A Jacksonville committee on vehicles-for-hire ended its tenure with little agreement on how to regulate companies like Uber and Lyft.
It could be weeks before the committee drafts recommendations for the City Council.
The temporary committee sputtered to an end Monday with much work unfinished. Divisions between Councilman John Crescimbeni, who’s more supportive of taxis, and committee Chairman Matt Schellenberg, went unbridged.
The two disagree on everything from driver background checks to medallions. A visibly exasperated councilman Bill Gulliford urged compromise.
“This is not about us to use weapons against one and the other. It’s up to us to come up with a fair and reasonable way to govern this for all parties involved,” Gulliford said.
What they did agree to was an insurance coverage for drivers, annual car inspections and government background checks. But it remains to be decided who would conduct the inspections, how to audit them and who would have to purchase medallions from the city.
The deadline for recommendations is June 30. And incoming Council President Lori Boyer could also call the committee back to finish the job.
