Tussle over direction of Pa. bills on ride sharing

Legislation proposed to make ride sharing companies more than short-term, experimental businesses in Pennsylvania has hit a speed bump. Harrisburg politics appear to be taking a front seat, with one lawmaker claiming aggressive lobbyists are trying to chart a more favorable course.

Sen. Wayne Fontana, DBrookline, introduced and later reintroduced a bill to formally regulate ride sharing companies as transportation network companies. His bill is sitting in committee, awaiting action.

Meanwhile, he said, two Uber lobbyists have offered a version of a bill they wrote to Sen. Camera Bartolotta, R-Washington, with the understanding that Mr. Fontana’s bill would be killed.

But a spokesperson for Sen. Bartolotta’s office said the plan is to work together on legislation that will address concerns about Philadelphia, which is regulated separately from much of the state.

“We have talked to Sen. Fontana’s office and told them we are willing to work together,” Sen. Bartolotta’s chief of staff, Katrina Anderson. “Whether Sen. Bartolotta’s name is on the bill or not, she’s not worried about getting credit. She wants to make sure the Philadelphia component is addressed, so we are meeting with every group that wants to discuss the issue.”

The uncertainty marks the latest hurdle for ride sharing in Pennsylvania. San Francisco-based operators Uber and Lyft moved into Pittsburgh in the winter of 2014 and spent much of their first year battling with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission over regulatory issues.

The companies pair drivers using their own vehicles with passengers via smartphone apps, and last summer the PUC sought and was granted cease-and-desist orders against each company. But by February, both Uber and Lyft had been granted two-year experimental licenses from the PUC.

That’s where the Legislature is supposed to come in. Any changes to the PUC code must come through legislation, but any state law governing taxis or ride shares would have to deal with the additional hurdle of Philadelphia, where such transportation is overseen by the Philadelphia Parking Authority.

Mr. Fontana re-introduced what is now SB 447 in February. According to the Senate calendar, the bill has not moved from the Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure committee since.

His legislation would require the companies to maintain detailed records, establish driver training programs, enforce a zero-tolerance policy on drug and alcohol use, and conduct background checks and driver guidelines.

But with what he views as interference by Uber’s lobbyists, Mr. Fontana is having second thoughts about how to move forward. “They told me ’ we just want to amend your bill,’ but it turns out they

want to add some of the stuff in my bill into their new bill,” he said last week.

Uber spokesman Taylor Bennett did not address the question about whether its lobbyists were slowing down the process but issued a statement about ride sharing’s future in the Keystone State, praising Mr. Fontana’s efforts so far.

“Sen. Fontana has embraced ride sharing from the beginning and been a true leader in pushing forward legislation that establishes a permanent home for Uber,“Mr. Bennett said. ”We look forward to continuing to work together to ensure greater choice and opportunity for all Pennsylvanians.“

Mr. Fontana said a lobbyist for Lyft had not tried to suggest changes to SB447.

Sen. Bartolotta issued an email statement in response to questions about her role in ride sharing legislation: “As you know, [transportation network companies] currently operate in the Commonwealth (excluding Philadelphia) under temporary authority granted by the PUC.

”To that end, my legislation will make this authority permanent and provide for rules that will allow TNC services to operate consistently throughout the state, including the City of Philadelphia,” the statement reads.

Uber, which was valued at about $41 billion as of December, has expanded its services in Pennsylvania, adding State College, Reading, Erie, Wilkes- Barre Scranton and Harrisburg to the list of locations where it operates.

The much smaller Lyft, which was valued at $2.5 billion in March, lists only Pittsburgh and Philadelphia services in Pennsylvania on its website.

Mr. Fontana said he was waiting to see what the response would be from legislators in Philadelphia, where both Lyft and Uber are operating in defiance of a ban by the parking authority.

“They still have a lot of issues to work out where Philadelphia is concerned,” he said. “I don’t know why they would want to start over with a new bill.”