Uber and Lyft, which have been legally operating in Austin for about a year, may soon be subject to new regulations. The City of Austin is considering a move to require drivers with ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft to undergo fingerprint-based criminal background checks. The effort to pass these new regulations has been led by Austin City Council Member Ann Kitchen (District 5), who says that the name-based background checks that Uber and Lyft currently conduct on their drivers are not sufficient.

Austin already requires cab drivers to undergo fingerprint background checks, which use fingerprinting to ensure that a driver really is who he says he is. Both Uber and Lyft have come out against these regulations, saying that their background checks are sufficient and that requiring fingerprint-based background checks will add another hurdle for their drivers, discouraging many part-time drivers from ever signing up. This, they say, will affect their ability to provide the quick and efficient service that customers have grown to love. Currently, Lyft does not operate in any city that requires fingerprint-based background checks.

The proposed regulations will likely be voted on at the upcoming December 17th City Council meeting. More info>>