On Jan. 28, Austin City Council approved a measure that provides incentives to employees of transportation network companies, or TNCs, who agree to undergo fingerprint-based background checks.
Council considered the ordinance separately from a discussion regarding enforcement of regulations
passed in December for ride-hailing services, such as Uber and Lyft.
“The goal is to get fingerprinted rideshare drivers to scale,” Mayor Steve Adler said. “No one is being made to do anything.”
Council also voted to postpone the effective date of December's ordinance from Feb. 1 to Feb. 28 and did not take any action that would revise that ordinance. Council is expected to clarify its stance on mandatory fingerprinting before Feb. 28.
Under the Jan. 28 approved measure, the city will offer incentives to drivers of ride-hailing companies who obtain:
- A fingerprint-based national criminal background check, and
- A valid chauffeur's license
Incentives include the ability to pick up and drop off customers at designated locations such as South by Southwest Music and Media Conference, Austin City Limits Music Festival, Austin Trail of Lights and certain entertainment districts.
Council Member Ellen Troxclair said in a Jan. 26 council work session the voluntary, incentive-based program is a de facto mandatory regulation because it "significantly limits" what non-fingerprinted drivers are able to do by limiting where drivers can pick up patrons.
Lyft spokesperson Chelsea Wilson said City Council should take action guided by the 65,103 residents who signed the
Ridesharing Works for Austin petition to require council to either adopt what the group calls “common-sense ride-sharing rules” or put the issue up for a public vote, which would occur May 7.
"Segregating rideshare drivers into different groups, with different economic opportunities—all without any benefit to public safety—hurts drivers, consumers and the city of Austin," Wilson said. "The badge proposal on the table makes it harder for the people of Austin to find a safe, reliable and affordable ride."
