Proposed city ordinance change could affect ride-for-hire businesses
LUBBOCK, TX (KCBD) - The City of Lubbock's nearly 50-year-old transportation ordinance could get a face lift soon.
City councilwoman Karen Gibson is working on updating the current ordinance.
This possible change would affect all ride-for-hire companies, such as cabs, limos, Uber and Lyft.
Right now, the competition to the city's taxi cabs are new ride-sharing programs, such as Uber and Lyft.
Most people don't realize those companies are running unlawfully, here in the City of Lubbock, because most of the drivers don't have city permits to operate.
However, Gibson says she's working on updating the current transportation ordinance that hasn't been touched sine the 70's, and hoping to make it lawful.
She's doing this by stating that while all ride-for-hire drivers would be required to have a recent Texas DPS background check completed and a recent inspection for their vehicle, they would not be required to have a surety bond with insurance.
"What we're trying to do is streamline it, to where it's just a blanket, to where everybody does it the same way," Gibson says.
She tells us this has been a two year project to make the city's ordinance up-to-date with all of the new technology and app-based businesses out there.
Another change she says she is looking at?
"When you look at the big picture of it, as I have, it's just not that much money that we're looking at for permitting," she says. "So, I would like to see about taking that completely out, if at all possible."
Owner of Lubbock's Yellow Cab, Ed Pascasio, says he agrees that Gibson is trying to right, by making these changes.
"I believe from the very beginning, they have done as good a job as you can do, to be able to understand: what are the real points, what's the validity of those, what's the value they physically bring and what we should have as a minimum," Pascasio explains.
Councilwoman Gibson tells us that she is just trying to make the ordinance fair and balanced for all ride-for-hire businesses.
"That's what I'm really trying to do is just make it easier, instead of having them do everything twice," she says.
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