Follow-up:
- Seattle City Council approves cap on Lyft, UberX, Sidecar drivers
- Breakdown: What the key players are saying about Seattle’s ride-sharing cap
- Hey, Seattle, why stop with ride-sharing? Cap these 10 other innovations while you’re at it
- House of Cars: Lessons in politics from Seattle’s ride-sharing saga
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We’ve settled in here at City Hall, where the Seattle City Council is expected to place a cap on the number of vehicles that companies like UberX, Lyft and Sidecar can each have on the roads at one time at 150.
A debate has been raging in the city in recent weeks over whether the new breed of companies like UberX and Lyft — which allow customers to request a ride via a smartphone and automatically pay for fares without using cash — should be able to operate in the city.
Many, including those in the tech industry, argue that these companies offer a more innovative and convenient alternative to traditional taxi cabs, and that the city should not regulate them. Others, especially those in the taxi and for-hire industry, say that the new services should be regulated or curtailed, and that they should not get a free pass on regulations simply because they utilize new methods for attracting riders.
Back on Feb. 27, the Council voted 5-4 to approve the 150 cap — other options, like removing a cap, were voted down — and is expected to make that decision official this afternoon. However, I won’t be surprised if one or two councilmembers have changed their minds over the past few weeks.
Check out all of our coverage on this topic here. You can see today’s meeting agenda here. See the newest version of the proposed ordinance here. And here are the new amendments that will be discussed, among other topics, today.
If you have questions, feel free to ping us on Twitter @geekwire or @Taylor_Soper.