PRESS RELEASE: Ken Jenkins Announces Plan for Ride Sharing in Westchester County

Legislative Process Delays Meeting with Committee on Public Safety

WHITE PLAINS, NY — June 14, 2017 — Ken Jenkins, candidate for Westchester County Executive, introduced legislation on March 21, 2016, in the Board of Legislators to safely legalize ride sharing services like Uber and Lyft into Westchester County. Upon his request, a meeting with the Committee on Public Safety was to be held June 13, 2017. The meeting was postponed at the request of County Executive Rob Astorino.

Expressing his frustration with the needless additional procedural delay, Legislator Jenkins said, “The legislative process has delayed safety regulations for the inevitable adoption of ride sharing services in our County. Although I am an advocate for these services in Westchester, I believe in preparing for the bumps in the road ahead. Given the need for other affordable transportation options in the County, and the safety concerns that come with a new transportation option, we must move quickly to find solutions for legitimate safety concerns.”

Jenkins’ proposed legislation would add services like Uber and Lyft to existing regulations covering taxis and limousines. These regulations require drivers to go through background checks, and have their vehicles inspected, for the safety of the passengers. It would also require drivers to have up to $1 million in liability insurance. The bill would ensure that the person who orders the call on an app can see a photo of the driver, along with receiving a fair estimate, and an electronic receipt at the end of the trip.

“Our existing taxi and limousine regulations and guidelines have protected our residents and drivers for years,” said Jenkins. “Our legislative body’s priority should be the safety of the people of Westchester. The lag in our process has brought a major solution to ride sharing safety concerns to a halt. We cannot stand for this.”

The purpose of the meeting is to vote to request to have the County’s lawyers draw up the legislation so that it can be sent to committee, then put to a vote. The meeting has been postponed until June 29th, delaying the already slow process by 16 days.