DEPARTMENT: Police
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Anthony L. Trevino, Jr.
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
Transportation Network Companies and Chapter 33
SUMMARY:
Transportation Network Companies (TNC) entered the San Antonio vehicle for hire market in March of 2014. With the advent of TNCs the nature of the vehicle for hire industry changed and Chapter 33 of the City Code (Vehicles for Hire) was revised in order keep pace. Additional changes to Chapter 33 are hereafter recommended to better align public safety needs with the TNC business model.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Transportation Network Companies (TNC) have developed applications that match drivers with passengers who pay for the ride, through the app, with a credit card. The TNC collects the fares, keeps a percentage and forwards the rest to the driver. The two TNCs that have operated in San Antonio are Lyft and Uber and although their business models differ, they share similar processes for on-boarding drivers, inspecting vehicles, providing training, and insuring against accidents.
The Police Department has briefed the Public Safety Committee on four separate occasions, from April to November of 2014, and the full Council twice in December 2015. Between briefings, City staff held many meetings with TNC representatives, local ground transportation stakeholders (e.g. taxicab and limousine representatives) and convened a special task force to develop recommendations for City Council to consider. At the December 11, 2014, meeting, City Council adopted a number of changes to Chapter 33 of the City Code (Vehicles for Hire), with the intent of reviewing the impact of those changes after six months.
On Tuesday, February 24, 2015, the Mayor released a statement outlining the need to revisit those changes ahead of schedule. "Because the TNCs' business models are so new, the treatment of these companies differs greatly from state to state and even from city to city within the sa...
Click here for full text