Creating regulations that work for everyone in Eugene
Over the past six months, Uber has connected tens of thousands of Eugene residents and visitors to the places and people they love with safe, reliable and affordable rides.
Whether it’s a University of Oregon freshman exploring their new city or a retiree who was born and raised in Eugene—folks from all over the community have come to rely on Uber to get around town and welcomed a new and flexible way to supplement their income.
Unfortunately, Eugene City Council has chosen not to join the many jurisdictions across the United States that are working to create a permanent regulatory home for ridesharing, but with your help we hope to change that.
The facts:
- City Council has voted to limit transportation options in Eugene, applying outdated taxi regulations to Uber
- Transportation Network Companies do not own or operate vehicles, making them fundamentally different from traditional for hire-transportation services
- Uber driver partners use their own vehicles and, many drive a just a few hours a week to make extra income and provide for their families
- All Uber driver partners must go through a rigorous county, state, and federal background check, and their vehicles are inspected by local certified mechanics
- Uber’s commercial insurance provides end-to-end coverage
- In the past year alone, two dozen jurisdictions have worked with Uber to craft regulations that recognize ridesharing services as a new part of the transportation ecosystem
The bottom line is this: slapping old regulations on a new industry does not make the public safer and only jeopardizes ridesharing services in the city.
As we have grown in the Emerald City, residents and visitors alike have chosen to ride with Uber, leaving their cars behind to connect to the many things Eugene has to offer—from the great outdoors to the arts. After a night out or a big game, Eugene residents now have more options to get home safely with ridesharing. In fact, just last month, Uber released a study along with Mother’s Against Drunk Driving (MADD) that showed when Uber entered a market, the frequency of drunk driving accidents decreased significantly, making roads safer. That’s something the people of Eugene need. Something they deserve.
The stakes are high when regulations are passed that aim to shut down services that provide more options for people to get around their city safely.
That is why we will continue to call on the City of Eugene to work with us to develop regulations that protect public safety, while strengthening consumer choice.