Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Drew WilsonMarch 8, 2017

Ridesharing company Lyft earned praise from Tallahassee officials Wednesday after announcing that it was open for business in the capital city. “Tallahassee was proud to be one of the first cities in the state to approve favorable ridesharing laws, and we are excited that Lyft is now expanding into the Capital City,” said Tallahassee Mayor […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 22, 2017

Last year in the Florida Legislature, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bill to create statewide regulations regarding ridesharing, but the bill died ignominiously in the state Senate. Similar bills are winding their way through committees in both chambers already in 2017, and on Wednesday, the group Floridians for Ridesharing Coalition announced their support for […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 21, 2017

A bill to create statewide regulations for ridesharing companies easily advanced in its last committee stop Tuesday in the Florida House, but not without some dissent from a handful of Democrats on the panel. The bill (HB 221) is sponsored by Tampa Republican Jamie Grant and Palm Harbor Republican Chris Sprowls, and officials with Uber and Lyft are hoping that this is finally the […]

Peter SchorschFebruary 15, 2017

It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of ridesharing services like Lyft and Uber; it’s also no secret that I am NOT a big fan of the Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission, a bully of a governmental entity applying 19th-century thinking to a 21st-century innovation. The PTC’s blatant quest to stifle ridesharing while clinging […]

William PatrickFebruary 14, 2017

On the same day an Uber- and Lyft-friendly ridesharing bill passed its first committee stop in the Florida House, state Sen. Jeff Brandes was presenting his vision of where he believes the transportation industry is headed. “We’re in a generational shift from the horse and buggy to the Model-T,” Brandes said Wednesday evening at the […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 8, 2017

A Florida House committee advanced a bill Wednesday to implement statewide regulations on ride-sharing companies like Uber and Lyft. Sponsored by Republicans Chris Sprowls of Palm Harbor and Jamie Grant of Tampa, HB 221 addresses issues that have been vexing state lawmakers for the last three Sessions. If passed, drivers would need to carry insurance coverage worth $50,000 for […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 6, 2017

Will 2017 finally be the year the state of Florida implements a statewide regulatory framework for ridesharing companies Uber and Lyft to operate under? Legislators have failed to produce a bill over the past three regular sessions in Tallahassee, but hope springs eternal that all parties can come together this year. On Wednesday, members of […]

Joe HendersonFebruary 3, 2017

I have spent a lot of words arguing that Tampa and Hillsborough County should welcome the ride-share companies Uber and Lyft instead of fighting to preserve a monopoly that has been enjoyed by traditional cab companies. I still feel that way. However, if Uber and Lyft are allowed to operate the way they want, taxi […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 3, 2017

The clash between Rick Scott and the leaders of the Florida House and Senate have dominated the front pages of several Florida newspapers this week, and Dana Young doesn’t like it one bit. “There is this angry, shrill tone coming out of Tallahassee, and I truly don’t understand why,” the GOP District 18 state Senator told a crowd of over 50 people at the Oxford […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 11, 2017

Online car services such as Uber and Lyft got a preliminary win in Florida after favorable legislation was filed Wednesday in the Legislature. The bills (SB 340 and HB 221), which would apply to ridebooking companies like Uber and Lyft, combine parts of previous measures that have been introduced but not passed over the last few years. Still, “transportation […]

Tag: Lyft

Lyft now offering rides in Tallahassee

Floridians for Ridesharing Coalition pushes for statewide bill to get passed this year

Ridesharing bill advances 21-1 in House committee

Ridesharing smoothing the roads in Florida

Ridesharing bills could pave the way for transformational changes

House advances bill for statewide ride-sharing regulations

Legislature to hear this week bills regulating ridesharing companies

Uber, Lyft here to stay – time to level the playing field with taxis

Dana Young decries the ‘shrill tone’ coming out of Tallahassee

Legislation covering Uber, Lyft filed for 2017