The app-based ride sharing service Lyft says it will stop operating in Columbus on January 19th.
Jim Letizia reports.
The company has sent a letter to drivers blaming the stoppage on regulations approved by Columbus City Council in late July. The letter does not state what will happen to the drivers, but says they should plan for the stoppage. The regulations include new insurance requirements and background checks and registrations for drivers. City leaders say the regulations are the first of their kind in Columbus, and are designed to improve public safety. The city sought temporary restraining orders against Lyft and a competitor, Uber, last year, saying they violated previous vehicle-for-hire rules. The city dropped its requests for those orders before City Council enacted the regulations. The services link people who need a ride with drivers working for the companies who use their own vehicles.
