Everett Asks Lyft And Uber “What Do You Guys Want?”

We’ve been covering the City of Everett attempts to “even the playing field” between taxi companies and ride share services such as Uber and Lyft over the last couple of years. In June the Everett City Council thought they had finally come up with a solution.

That didn’t work when Uber and Lyft suspended service in Everett over the regulations that went into effect the first of September. After that cancellation the city said it would suspend the rules and asked both companies to resume serving Everett which they did.

Last week Everett Mayor Ray Stephanson sent a letter to both Uber and Lyft saying it has become more difficult for the City to know what changes to the City’s regulations the two companies want. The letter read in part…

The City values and recognizes that its residents value, the ridesharing services that Lyft and Uber and other transportation network companies (TNCs) bring to Everett. Therefore, the City Council would like to understand the remaining concerns surrounding the for-hire ordinance that Lyft and Uber feel are impeding their services in Everett.

The letter goes on to outline the steps taken by City Clerk’s rules that eliminated multiple inspections, clarified language about licenses and background checks and vehicle recalls. Here is the full letter sent by the Mayor.

Uber Lyft Letter from Everett Mayor

The letter concludes with a request that Uber and Lyft jointly submit a letter that outlines the changes to Everett’s ordinance that both companies together feel are essential for them to operate in Everett.

We’ll let you know what happens next.