Rideshare Whack-A-Mole: Lyft Can Operate In All NYC Boroughs, Must Cease Operations In Other Cities Statewide
Lyft announced that its was pushing into Brooklyn and Queens, places where its chief competition, Uber, already has a foothold, and it now has the green light to launch in all five boroughs after coming to agreements with the state and with local entities.
That’s a huge deal for the rideshare service, of course, but there are caveats. One is that, according to a statement from New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman and New York State Superintendent of Financial Services Benjamin M. Lawsky, Lyft must use only commercial drivers.
Additionally, Lyft has to cease operations in Buffalo and Rochester by August 1st. A post by Lyft indicates that the cessation is temporary. ”Lyft will pause operations in Buffalo and Rochester by August 1st, while we work with the Attorney General’s Office and Department of Financial Services to align New York State’s insurance laws and regulations with emerging technologies of the 21st century,” it said.
The whole deal is somewhat curious, and it seem that Lyft will have some additional regulatory hurdles to overcome in the not-too-distant future, but for now the victory is that it can run its business in the lucrative New York City market.
That’s a huge deal for the rideshare service, of course, but there are caveats. One is that, according to a statement from New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman and New York State Superintendent of Financial Services Benjamin M. Lawsky, Lyft must use only commercial drivers.
Additionally, Lyft has to cease operations in Buffalo and Rochester by August 1st. A post by Lyft indicates that the cessation is temporary. ”Lyft will pause operations in Buffalo and Rochester by August 1st, while we work with the Attorney General’s Office and Department of Financial Services to align New York State’s insurance laws and regulations with emerging technologies of the 21st century,” it said.
The whole deal is somewhat curious, and it seem that Lyft will have some additional regulatory hurdles to overcome in the not-too-distant future, but for now the victory is that it can run its business in the lucrative New York City market.
