As Uber and Lyft threaten to pull out of Minneapolis if a driver wage increase ordinance goes into effect on May 1, a coalition of groups representing the city’s seniors, people with disabilities, the hospitality industry and the airport announced Monday that Jacob Join Mayor Frey in urging city council members to step back from the “cliff”.
Cove O’Connor, president of the National Federation of the Visually Impaired, said at a press conference: “For me, as a blind person, I can travel by public transportation instead of using Uber Lyft.” “But it’s not always the most convenient, and it’s not always the most reliable…We support other rideshare companies coming on board, but we don’t know… One of the things is that it takes time and effort and energy and skills and expertise and time to build connections with the community to make sure those apps work for people with disabilities.”
A divided City Council last month approved a minimum wage for drivers of $1.40 per mile, or 51 cents per minute, over the mayor’s veto. The ride-hailing giant says it can’t afford to pay its drivers that much and continue operating in Minneapolis. But Uber and Lyft said they were willing to stay if raises were capped at 89 cents per mile and 49 cents per minute, rates found in a recent study by the state Department of Labor and Industry. .
At the request of Councilwoman Andrea Jenkins, the City Council will take up the issue of whether to reconsider the ordinance this Thursday. Jenkins attended the press conference along with City Council members Linnea Palmisano and LaTrisha Veto, and Frey told the City Council that he would like to hear from the state to get guidance on how to increase driver wages without eliminating jobs. He asked them to look at the report.
“I don’t care about Uber and Lyft’s revenue at all,” the mayor said. “This is not about supporting these two companies. This is about supporting the people who rely on this critical transportation network to get from point A to point B.”
Next month, Minneapolis will host the Clean Power competition, which will draw about 7,000 out-of-town residents, and 50,000 people are expected to attend the USA Gymnastics championships in June, Frey said.
Hospitality Minnesota, a hotel and restaurant industry group, predicts 75,000 visitors will book more than 175,000 hotel nights over the next three months. The group’s chief executive, Angie Wycombe, said if Uber and Lyft follow through on their threats to exit, new rideshare companies will not be able to get approvals, background checks and scale up in time to manage unmet demand. He said he was concerned that he might not be able to do so.
City spokeswoman Greta Bergstrom said four new ride-sharing companies have applied for transportation network company licenses in Minneapolis, but Uber and Lyft are currently the only ones with operating licenses. . His four companies are participating in the licensing process: Moov, MyWeels, Joiryde and Wridz. Bergstrom said the companies could receive a license by May 1 if they pay the $47,760 license fee, provide proof of insurance and answer all questions in the formal review process. That’s what it means.
Last year, Lyft and Uber pickups from the airport averaged about 3,800 a day, compared to an average of 650 taxi pickups a day, said Chad Lekve, vice president of operations and management for the Metropolitan Airports Commission. He said it was.
“We are concerned that people arriving at MSP from far away may not be aware of the disruption to ride-sharing services,” Lekve said. “They may arrive on May 1st expecting to take an Uber or Lyft like they have for years, but suddenly find themselves having to scramble to find other options. .”
The Minneapolis Regional Chamber and Minneapolis Downtown Council have also launched a campaign called RideshareRealityMSP.com that includes a countdown clock until May 1st and aims to track the subsequent economic impact of the Minneapolis ordinance.
Angelique Kingsbury, chair of the Minneapolis Advisory Council on Aging, said Uber and Lyft’s plans to leave Minneapolis are causing “significant anxiety” among the seniors they work with. “None of the elderly people I know really want to rely on public transportation. They don’t want to climb or put themselves in a dangerous environment. They want to be safe. They want freedom, they want independence, and losing the ride share takes that away from them. It will be taken away.”
