Everett To Re-Visit Ride Sharing Rules

The City of Everett administration will be briefing the Everett City Council tonight on revised rules for ride-sharing companies like Uber and Lyft. The city had worked for a couple of years on an ordinance before passing rules last summer that covered how ride sharing and taxi service in Everett was supposed to operate.

On September 1st both Uber and Lyft suspended service in Everett, Washington citing their objection to the rules. On September 7th Everett agreed to suspend the rules and wrote Uber and Lyft a letter asking what exactly it was they wanted.

Tonight the Everett City Council will get an answer to that question during its briefing. Here is the letter sent to the city by the two companies in response to the question along with suggestions from city legal staff on how to proceed.

Basically the city is removing the requirements for vehicle inspections in Everett if the vehicle has been inspected in King County.

Removing any jail time for ride-sharing drivers for violating the ordinance in Everett.

Removing the requirement that the ride-share companies promise all drivers were in compliance with Everett’s ordinance.

Relaxes the burden on the ride-share company in their investigation of driver mis-conduct.

Remove package delivery from the ordinance entirely so it only applies to passengers, not food or packages.

This is just a briefing tonight and the next step would be the formation of an ordinance with three readings and a public hearing before any vote.