Plans to repeal Lexington’s taxi regulations cleared a hurdle Tuesday. Members of the city’s Planning and Public Safety Committee have been weighing doing away with the rules to level the playing field for traditional cab services and new ride-sharing companies Lyft and Uber.
Lexington is one of only two Kentucky cities that mandate oversight of taxi services and proponents of repeal argue that puts taxi drivers at a competitive disadvantage, especially with local governing councils unable to legally regulate ride-sharing services.
"It just seems like it sets it up to be unfair to one group or another. If our concern is to protect the public, then I don't know that regulating one versus another is accomplishing that," 2nd District Councilwoman Shevawn Akers.
Both cab companies and ride-sharing programs already fall under state laws requiring drivers to carry insurance and pass criminal background checks, but some committee members have expressed reservations about rescinding the city’s additional regulatory ordinance.
Tuesday the committee voted 7-3 to repeal the rules, leaving the full Urban County Council to take up the issue after January.
