background checks and other existing regulations in the taxi industry.
