Ride-sharing services like Uber, Lyft and Sidecar are one step away from state regulations after the North Carolina House voted Thursday in favor of a bill that would set standards for driver background checks and company coverage on drivers’ cars.
The bill, which would also require ride-sharing services to pay $5,000 in annual state permit fees, easily passed the House and has also received Senate approval. It will be put into law if signed into legislation by Gov. Pat McCrory, who has not said anything against the bill publicly.
Uber, the most well known of the ride-sharing services, expanded its reach to Elon University last fall. It runs through a free-to-download smartphone application and has Uber-approved drivers pick up customers requesting rides. Customers can track the driver’s route and review his or her performance afterward.
Uber has endorsed the bill’s regulations. In a statement to WLOS ABC 13, North Carolina Uber general manager Arathi Mehrotra said the vote was a “huge win” for the company’s drivers and riders in the state.
In recent months, Georgia, Wisconsin and Virginia have passed legislation with similar ride-sharing service regulations.