Ride-sharing bill awaits approval

It’s just a bill, but it’s not just sitting on Capitol Hill. Instead, House Bill 1381, which could bring Uber back to Oxford, is waiting to be approved or vetoed by Gov. Phil Bryant.
The bill would allow statewide regulations to govern ride-hailing services, such as Uber and Lyft, to operate within the state without the interference of local governments. Any existing city ordinances will be overridden.
“I am not anti-Uber,” Oxford Mayor Pat Patterson said. “But I am concerned about who and how we are going to regulate the situation.”
Patterson said he has no idea how the city will handle an influx of car-for-hire drivers. In his opinion, if the state Legislature approves the bill, there has to be “some regulation situation” and the state will have to be the one to oversee that.
“We have always been tasked with regulating mass transit, cabs and stuff like that, and now, all of the sudden, Uber is going to be exempt,” Patterson said. “I have no idea how it’s supposed to go. If I was in the cab business, I would certainly be upset.”
Uber drivers would benefit the most from the bill, according to Patterson, but students would also profit.
“I’m kind of pro-competition,” Patterson said. “But it worries me on a city basis.”
This is not the first time the city has had to deal with ride-hailing services. In 2014, the Board of Aldermen regulated taxi services and made operating in the city more difficult for Uber.
Uber drivers after the ordinance change ran the risk of being ticketed or arrested for “operating an unlicensed taxi.” Not only were aldermen concerned about the safety of riders, but local cab companies were also concerned about losing business to a large corporation.
Uber finally ceased being able to fully operate in Oxford. However, the city has seen backlash since then from students and residents who prefer the convenience of using a mobile application to call a cab.
Local Twitter users have taken to the Internet in order to relieve some frustration using hash tags like #OxfordNeedsUber.
Third-year law school student Jess Waltman said he thinks Uber would be great for Oxford.
“Having Uber in Oxford would be a benefit for everyone who wants our roads to be safer,” Waltman said. “Having readily available and safe transportation would reduce the likelihood that one might drive under the influence.”
The return of Uber may excite some, but others, like local cab companies, are anxious. Suzanne La Crosse, owner of Angel Taxi, is worried what will happen if the bill is approved. La Crosse said any cab company would be concerned with the possibility of Uber, but she thinks Angel Taxi has served the community in the best way.
“I have 12 years of history with Ole Miss and the community,” La Crosse said. “And I think that will stand on its own.”