A&D’s Al Rubin: Competition
Welcome, But Safety Required
ONEONTA – Al Rubin, president of A&D Transportation Services and an adopter of Uber-like Red Route, wants to make sure that, if Uber, Lyft or other ride-sharing companies do come into Oneonta, that local riders will be safe.
“You want to know who’s operating in your city,” he told Common Council during the public hearing on the city’s Taxi and Livery code earlier this evening. “You want to regulate against surge pricing, make sure these companies are going to help police if they need it.”
He welcomes the companies, but he wants to make sure that ride-share drivers are held to the same licensing standards as taxi cabs. “It’s about keeping a level playing field.”
He then presented Council with a list of the suggested ride-sharing regulations:
- Require all drivers operating for ride share companies to receive permit from City under the same guidelines as taxi or livery drivers.
- Require all vehicles utilized by drivers for ride sharing companies to be licensed with the city with medallion affixed to vehicle identifying it as a ride share vehicle and should have to undergo the same inspection requirements as taxi or livery vehicles.
- Require ride-sharing company and/or driver to pay all applicable fees associated with licensing and registering vehicles with city the same as taxi or livery companies
- Require waiver for Workman’s Comp for operator providing for ride share company
- Protect customers from surge pricing by requiring ride share companies to adhere to the regulated rates put forth in our code
- Require ride share operators to have ride information available for police at any time as required by taxi or livery code.