Latest Sharing Economy Headlines
All the headlines from our Sharing Economy Topic Page, ordered by recency.
California Bill Would Enable Independent Contractors to Unionize
Mar 11 2016 // A longshot proposal introduced this week would make California the first state to allow rideshare drivers and all other independent contractors to unionize. The legislation comes one week after the U.S. Chamber of Commerce...
With Florida Ridesharing Reform Going Nowhere, Hillsborough Is Back to Ticketing Drivers
Mar 10 2016 // After a six-month reprieve, the Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission – the agency that regulates taxicabs and limousines in Florida’s fourth-largest county, which includes the City of Tampa –...
New Mexico Governor Ready to Sign Ridesharing Bill
Mar 10 2016 // New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez is expected to sign a measure that would allow San Francisco-based ride-booking companies Uber and Lyft to operate in the state. Martinez is scheduled Wednesday to attend a signing ceremony...
‘Cool’ Austin Icy Toward Uber, Airbnb, Bristling Tech Sector
Mar 9 2016 // Austin, Texas, boasts a reputation as one of most cutting-edge cities in the U.S, but new local regulations on ride-hailing apps such as Uber and rental sites such as Airbnb are stirring discontent in the tech sector,...
Florida Assignment of Benefits, Ridesharing Bills Approaching Dead End
Mar 8 2016 // It’s looking like Florida lawmakers will not provide resolution for two controversial issues currently facing the Florida insurance industry, this year at least. With just three days left in the 2016 Florida Session,...
Mass. Bill Would Mandate Background Checks for Rideshare Drivers
Mar 7 2016 // Massachusetts state lawmakers unveiled a bill that would regulate ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft with a requirement that drivers undergo rigorous criminal background checks but not fingerprinting. The House...
U.S. Chamber Files Suit against Seattle over Uber, Lyft Ordinance
Mar 7 2016 // The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is suing the city of Seattle over an ordinance that allows drivers of ridesharing apps Uber and Lyft to unionize, saying it violates federal antitrust laws. Seattle last year became the first...
Ridesharing Companies Get 2 More Months to Operate in Florida County
Mar 6 2016 // The Commission in Palm Beach County, Florida, has voted to allow ridesharing services Uber and Lyft to keep operating for the next two months. The Sun Sentinel reports that the commission voted March 1 to extend a...
Lyft Remains Quiet over Returning to New Mexico
Mar 2 2016 // An Albuquerque Republican says she is hopeful Lyft will return to New Mexico after state lawmakers passed a bill regulating similar ride-booking companies. Rep. Monica Youngblood says officials with the San Francisco-based...
Lyft Remains Quite over Returning to New Mexico
Mar 2 2016 // An Albuquerque Republican says she is hopeful Lyft will return to New Mexico after state lawmakers passed a bill regulating similar ride-booking companies. Rep. Monica Youngblood says officials with the San Francisco-based...
Few Rideshare Drivers Have Insurance, But Interest is Growing
Feb 29 2016 // A large portion of rideshare drivers do not have the required insurance – but more are buying it, or seem to be more interested in it. According to a recent survey by the Rideshare Guy, roughly one-in-five rideshare...
Attacks by Michigan Uber Driver Renew Questions About Vetting Processes
Feb 23 2016 // The deaths of six people in Kalamazoo, Michigan, who authorities say were shot by a driver for Uber Technologies Inc., have revived scrutiny over how the ride service vets its drivers, an issue that has plagued it for...
Gig Economy Now 6.5% of U.S. Workforce; Provides Extra Income for 10 Million
Feb 22 2016 // It’s a job market revolution: an estimated 10.3 million Americans earned income through web-based platforms like Uber and Airbnb between 2012 and 2015. That’s more people than reside in the entire state of...
New Mexico Senate OKs Uber, Lyft Operations
Feb 19 2016 // A bill aimed at welcoming and regulating ridesharing companies like Uber and Lyft in New Mexico has been approved by state Senate. The Senate passed the legislation Thursday morning. The legal status of the companies has...
New Mexico Lawmakers Beat Clock to Pass Ridesharing
Feb 19 2016 // The New Mexico Legislature closed out its 2016 session Feb. 18, but not before passing legislation to legalize and regulate ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft. Just hours after the state Senate voted 33-5 to approve...
Amazon Plan Would Expand Its Uber-Like Delivery Service
Feb 18 2016 // Amazon.com Inc is quietly inviting drivers for its new “on-demand” delivery service to handle its standard packages, as the online retailer known for low prices and razor-thin profit margins looks to speed up...
Ridesharing Bill Makes It Through West Virginia House
Feb 17 2016 // West Virginia is a step closer to letting Uber and similar companies offer rides in the state. The bill passed the House of Delegates by a 94-4 margin Monday. It next moves to the Senate. The proposal would apply to Uber,...
Uber to Pay $28M to Settle Claims over Its ‘Safe Rides Fee’
Feb 12 2016 // Uber Technologies Inc. said it will pay $28.5 million to settle claims that a $1 “safe rides fee” charged to riders was misleading because its background checks on drivers aren’t as rigorous as the...
New Mexico Rideshare Bill Fixing Impasse Ok’d in Committee
Feb 8 2016 // A key New Mexico House panel has approved a bill aimed at welcoming and regulating ridesharing companies like Uber and Lyft. The House Judiciary Committee passed the proposal unanimously Thursday. Rep. Monica Youngblood,...
Bill Legalizing Ridesharing Moving through West Virginia House
Feb 5 2016 // What a difference a year makes in the world of ridesharing. Just 18 months ago, only one state (Colorado) had passed comprehensive legislation legalizing and regulating the emerging market of transportation network...
