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Ride-hailing services to begin operating in upstate New York by June 29

Emily Gnat | The Daily Orange

Uber and Lyft will be allowed to operate in upstate New York before the Fourth of July weekend.

New York state Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a bill Monday night that will allow ride-hailing companies to begin operating in upstate New York by June 29.

The regulations moved up implementation of ride-hailing services by 10 days, according to a press release. Ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft will be available to use by the Fourth of July weekend.

New regulations include requirements for ride-hailing apps. Apps must display a photo of the driver, the make, model and color of the vehicle and the vehicle’s license plate number.

People looking to be drivers for ride-hailing services must be at least 19 years old with a valid driver’s license issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles. They must also pass a criminal background check before being a licensed ride-hailing driver.

Regulations don’t only extend to ride-hailing services. The New York state DMV must create a process for consumer complaints, and implement policy procedure for how to process violations. The department is also charged with handling a License Event Notification System, which tracks and reports any traffic violations and license activity including revocation and suspension.



Ride-hailing companies are required to have a $1.25 million vehicle liability insurance whenever a passenger is in the vehicle. They are also required to have anti-discrimination policies for all passengers, including those with disabilities who may need vehicles with accommodations.

The New York State Senate passed legislation allowing ride-hailing companies to operate outside of New York City in February.





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