City Council decision opens door to Uber, Lyft in Springfield

(From the City of Springfield)

City Council voted Monday evening to amend language in the City Code to make room for transportation network companies like Uber and Lyft to operate in Springfield. The vote was 8-0 with Jan Fisk recusing herself.

Language in Chapter 118 Vehicles for Hire was amended and regulations added for both TNCs and drivers. Drivers of TNC, Taxi Cab or Airport limousines will no longer be required to obtain a permit from the City. Instead, the company will be required to regulate the drivers, including doing a background check.

What passed was a substitute bill that replaced a previous one tabled in March. The topic was referred to the City Council Finance and Administration Committee, chaired by Mayor Pro Tem Ken McClure.

“We’re delighted that Springfield can serve as a model in Missouri in terms of allowing transportation companies, like Uber, to operate successfully. If we want to attract and keep young professionals, we need our community to support new technology and advances like this,” McClure said. “I appreciate the work of the Finance and Administration committee, along with City staff, to come up with legislation that works for all parties.”

Chairman McClure and City staff gathered comments from the industry and held a conference call to discuss feedback to the earlier version of the bill. Many of the changes are related to use of terminology and remove requirements that do not apply naturally to the TNC structure.

Key Components of the Legislation:
- Allows TNC companies to operate in Springfield with a permit.- Drivers of TNC, Taxi Cab or Airport limousines or no longer required to obtain a permit from the City. Instead, the company will be required to regulate the drivers, including doing a background check.
- Insurance language was amended to increase the limits for taxi cabs and airport limousine companies.- Insurance for TNC companies will mirror state law in Section 379.1702. While that state law does not go into effect until April 2017, the City’s ordinance goes into affect immediately upon passage and will require those amounts.
- Removes the requirements for taxi cabs to provide an income statement and balance sheet prepared by a certified public accountant.