New law means Uber rides will continue in South Carolina
People in South Carolina can continue catching a ride through the Uber app under a law signed by Gov. Nikki Haley.
South Carolina joins 20 other states that have passed similar laws.
Uber’s app-based services have been available in South Carolina since last July, when the company launched in Charleston, Columbia, Greenville and Myrtle Beach. The company says there are no expansion plans currently.
Since January, Uber has been operating through a temporary license that expires Tuesday.
The state Public Service Commission granted the temporary license two weeks after issuing Uber a cease-and-desist order – following a backlash from lawmakers – to give them time to find a solution.
As the legislative session drew to a close, Gov. Nikki Haley urged legislators to send her a bill.
“Uber’s expansion into our state is a win for innovation, the competitive business environment we have fought so hard to create, and it means our citizens will continue to have safe, reliable transportation options,” her spokeswoman, Chaney Adams, said Monday.
Michael Black, general manager of Uber South Carolina, said the law secures a permanent home for the ride-sharing service in the Palmetto State and marks a victory for riders and drivers.
House Labor Commerce and Industry Chairman Bill Sandifer said the law protects South Carolinians while allowing Uber and companies like it to operate.
Insurance requirements for drivers represented the biggest holdup to reaching a compromise, said Sandifer, R-Seneca, who noted he has never used the service personally.
The law sets varying insurance thresholds, depending on whether drivers are just logged into the system or actually en route to pick up passengers.
The law does not name Uber, but defines its model as a legal “transportation network company.” It puts into law, for example, that rides and payments are arranged entirely through the app – riders cannot pay cash or hail an Uber driver from the street. It requires the company to conduct license and criminal background checks on drivers.
The law also specifies that cars must meet a 19-point safety inspection and have a removable emblem to identify their vehicles while they’re available to riders.
Uber doing battle overseas
French and Mexican cab drivers are pushing back against the low-cost, ride-hailing Uber.
▪ French authorities detained two senior Uber managers for questioning Monday over “illicit activity.” The detentions came amid rising tensions between the government and the American company, which culminated last week in a violence-marred taxi strike that blocked roads around the country.
French authorities are frustrated that Uber doesn’t pay the same taxes and social charges as traditional taxis, whose drivers have lashed out against what they see as unfair competition.
▪ So far Mexico’s federal government is siding with Uber and Cabify, ruling that they are not unfair competition in the Mexican capital for licensed cab drivers.
It’s the latest salvo in a war in which cabbies have mounted rowdy protests and bashed at least one Uber car with baseball bats.
This story was originally published June 30, 2015 at 12:19 AM with the headline "New law means Uber rides will continue in South Carolina."