This week, lawmakers could decide whether Illinois will regulate ridesharing services, like Lyft and Uber.
The General Assembly passed regulations this spring, but the plan was vetoed by Governor Pat Quinn. Uber's top executive in Chicago, Chris Taylor, says the company could be forced to halt expansion plans if lawmakers override Quinn’s veto.
"Basically it's going to make it a lot harder for drivers to get out there and provide rides, and it's going to raise costs for consumers. And that means slower growth. And so yeah, we'll have to reevaluate our plans. But we hope it doesn't come to that. We hope that we try to get this issue right for Illinois."
DeKalb-area State Representative Bob Pritchard says he’d like to see a service like Uber available in his district.
“It’s difficult for companies to find enough customers, and customers may not always like the company that’s available, so competition always is good!”
But Pritchard says there needs to be SOME sort of regulation of ride-share services to protect customers. That could include real background checks on drivers, adequate insurance, and a minimum of professional training. Pritchard also wants to make sure the language in any legislation is fair to cabbies and Uber drivers alike.
