For once, rules batted around on the dais did not concern Uber and Lyft drivers. City Council members Thursday approved nationwide criminal background checks for would-be chauffeur permit holders – those authorized to drive taxicabs, pedicabs, limos or city charter buses. It’s another step in what has been a lengthy attempt to align the regulations […]
Transportation Network Companies
Companies that provide transportation services through applications such as Uber or Lyft.
Posted inAustin
Reporter’s Notebook: We’re back
Lyft approach riles some in Barton Hills… Last week, members of the Monument Group – a public relations firm representing the transportation networking company Lyft – began contacting neighborhood groups to see if they could bring Lyft’s case in support of Proposition 1 to a neighborhood meeting. Proposition 1 will be on the May 7 […]
Posted inElections
Uber and Lyft proposition doesn’t fall neatly along party lines
Recently, local political action committee Ridesharing Works for Austin hired two Republican campaign veterans – Reed Galen and Travis Considine. Between them, they’ve worked on campaigns for John McCain, George W. Bush and Rick Perry. And in what feels like the same breath, the Travis County Democratic Party formally took a stance in opposition of […]
Posted inElections
As May 7 election nears, voting efforts ramp up
Early voting on the future of fingerprinting drivers for hire in Austin begins in five weeks, and interested parties are hard at work educating the public on which button to press at the polls. On Monday, the Supreme Court of Texas upheld ballot language that City Council approved in February after a political action committee […]
Posted inCity Council
Is Austin still tech-friendly?
“Austin has spent decades building a reputation as an innovative city, but our new City Council’s confusion about (the) issue is destroying our reputation and driving away investment capital,” according to Capital Factory Executive Director Joshua Baer. In the Medium post, Baer is reacting to recent actions by Council placing occupancy limits on short-term rentals, […]
Posted inAustin
Texas Supreme Court denies bid to change ride-hailing ballot language
Austin’s ridesharing vote will go ahead as planned, it seems. The Texas Supreme Court denied a request to order a rewrite of ballot language that Austin voters will consider in May regarding regulations for ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft. Austin resident Samantha Phelps filed a writ with the Supreme Court last week, arguing the […]
Posted inCourts
Zimmerman, Troxclair file brief against city
In its response to a lawsuit seeking to change ballot language for the May 7 election on regulations for transportation network companies, the city of Austin is arguing that the Uber supporter who filed the writ of mandamus last Wednesday at the Texas Supreme Court was seeking the wrong remedy and had failed to file […]
Posted inAustin
At SXSW, Adler discusses public engagement
Mayor Steve Adler took advantage of South by Southwest on Saturday to spotlight opportunities to enhance public engagement through partnerships with tech sector entrepreneurs. The mayor was one of three speakers on a panel called “Crowdsourcing Policy: Constituents to Changemakers” and hosted by KUT reporter and Austin Monitor contributor Audrey McGlinchy. Appearing with Adler were Francisco […]
Posted inCourts
Suit challenges Austin’s ballot language
The city of Austin has until 5 p.m. today, according to a city spokeswoman, to respond to a legal action in the Texas Supreme Court – called a writ of mandamus – challenging the ballot language City Council adopted for the May 7 election on rules for transportation network companies. The lawsuit was filed late […]
Posted inUncategorized
Public Safety Commission wished for input in TNC talks
Although the issue long ago passed them up, members of the Public Safety Commission on Monday discussed the implications of City Council’s controversial vote in December imposing new regulations on ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft – also known as transportation network companies, or TNCs. Members failed to come to a consensus on what […]
Posted inRadio
Austin Monitor Radio: Mayor Steve Adler and Council Member Ellen Troxclair on TNCs
In a special one-hour version of the show, Mayor Steve Adler and Council Member Ellen Troxclair join Austin Monitor publisher Mike Kanin to chat about Lyft, Uber, and the coming referendum on the rules that govern TNCs in Austin, Texas. Embedded below. This show is brought to you by Austin Water. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/248162630″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” […]
Posted inElections
Council sets ballot language for May 7 election
City Council on Wednesday voted 9-2 to set the language that will appear before voters in a May 7 election over regulations for transportation network companies. Council members Ellen Troxclair and Don Zimmerman voted against the ordinance to set the language, which Council Member Ann Kitchen drafted. It reads: “Shall the City Code be amended […]