Uber, Lyft leaving Minneapolis: City council to consider pushing back May 1 date

Some Minneapolis city council members are considering moving back the minimum wage ordinance from May 1 to July 1 to give new ride-hailing apps time to enter the market.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - With Uber and Lyft threatening to cease operations in Minneapolis on May 1 over a minimum wage ordinance, the City Council is considering pushing the implementation date back in a meeting on Thursday.

Council members Elliott Payne, Katie Cashman and Aurin Chowdhury are seeking to push back the implementation date to July 1, giving more time for new ride-hailing apps to enter the market.

Texas-based Wridz is a subscription-based model and is one of four new rideshare services that have recently filed for licensure within the city. The company was created after Uber and Lyft pulled out of Austin, Texas in 2016 and is still planning on being up and running here in Minneapolis before the original deadline.

CEO Steve Wright thinks pushing back the May 1st date is a good thing and will allow other companies the time and resources to get up and running.

"It's going to take a lot more than one company to come in and fill that gap," said Wright.

During the council meeting, co-authors are also said to be bringing a notice of intent to amend the ordinance to include offering fare transparency and data disclosures. Furthermore, council member Andrea Jenkins may bring an amendment or motion to dismiss the minimum wage ordinance all together, according to a release on Wednesday.

"We are confident that these three changes — a July 1 implementation date, data disclosure, and fare transparency — will strengthen the policy and help ensure equitable outcomes for drivers and riders. We are also excited to continue the ongoing conversations with the State Legislature about a statewide policy to complement Minneapolis’, as well as continued conversations about a smooth and equitable implementation of the ordinance with our local partners including labor, Meet Minneapolis, Metro Transit, the Chamber of Commerce, and more," said council members Robin Wonsley, Jason Chavez and Jamal Osman in a written statement.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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