KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Pink mustaches are gracing vehicle grills signifying this car is available for ride sharing through a company called Lyft. They showed up in Kansas City, and city leaders say they’re not operating according to Kansas City rules.
“We embrace tech, we embrace innovation, we just ask that they work within the existing rules or work with us to adjust the rules before they enter into the market,” said Chris Hernandez, City Spokesperson for Kansas City.
Friday another “ride sharing” program called uberX also announced it would be coming to Kansas City. Hernandez says currently neither company is following the city’s ordinances, and that’s a problem for Bill George, CEO of the Kansas City Transportation Group.
“We just feel that they should be following the same rules,” said George.
George said it costs more than $400 just to license his vehicles and drivers properly. He claims Lyft and uberX are trying to avoid those fees.
“How two companies with billion dollar plus valuations from Silicon Valley backed by Wall Street can’t pay those fees is beyond me,” George said.
Plus, he says the term ride-sharing is misleading. He says uberX and Lyft are taxi services, without the same regulations as his company. He says because they’re not following the city’s’ guidelines, safety could be an issue.
“You spend your whole life teaching your kids don’t hop in the car with a stranger, and now all of a sudden we’re encouraging that?” said George.
But Lyft sent FOX 4 a comparison chart of the background checks and insurance coverage the company demands for its drivers, saying the company goes above and beyond city standards. Still city leaders say uberX and Lyft must come to a resolution with the city before they operate. The city says to get into compliance with the city’s requirements, it’d cost Lyft and uberX about a dollar a day.
