Mayor Pro Tem Cindy Circo led the efforts to work out a deal that will keep Uber in Kansas City.
- When the new and old collided, Councilwoman Cindy Circo said, it took a little work.
To keep Uber in Kansas City, the city council today passed compromise changes to a recent rewrite of its vehicle-for-hire laws.
The changes came after intense negotiations that followed new laws passed two weeks ago that Uber said would drive it from the city.
Mayor Sly James gave Mayor Pro Tem Circo credit for mediating the talks the involved Uber, other app ride services and taxi company leader Bill George.
“The solution is right for Kansas City, and serves as a model for other cities that are facing similar regulation challenges,” Circo said. “We are committed to helping companies do business in Kansas City.”
Andy Hung, Uber’s General manager for Kansas City, said in a city release, “Kansas City is a destination of choice for tech companies and today they showed why.”
George, CEO of Yellow Cab and zTrip, said, “The changes meet all of our original goals, and enhance our ability to expand zTrip throughout Kansas City.”
Among changes approved today:
Transportation companies can pay an annual vehicle permit fee of $45,000, which would waive the fee per driver.
Transportation companies can get their own background checks – if they meet city specifications – and make them available to the city.
The city will be named as an insured entity on polices for transportation network companies.
The council will review the changes after six months and adjust as needed.
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