It’s an uncertain world out there for Lyft drivers and passengers in Kansas City, Omaha and Lincoln as the ride-share service launches at 7 p.m. tonight for those and 21 other markets. All cities will start with a two-week free period for passengers, but it’s not that simple for all involved.
There’s been a lot of back-and-forth discussion, but we wanted to update you with the most basic facts before you hop into a Lyft car. We also caught up with a Lyft driver ready to go in Omaha, who has used the service plenty in his hometown of San Diego.
Kansas City: No go
Gerald Countz, assistant manager at the regulated industries division of the City of Kansas City, Mo., said the city has tried to reach out to Lyft and provided opportunities to come into compliance, but that anyone who drives a vehicle for hire without coming into compliance will be cited. Both the driver and vehicle go through extensive checks he said only the city can manage.
That said, there’s legislation that makes third-party transportation apps illegal in the city:
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Sec. 76-46. – Applicability of article to third-party transportation apps.
To ensure the public safety of all citizens who reside in or visit the city, the provisions of the Taxicab Code shall apply to all services offered by third-party transportation apps, except to the extent that such services are preempted by 49 USC Section 14501(d). No third-party transportation app company shall operate in the city unless the third-party transportation app company complies with all rules and regulations of the Taxicab Code, except to the extent that compliance with the Taxicab Code is preempted by 49 USC Section 14501(d), the Real Interstate Driver’s Equity (“Ride”) Act.
Countz said the police department has been made aware of the company and its services, and will be on the lookout for violators. They don’t intend to impound cars, unless other factors play a role in the driver’s history.
He said it’s not up to him what is to be regulated—that’s for the lawmakers to determine—and that there’s room for compromise.
“If they find a way, we’re all for it,” he said. “Right now, the way the wording stands, it’s illegal.”
Nebraska: OK, for the moment
Omaha and Lincoln police said they will begin citing drivers when Lyft begins charging for its ride share service—so not tonight or the next two weeks.
Public Service Commission officials have not asked the two departments to ticket the drivers yet, but still believe the services are operating illegally when they begin to charge. Lyft and competitor Uber have intentions to operate in Nebraska, but have not applied to the Commission, which regulates transportation services like limos and taxis.
The Commission has concerns about the companies’ insurance, driver and vehicle check policies.
“Nothing but good experiences”
One Lyft driver said more than 40 people are expected to attend a driver launch party/orientation Thursday night.
Packy Forrey, a 28-year-old San Diego native who moved to Omaha six weeks ago, recently tweeted about his application to be a Lyft driver. He’s in it to make extra money.
“I like the idea of working when you want to,” he said. “I had friends who are Lyft drivers in S.D. and they make pretty decent money. I don’t want a consistent part-time job but, if I needed extra money I could work a little bit on my own schedule.”
Forrey said he was an avid rider of Lyft, too, and never had concerns about safety or who he was getting into the car with. He says the driver and rider rating system ensured he was dealing with quality, friendly people.
“I’ve never gotten into a vehicle I didn’t feel safe in,” he said. “It does feel like a friend is picking you up. I’ve had nothing but good experiences. Better prices, quicker, more convenient.”
His application process, which included a background check and vehicle inspection, reinforced his thoughts after he was initially turned down because his California driver’s license address didn’t match his new Omaha address.
He had to go to the DMV to get a Nebraska license and will be on the road in a few days. Forrey thinks ride-sharing services shouldn’t be contentious in Nebraska.
“Obviously, there are rules to follow but I feel like a lot of these regulations haven’t been updated in quite some time,” he said. “This is something new, modern and this idea is challenging the status quo, but I don’t see a problem with it as long as there are these processes in place with background checks and other stuff.
“I’m all for free enterprise and open markets.”
He said he isn’t concerned about PSC threats of tickets and vehicle impoundments. He said until it’s actually happening, it’s not weighing heavy on his mind.
So soon, you’ll see him on the streets of Omaha in his early 2000s Chevy Suburban with the pink stache. He’ll give you a fist bump, the traditional Lyft driver greeting that’s a part of company culture.
“It’s a unique concept that may not be for everyone, but living in other places it’s pretty standard,” Forrey said. “Omaha being a more of the rural, Midwest conservative state, I think it will catch on, but it is a foreign concept.”
