Latest Sharing Economy Headlines

All the headlines from our Sharing Economy Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Arizona Senate Takes Side of Uber, Lyft Ridesharing Services

Apr 24 2014 // Calling Uber a cutting-edge concept, the Arizona Senate approved a bill that exempts it and other rideshare companies from the same regulations that traditional taxi and limo companies have. The amended bill exempts...

How Uber, Tesler Are Disrupting Transportation Monopolies: Viewpoint

Apr 22 2014 // Question: What’s an automotive monopolist’s worst nightmare? Answer: Uber picks you up in a Tesla. Two big Silicon Valley companies are busy disrupting state-sponsored transportation monopolies. Uber is...

San Francisco Considers Ending Ban Renting Homes

Apr 17 2014 // San Francisco lawmakers are considering making it legal for city residents to rent out their homes on sites such as Airbnb, but only if they have liability insurance and meet other requirements, a newspaper...

Rideshare Companies Object to Seattle Regulations

Apr 14 2014 // Rideshare companies Uber and Lyft are leading a campaign to undo new regulations adopted by the Seattle City Council. The rules require them to meet to meet the same safety and insurance requirements as taxi companies....

California Commissioner Wants Insurance Burden on Ridesharing Companies

Apr 9 2014 // Transportation Network Companies like Uber, Lyft and Sidecar should bear the insurance burden when they encourage drivers to use their personal vehicles to transport passengers for a profit, according to recommendations...

California Commissioner: TNCs Responsible for Insurance

Apr 9 2014 // Updated story: California Commissioner Wants Insurance Burden on Ridesharing Companies Transportation Network Companies like such as Uber, Lyft and Sidecar should bear the insurance burden when they encourage...

Ridesharing Service Uber Expanding Into Courier Business

Apr 8 2014 // App-based ride company Uber will start delivering on its promise of expanding its business into logistics on Tuesday when it launches a trial courier service, Uber Rush, in Manhattan. “Better, faster, cheaper,”...

Poll’s Preemptive Strike Against Colorado Rideshare Bill

Mar 31 2014 // Days before a key vote in Colorado Legislature on ridesharing regulation a large insurer has come out with a poll that shows the majority of Coloradans believe rideshare companies should cover their drivers with commercial...

Arizona Joins Fray Over Ridesharing Services

Mar 31 2014 // Arizona has joined a number of states debating how to regulate so-called ridesharing programs that have popped up around the country and riled traditional taxi and limousine establishments. An amendment to an unrelated...

Rideshare Questions Linger in California

Mar 27 2014 // While Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones has recommended that insurance should be required to cover the “app on, no match” period when rideshare drivers are between fares, that doesn’t seem to have ended...

Ridesharing Service Sued by Seattle Taxi Drivers

Mar 26 2014 // A Seattle-area taxi drivers organization has sued an app-based ridesharing service, alleging that Uber violates multiple laws and regulations, thus harming taxi drivers and the public. The Seattle Times reported the...

California Commissioner Gives ‘App On, No Match’ Ridesharing View

Mar 25 2014 // California Commissioner Dave Jones made his initial recommendations to the California Public Utilities Commission on Tuesday following the California Department of Insurance’s investigatory hearing on March 21...

TNCs, Insurers Square Off at California Hearing

Mar 21 2014 // Update: California Commissioner Dave Jones made his initial recommendations on insurance issues and transportation network companies. Update: Excess and surplus carrier James River Insurance Co. said it’s not leaving...

Seattle To Regulate Rideshare Companies

Mar 19 2014 // See related story: Uber Announces New Policy to Cover Gap The Seattle City Council passed a measure Monday that puts some regulations on rideshare companies that use smartphone apps to connect passengers with rides from...

Insurers to Illinois Lawmakers: Regulate Commercial Rideshare Insurance Coverage

Mar 16 2014 // Two of the nation’s largest property/casualty insurer trade associations have weighed in with Illinois lawmakers on the subject of insurance coverage for commercial rideshare companies, saying such companies should...

Uber Announces New Policy to Cover Gap

Mar 14 2014 // Ridesharing company Uber on Friday said it has new insurance to cover a gap between personal and commercial policies when drivers are using the app-based ridesharing service, while the company’s CEO said the San...

Tennessee: Use of Transportation Networks Could Lead to Auto Coverage Gaps

Mar 12 2014 // Tennessee regulators are warning automobile policyholders that participating in transportation network companies could lead to gaps in their coverage and leave them exposed to monetary damages from an...

Colorado Bill Would Exclude Uber Drivers Until Summoned

Mar 10 2014 // A bill on ridesharing in Colorado passed by state Senate on Monday paints a “bright line” between when users of the app-based services are driving for personal reasons and when they are providing a commercial...

Car-Sharing Service RelayRides to Pay $200K Penalty to New York DFS

Mar 10 2014 // New York State’s Department of Financial Services (DFS) announced its investigation has found that the car-sharing service RelayRides put New Yorkers at risk through false advertising, unlicensed insurance activity,...

In the Sharing Economy, Who Shares the Risk?

Mar 10 2014 // Several economic and societal factors have fueled the growth of the sharing economy, in which people rent, borrow, share and swap items they might have purchased 10 or 20 years ago. But what is being overlooked in the rush...