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ASSOCIATED PRESS
Citing logistical concerns, Mayor Kirk Caldwell today returned to the City Council unsigned a bill placing regulations on Uber, Lyft and other ride-hailingcompanies.
Citing logistical concerns, Mayor Kirk Caldwell today returned a bill placing regulations on Uber, Lyft and other ride-hailing companies to the City Council and will let it become law without his signature.
The Council passed Bill 36 by an 8-1 vote on Aug. 3. If Caldwell had chosen to veto the bill, six votes would have been required to override the action and make the measure become law.
In a letter, Caldwell said he supports the Council’s intent to establish regulations for both taxi cab and transportation network companies so there is a “level playing field” of competition.
Cab companies and their drivers have complained that Uber, Lyft and other ride-hailing companies — also known as transportation network companies — provide the same service they do but do not need to abide by a long-followed set of rules and regulations.
Under the bill, both taxi and ride-hailing drivers will have to pay a fee to obtain a city-issued certificate.
Drivers have to submit to a third-party, nationwide criminal background check going back seven years, and then repeat the same process every two years.
Operators have to have a Hawaii driver’s license and the ride-hailing drivers need to follow new identification procedures.
Caldwell said the Jan. 15 starting date for the new law “does not give the Department of Customer Services adequate time to draft well thought out administrative rules,” including a public hearing process required under state law.
“It is not possible to complete the rules in this time frame, even if there are no challenges to the proposed rules,” the letter said. That would leave Uber and Lyft drivers essentially in non-compliance with the law, and the regulations on their drivers and the companies unenforceable, Caldwell said.
The mayor said he wants his administration to work with Council members to create a new bill that would amend Bill 36, and draft administrative rules.
What a pathetic waste for the city council and now the result will be higher costs for us as you found a way to milk money from uber for some worthless certificate. Congrats taxi mafia but I’m done riding your hoopties.
What? So safety for passengers is not important? Good grief!
Please. Uber has taken thousands of buzzed and drunk drivers off Oahu streets. Increasing the cost of previously affordable alternative modes of transportation makes society less safe overall as influenced drivers hit the road again. Our government is a joke.
Is that a fact or your opinion?
kira – it’s just common sense. Do you really need the conclusions of a study to prove what we already know? Ridiculous.
This is not about safety, it’s about protecting the cab companies profit margin. Kobayashi was bought by the taxi cab association to write this competition killing ordinance because the cab companies are concerned they’re losing business to Uber and Lyft. Rather than adapt to a changing marketplace, they have chosen to “level the playing field” and increase costs for consumers.There’s nothing stopping cab drivers from adopting a ride hailing business model similar to Uber. Additionally, the requirement that drivers be licensed by Hawaii only is discriminatory and un-american, it should be challenged in court.
People such as yourself who are afraid to use ride hailing services are free to call a cab and pay the additional costs.
Maybe if Taxis weren’t so expensive there would be less drunk driving. Uber and Lyft with their lower rates make Hawaii a safer place. Raising their prices to that the Taxi extortionists makes our roads more dangerous. I know many people that have switched from drunk driving to Uber and Lyft because the Taxi monopoly is such a rip-off. Too bad Caldwell is an idiot.
not to mention more convenient, cleaner and more courteous.
Is your post an opinion or fact? Good grief! If people want to drink, they are going to drink regardless the cost of a fare home. It is much more expensive to get caught drinking and driving or getting into an accident. Hence, a cab fare is “cheap”.
You seem to be all opinion.
Fact Uber has kept intoxicated people off the road.
Fact, I have safely enjoyed Uber rides on Oahu and around the world, saved my family from a crazy rainstorm once as well and terrible heat in Vegas. Taxi line was crazy long.
Fact, safety is important and that’s why I choose Uber not some taxi driver on his 14th hour in a car way too old in seats dirtier than a public toilet.
Fact, I love life and liberty you probably never swim unless there’s a lifeguard.
Amen and bingo!
Uber is a regular part of my routine if I’m having a night out. Inexpensive, easy and courteous without having to fumble around for wallet, cash or cards, and then some blackmailed “tip”.
FACT: This bill will pass. Ha ha ha.
I use Uber when I go out on the town.Regular Taxis are way too expensive. $55 from Waikiki to Ewa Beach for a regular taxi vs. $25 for Uber.
If you do your business on our public streets, you need to be regulated. If you drive hundreds of thousands of miles on our public streets and you are getting paid, you need to be extra safe. Accidents will happen. The customers need to be protected. The rest of us need to be protected. The claims made by UBER are ridiculous. Can a dump truck business change the way they arrange for business and claim they do not need PUC regulation? Can a 55 passenger motorcoach change the way they arrange for business and claim they do not need PUC regulation. Professional drivers need all the regulation they now have. Just wait until the TV lawyers get ahold of them in court and they do not have professional training, random drug testing etc.
Let’s see, a regular passenger vehicle needs extra regulation because dump trucks and 55 pax busses are? You need to be protected? And your chosen path of protection is the government?
I know who my driver is and I can accept or refuse their service, and I insure myself. I trust me, not the State.
Do you swim only under lifeguard safety or are you a hypocrite?
Will this bill increase the fare cost?
Even if prices increase, it’s not a sound justification for people who are out drinking to drive. If you cannot afford to pay the fare then drink less and re-direct the funds for those extra drink(s) to pay for the fare. Other options are stay home and drink, have designated driver, call someone to pick you up, etc. Increased prices is a poor excuse to break the law and jeopardize the well being of others.
Cant have innovation in this state. Goes against everything government believes in. Look at all the failed tech innovations that cost us millions.
Uber will be another superferry.
Thanks for showing inspired “leadership” there, Krooky. Did you also vote “yes, with reservations”??