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CityAndStateNY.com
March 20, 2017
Is this finally the year for ride-hailing in upstate New York? By ASHLEY HUPFL IT’S A common complaint around Albany. When Amtrak passengers arrive at the Albany-Rensselaer train station, some walk out to grab a cab – only to find they must share a ride with several other passengers, with no alternatives. “One of the things I hear on ridesharing is that people come up on the train and they have to take a taxi,” said Jim Seward, chairman of the state Senate Insurance Committee. “I’ve heard so many terrible stories about that. At the train station they load up the cars.” While Uber launched in New York City in 2011, state insurance law doesn’t allow ride-hailing services in upstate. Lawmakers in the state Senate and Assembly have failed to reach an agreement on authorizing legislation in recent years, but proponents now see real hope of passage. In his State of the State addresses this year, Gov. Andrew Cuomo for the first time included a proposal to expand ride-hailing services upstate, saying it would spur economic growth, provide a “cost-effective” transportation option and bring “transportation into the 21st century.” Lawmakers believe Cuomo’s endorsement of the expansion – and its strong support among voters – will be enough to cross the finish line this session. A late January Siena College poll found 77 percent of respondents
supported expanding ride-hailing services, such as Uber and Lyft, to operate across the state. Only 15 percent were opposed. Like traditional taxicabs, ride-hailing operators require insurance protection in case of an accident or death. The insurance requirement is higher when a car has a passenger in it or a driver is en route to pick up a passenger. Last year, state Senate Republicans and Assembly Democrats were unable to agree on insurance requirements for when an auto accident results in the injury or death of a passenger. The state Senate proposed a minimum of $1 million of coverage, but in the final days of the 2016 session the Assembly raised that to $1.5 million. In the end, the legislation stalled. This year, a similar state Senate bill stipulates an insurance minimum of $1 million. The Assembly’s one-house budget includes a provision that “removes language related to the Executive proposal to regulate the operation of transportation network companies outside of New York City.” A bill introduced this year by Assembly Insurance Committee Chairman Kevin Cahill that is currently in committee would once again propose a $1.5 million insurance coverage minimum. In addition to expanding hail-railing services, Cuomo proposed consumer protections, minimum safety standards and state
Department of Motor Vehicles licensing and oversight. His proposal also requires a minimum of $1 million of coverage while a ride-hailing vehicle is on the way to pick up a passenger and while transporting a passenger. While there are some differences between the state Senate and executive bills, they are closely aligned. Unlike previous years, the debate has shifted to consumer safety. Uber in the past has suffered from several high-profile scandals, such as the recent reports of sexual harassment within the company and the use of a tool called “Greyball” to evade authorities. Josh Gold, Uber’s New York policy director, said this will not negatively impact the debate in Albany. “Ridesharing isn’t about one company. We have a lot of competitors,” he said. “That shouldn’t play a role in how New Yorkers feel about the lack or desire for ridesharing.” John Tomassi, president of the Upstate Transportation Association, a group of traditional livery and cab companies, said his group supports the Assembly’s bill, as it provides more protections. Tomassi argued the state Senate bill wouldn’t address what he described as flaws in Uber’s background checks. “It does not provide for fingerprinting, which we think is essential,” Tomassi said. “Down in the city they’re subject to the