FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 10, 2015
Contact: Jennifer Kaulius
802.324.2505
Interim Agreement Between City of Burlington and Uber Effective Monday, July 13, 2015
Burlington, VT – As authorized by the City Council at their June 29, 2015 meeting, the City of Burlington and Rasier, LLC, the company doing business as Uber, have signed an Interim License and Operating Agreement (the Agreement) which becomes effective on Monday, July 13, 2015. The Agreement allows Uber to temporarily operate lawfully within City limits and at the Burlington International Airport, pending revisions to the City’s Vehicle for Hire Ordinance.
Key provisions of the Agreement include the following:
- Uber will have a zero tolerance policy on drug and alcohol use for all drivers, and no one may drive for Uber who has been convicted of DUI or certain other crimes within the past ten years or who has more than three moving violations in the prior three years.
- Any passenger suspecting a violation should report it to the City Taxi Administrator (Ashley Bryce, abryce@burlingtonvt.gov, 802.865.7011).
- Uber will maintain an ongoing customer feedback and complaint system and will investigate all complaints of driver misconduct, although it will notify passengers that the City will receive complaints; the City will have access to this system if the City receives a specific complaint that requires access.
- Uber will conduct annual national and Vermont criminal and motor vehicle background checks for all drivers, including sex offender registry checks, before allowing a person to drive for Uber.
- Uber will verify that each vehicle has been inspected and that it is no more than ten model years old.
- Uber will ensure that all fares are adequately identified to each passenger before the passenger enters the vehicle and will transmit a receipt for each trip to the passenger.
- Uber drivers may not solicit or accept street hails.
- Uber drivers will have to meet the same conduct standards as taxi drivers, such as no stopping in bus stops or handicap parking spaces, no lounging or sleeping in vehicles, dressing neatly and maintaining personal hygiene, and no smoking in vehicles.
- Uber drivers will have to prominently display an Uber logo or decal on the vehicle, or they may be fined.
- Uber will ensure that each driver has primary liability insurance coverage of at least $1,000,000 from the time they accept a ride request on the app until the passenger leaves the vehicle, and $50,000/$100,000 coverage during the time they are logged in but have not yet accepted a ride request.
- Uber will not discriminate against any driver or applicant, and its drivers will not discriminate against riders because of sex, race, religion, age, etc.
- Uber will comply with all applicable federal, state, and local employment laws, including applicable Vermont labor laws.
- Uber drivers have the right to drop off and pick up passengers at the Burlington International Airport.
- Uber will establish a Geo-Fence to manage its Airport business and will pay the Airport a monthly fee of $2 for each pick up and drop off at the Airport.
- Uber will pay the City a flat fee of $5,000 during the period of this Agreement.
The Administration will now begin working with the City Council Ordinance Committee and transportation stakeholders to adopt permanent revisions to the Vehicles for Hire Ordinance that continue to protect the public, while enabling ridesourcing and ensuring a level playing field among all vehicle for hire companies. The Agreement will be in effect until amendments are made to the Vehicles for Hire Ordinance or, at most, for one year. The City Council Ordinance Committee has scheduled meetings to discuss possible amendments to the ordinance for July 20 and August 13, beginning at 5:00 pm. The City Council also established a November 2015 deadline for the City Council Ordinance Committee to report back.
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