Mayor: Uber Ordinance May Be Up For Discussion Tuesday
Birmingham is the latest city in Alabama to pave the way for the ridesharing service Uber. Is Montgomery going to be next?
Mayor Todd Strange says the city council will be looking at an ordinance as soon as Tuesday that would allow Uber to come to the Capital City.
That’s an app that allows users to request a ride from local drivers- driving their own cars. You can track your driver’s location, see their vehicle information, and payments all electronic- no cash exchanging hands. Sounds like great concept, but why’s everyone not on board? Uber drivers usually don’t have the insurance requirements and inspections like taxi drivers.
Oscar Williams, a cab driver said, “Don’t have us going throw inspections twice a year and they don’t have to. Don’t have us paying a fee to the airport that they don’t have to.”
Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange said, “There would be background checks but it wouldn’t necessarily be done by us. There would be safety checks but it wouldn’t necessarily be done by us. But we would require a certification process by all transportation companies.”
Uber would also have to get a business license and possibly pay operating fees to the city. The mayor says this would create an equal playing field for cabs and Uber drivers.
