CO: EDITORIAL: Veto saves Uber and Lyft from excessive regulation

Colorado’s Democratic majority, controlling all elements of Colorado governance, wants us to ditch our cars and use public transit. Yet, in an amusing display of cognitive dissonance, the legislature tried to sabotage ride-sharing — an essential component of public transit.

Democratic legislators should thank Gov. Jared Polis, the state’s highest-ranking Democrat, for protecting ride-sharing with his veto of House Bill 1291.

Uber and Lyft, the two major ride-share companies, are essential to the goal of expanding use of public trains and busses. That’s because they resolve a problem that has forever obstructed public transit’s wide-scale viability: The “last mile” dilemma.

Busses and trains are great for getting passengers near their final destinations. Key word: “near.” The moment riders de-board, they typically find themselves a mile or more from the place they need to be. Rain, snow and excessive heat or cold exacerbate this problem.

Getting to Union Station by bus or train in Any City, USA, may be glorious, but not so much if the terminus is a mile or more away. The single greatest option for resolving this problem are the modern phone apps that empower transit users to quickly summon a car and driver to get them exactly where they need to go, without the burden of parking a car.

This option is often less expensive and cumbersome than hailing a traditional cab. Even taxi users benefit, because the competition of ride-sharing keeps cab fares in check.

Those who want us to use more public transit should move heaven and earth to ease the way for safe ride-sharing options. Instead, pro-transit Democrats passed HB 1291 to add onerous and costly regulations to ride sharing. Executives at Uber and Lyft threatened to shut down their Colorado operations if the bill became law, claiming the regulatory costs would make their services too expensive for average consumers.

HB 1291, introduced by Rep. Jenny Willford following a 2023 assault during a Lyft ride, aimed to curb driver impersonation and enhance passenger safety through measures like mandatory ride recordings (no option for privacy), frequent driver background checks, and easy lawsuits against drivers and companies.

Polis characterized the bill as “unworkable” in his veto letter, explaining that such heavy-handed rules would harm the public more than protect it. His veto preserves a critical service while his letter directs agencies to pursue targeted safety improvements.

The bill was more superfluous business regulation in the country’s sixth-most regulated state. It was a solution in search of a problem, given that ridesharing is remarkably safe.

A 2016 study by Frank Martin-Buck found that ridesharing reduced alcohol-related fatal crashes by 10-11.4% in cities that allow it. The study estimates ridesharing could save up to 500 lives annually if available everywhere.

Uber’s 2021-2022 safety report notes that 99.9% of its 2.5 million daily U.S. trips occur without incident, with fatal crashes occurring in fewer than 60 of 1.3 billion annual rides. Compared to traditional taxis, which have higher incident rates, rideshares offer robust safety features. Those include GPS tracking, driver ratings, and in-app emergency buttons. Lyft’s partnership with ADT and Uber’s trip-sharing tools further enhance security, making rideshares safer than alternatives.

Like most of Colorado’s gratuitous regulations, those proposed in HB 1291 would have been regressive, disproportionately harming low-income residents, seniors, and those with disabilities who rely on affordable, on-demand rides.

Businesses and consumers in Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, Denver, Grand Junction and other Colorado cities benefit immensely from the flexibility and affordability of ridesharing options. The governor’s veto safeguards this lifeline, ensuring Coloradans can travel safely and affordably while keeping our state open for business.

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