Uber’s threatening to leave Colorado: Learn about an alternative local rideshare service

Uber, the rideshare company, has threatened to pull out of Colorado over a bill aimed at boosting rideshare safety.

House Bill 1291, if passed, would require drivers to make audio and video recordings of trips and prohibit them from offering passengers drinks and snacks. It was introduced at the tail end of February by Democratic Representative Jenny Willford, who was sexually assaulted last year during a ride with another travel company, Lyft.

HB-1292, which wouldn’t apply to taxi services, also contains provisions that require rideshare companies to complete background checks on drivers every six months and prevent drivers with histories of convictions for assault, harassment, kidnapping, menacing or domestic violence from operating on a rideshare platform. It would also require that rideshare companies provide annual reports to the state on assaults, harassment complaints, crashes and discrimination.

The legislation passed the House by 59-6 earlier this month, and cleared the Senate Business, Labor, and Technology Committee on Tuesday. It awaits a hearing on the Senate floor.

The legislative session ends May 7.

But while HB-1292 has won broad bipartisan support at the Capitol, Uber says it can’t comply with the measure if it becomes law – that it poses too big a legal risk. Lyft has also publicly opposed the bill, but isn’t threatening to leave Colorado if it becomes law at this point. According to The Colorado Sun, Governor Jared Polis appears sympathetic to Uber’s concerns.

If these rideshare services are no longer an option in Colorado, there will be a gap for thousands upon thousands in the state that rely on them to get to work, to get medical services, to make grocery runs, and to get home safely after a night out drinking.

Colorado Driver’s Cooperative is ready to fill that gap. The local rideshare service aims to benefit riders, drivers, and the community with fairer wages for drivers and fairer fares for riders.

To tell us more, KGNU’s Jackie Sedley joined Michael Ford via Zoom. Ford is the Operations Director of Colorado Driver’s Cooperative.

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