City Council late Thursday opted not to adopt an ordinance governing transportation network companies that was proposed through a citizens petition, setting the stage for a city-wide vote May 7. Council Member Don Zimmerman abstained from the vote, and Council members Ellen Troxclair and Sheri Gallo voted to pass the item. All others on the dais opposed […]
Transportation Network Companies
Companies that provide transportation services through applications such as Uber or Lyft.
Posted inCity Council
What the TNC discussion may say about Adler’s leadership
Given that it’s in a government building, the painting that hangs outside Mayor Steve Adler’s office is a bizarre choice. It’s a portrait of a cat – its head crowned in what looks like a steel headdress, with an ornate keyhole at its center. Behind the cat’s head, canoes full of sushi float atop a […]
Posted inCity Council
Council to vote on TNC petition Thursday
Months of discussion over whether to fingerprint drivers of transportation network companies in Austin are headed for an apex Thursday, when City Council is set to vote on what to do with a citizens’ petition. In December, Council passed an ordinance that goes into effect at the end of February and would eventually require all TNC […]
Posted inTransportation
Adler unveils new TNC proposal
Mayor Steve Adler on Sunday revealed that he has been working with a representative of Lyft, one of the transportation network companies that has been backing an initiative on the May 7 ballot to prevent the city from enforcing mandatory fingerprinting for TNC drivers. Adler said he has been discussing with attorney Michael Whellan, who […]
Posted inRadio
Kanin on Council: Public input & Council discussion ahead of TNC regulations
KUT’s Jennifer Stayton spoke with The Austin Monitor’s Michael Kanin about last night’s meeting that centered around an oft-discussed issue: transportation networking companies like Uber and Lyft. Embedded below. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/245581859″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]
Posted inCity Council
TNC speakers: 10 for election, 7 for adoption
City Council could be poised to call for an election for a transportation network company ordinance, as the majority of speakers urged it to do Thursday night. “Based on what we’ve heard, we probably are on our way to a May election,” said Council Member Don Zimmerman as the hour-long hearing ended. The 19 speakers were told […]
Posted inCity Council
TNC petition is valid, and Adler has a new idea
Almost as quickly as City Clerk Jannette Goodall could say that the Ridesharing Works for Austin petition signatures were valid, Mayor Steve Adler announced that he had a new idea to add to the litany of concepts already proposed for how to govern transportation network companies in Austin. Council was already set to hear public comments at 6:30 […]
Posted inCity Council
Kitchen rallies support as recall effort remains in holding pattern
A group shrouded in mystery failed to deliver on its promise of a political blockbuster on Monday, in the process digging up new questions to pile upon a tall stack of older unanswered ones. After teasing a big announcement late last week, the group – known as Austin4All – declared that it had gathered enough […]
Posted inCity Council
Council member fears lawsuits over new ordinance
It’s no secret that on Tuesday, Austin’s city clerk is expected to tell City Council that she has validated at least 20,000 signatures on a petition to change an ordinance governing transportation network companies. And, it’s clear that her announcement will trigger a requirement for Council – within 10 days – either to adopt Ridesharing Works […]
Posted inCity Council
Council stalls mandatory fingerprinting for TNCs, adopts voluntary program instead
City Council on Thursday stalled an ordinance requiring drivers for transportation network companies to pass a fingerprint-based background check and adopted incentives to motivate drivers to voluntarily submit fingerprints. “We’re only deciding whether or not we want to encourage volunteers to get fingerprinted, and if they’re willing to do so, if it’s something the community would want […]
Posted inTransportation
Council to discuss incentives for fingerprint requirements
City Council members are poised to kick the transportation network company ordinance down the road. On Thursday, Mayor Steve Adler will ask Council to stall strengthening an ordinance passed in December and, instead, adopt his and Council Member Ann Kitchen’s new proposal, which is meant to nudge all ground transportation providers into submitting to a fingerprint-based federal background […]
Posted inReporters' Notebook
Reporter’s Notebook: Oversights and overheads
Mapgate: What we saw… There was little indication at the conclusion of last week’s meeting of the Zoning and Platting Commission that Scott Gross, an engineer for the city’s Transportation Department, was in big trouble. After concluding a half-hour presentation on city transportation, he’d received gentle pushback from two commissioners for using a satirical map […]