Springfield City Council has passed the so-called “Uber Bill.” The substitute bill, approved 8-0 Monday (Jan Fisk recused herself), includes rules for both transportation network companies such as Uber and taxicabs. It leaves the responsibility for drivers, including background checks, to the companies who hire them.
Councilman Ken McClure called the bill “a landmark piece of legislation.” And he believes the bill is fair to all.
"It's fair, I believe, to the transportation network companies in that it recognizes the nuances of their business plan. I believe it's fair to the traditional transportation providers because, as we heard at our session two weeks ago, there were some business impediments. I believe we are removing those," said McClure.
He said it gives citizens a new and unique transportation option.
Councilwoman Kristi Fulnecky was excited to vote for a bill that she called “great for job creation.”
"From, you know, the mom that wants to make extra money to the college student, and I think it's great. It's great for the free market," she said.
Councilman Craig Hosmer voted for the bill but expressed concern that the city won’t have information about drivers in real time. He’d like to revisit the issue in a year to see how things are going.
