Everett To Regulate Ride Sharing Companies

Right now there are no specific regulations in the city of Everett regulating ride sharing companies such as Uber and Lyft. Soon the Everett City Council will get a look at regulations to cover what are known as Transportation Network Companies. The purpose of the regulations is to even the playing field between ride share companies and commercial taxis operating in Everett. Currently taxi cabs, drivers and the cab companies all have to have a license in order to operate. There is no such rule for ride sharing companies.

On Wednesday Katie Rathbun from the city’s legal department briefed the Everett City Council public safety committee on the differences between the two types of for-hire companies now operating in Everett. She presented examples of what other cities our size are doing including Olympia and Vancouver.

Rathbun says the City of Everett is looking to amend its for-hire rules to make sure that riders are safe while keeping administrative costs down. The burden of background checks, licensing and other regulations would be on any company that provides for hire service in Everett be they taxi or T.N.C.s.

There are still many questions to be answered including…

How will customer complaints would be handled?

What city department would handle the audits?

What about meter inspections and regulation of surge pricing?

The city administration will come up with a draft ordinance to present to the city council over the next few weeks and then there will be a public hearing before any ordinance is approved.